'That’s a lot of things to be found guilty on': How Trump conviction is playing in Arizona

Everyday Arizonans reflected Thursday on the bombshell news that a New York jury convicted former President Donald Trump, the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee, on 34 felony counts in his hush-money trial.

The dramatic development marked the first time a former U.S. president has been convicted of a crime.

In the Phoenix area, voters and potential voters reacted with outrage, relief and, in some cases, ambivalence.

Linda Carpenter, a 61-year-old barista from Mesa, identifies as a "conservative" Republican, having "never waivered" her opinion on him since even before Trump's election in 2016.

"I disagree 100% with the verdict, but I also disagree 100% with the trial itself. It was a sham to me and to a lot of people," Carpenter told The Arizona Republic. "This is to keep him from actively campaigning and trying to get re-elected. In my opinion, this man has become a human punching bag and a scapegoat."

Carpenter, who voted for Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections and intends to vote for him again, believes the trial will have the "opposite effect" for voters this fall, citing that the final verdict will drive Trump to re-election.

"If they can do this to a former president, then no one in the citizenry is safe," she said. "We will never have a republic again … if they're sending ex-presidents to jail because they don't like his politics."

Evan Brandt, a 25-year-old bank teller and Northern Arizona University alumnus originally from Scottsdale, believes there is "no possible way" Trump can be trusted by the public, citing what he felt was a victory in response to the verdict.

"(Trump) had it coming, in all honesty," Brandt said. "He's a criminal, no matter how you spin it. It's great to finally see that justice has been served. It's about time.”

Brandt, who is a registered Democrat and plans to vote for the Biden for a second time in the fall, believes other political factors, such as the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, will add "fuel to the fire" to the upcoming 2024 election.

"There is so much happening in the world right now. People are upset," Brandt said. "(The trial) just proves that Americans aren't going to put up with crap anymore."

Arizona reacts to Trump verdict: What they are saying about conviction in hush-money trial

Erin Dickey, a 21-year-old student at Arizona State University, was not old enough to vote in the 2020 election but says she now follows national politics. She is unsure if she will vote in this year's election because she doesn’t "love either option."

About Trump’s conviction, she said: "I’m not surprised, but I am looking forward to seeing how it all plays out. That’s a lot of things to be found guilty on."

Drew Philip, a restaurant server who declined to disclose his age, said he doesn’t follow politics and hasn’t voted before. "I thought it was crazy he was on trial, especially for so many things and I haven’t been following it," Philip said. "But I think it’s good a jury made the verdict."

Krystyna McKee, a 19-year-old ASU student from Tempe studying liberal arts, shared her thoughts on how Trump's guilty verdict was "obvious from the beginning."

"I think it's something everybody knew," McKee said. "You can't deny (Trump) broke the law. It's only legit now because that's what the courts ruled."

McKee, who is not registered to vote and belongs to neither political party, says that Trump's verdict has not influenced her decision to vote nor her "personal feelings towards him."

"There's a lot to consider before voting," McKee said. "I mean, do I want to vote for an actual criminal? I have to think about that."

McKee added that she wants to be "informed on all the issues" before registering to vote and choosing a political affiliation.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump guilty verdict: What Arizona voters are saying about conviction