An Arizona state office candidate is under scrutiny after allegations have surfaced regarding his military service record. Steve Slaton, a candidate for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 7, has been accused by a veterans group of falsely claiming he was a Cobra helicopter pilot, when in reality, he served as a mechanic. This revelation has prompted the Navajo County Republican Committee to demand his withdrawal from the race, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.

Slaton, who has been in the political spotlight recently for hosting an event for U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake, owns a Trump-themed store in Show Low that prominently displayed a Confederate flag, potentially adding fuel to the controversy. According to the AllSides, his military service has come under question just as his political activities reach a wider audience, leading to criticism from both veterans' groups and fellow Republicans.

The Navajo County Republican Committee has made its position clear on its website, stating that their mission is supporting candidates who uphold the Republican Party Platform and the Constitution and that they promote the political education of Arizona's Republicans. Reacting to the Committee's call for him to drop out, Slaton issued a fiery statement insisting on his status as a "Vietnam combat veteran" and dismissing the allegations as a "left wing smear campaign." He compared the actions of his critics to those who disparaged Vietnam veterans upon their return years ago. "I am a Vietnam combat veteran - no left wing smear campaign will ever deny that fact. These people doing this are doing to me what the liberals did to the Vietnam Veterans decades ago when they returned - spitting on us and mocking us," Slaton's statement read, as obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix.

Despite the controversy, Slaton has not indicated any intention to withdraw from the race, instead, he has doubled down on his defense and attacked his detractors as "a bunch of establishment Chamber of Commerce RINO hacks who support Democrats more than Republicans." His unabashed connection to figures like Kari Lake and former President Trump, both polarizing in their own right marks him as a staunch, divisive figure within the political landscape. As the November elections approach, the veracity of Slaton's military service claims and the public's reaction to them, could significantly impact his campaign's viability.