GOP Candidate Challenges 'Troll & Coward' Critics To Pull-Up Contest, Agrees To Steel Cage Match

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The testy, testosterone-laden Twitter rant culminated Monday with PR flack Leibowitz challenging GOP candidate Frank Riggs to either an "Indian leg wrestle" or a "steel cage match." Screenshot: Frank Riggs Twitter

An Arizona Republican who narrowly lost his bid to become the state's top education chief lashed out against his critics on Twitter, calling a PR consultant a "gutless punk" and "coward" before challenging him to a pull-up contest.

Frank Riggs, a GOP candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, blasted a tweet from local columnist and public relations flack David Leibowitz Sunday night that appeared to be taunting the former police officer and U.S. House member about the loss to 32-year-old Democrat Kathy Hoffman. Riggs, who served in the U.S. Army from 1972 through 1975, went on a wide-ranging Twitter rant against the "all-volunteer mlitary," accusing Leibowitz and others of being "softies" who failed to join the U.S. Armed Forces because of "physical & moral cowardice."

The testy, testosterone-laden Twitter rant culminated Monday with Leibowitz challenging Riggs to either an "Indian leg wrestle" or a "steel cage match." Riggs responded by challenging the "embarrassed punk" to a pull-up contest during one of his frequent "5 a.m. workouts."

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The testy, testosterone-laden Twitter rant culminated Monday with Leibowitz challenging Republican Frank Riggs to either an "Indian leg wrestle" or a "steel cage match." Screenshot: Frank Riggs Twitter

Leibowitz's Sunday tweet that sparked the firestorm asked Riggs if he was considering a future run for the state's Corporate Commission, but according to the Phoenix New Times and a later tweet, he did not realize Riggs had considered running for that position in 2016. Responding to the perceived insult, Riggs began his testy Twitter exchange with Leibowitz, PR flack Barrett Marson, attorney Thomas Galvin and journalist Jim Small.

"Thanks for the tweet on #VeteransDay, you gutless punk. Let me know if you ever wear the uniform, run for office, or serve in any capacity. All I did was protect the likes of you. #Coward #SoMuchBetterOnline," Riggs responded, beginning his criticisms of keyboard warriors.

"You are a gutless punk who has never served, never run & never will because you enjoy the soft comfort of social media. You'd never make it a week through boot camp or the police academy. You are a troll & coward," Riggs wrote. Leibowitz responded by saying he would be disgusted at serving "with people like you, sir. Narcissistic partisans who mistake self-serving campaigns for public service. That's why you lose when you run -- voters sense your self-importance and need to self-aggrandize. And thank goodness they do."

Riggs unsuccessfully ran as a Republican candidate for governor of Arizona in 2014.

Leibowitz issued a bizarre challenge to the "sad 68-year-old man" for either an "Indian leg wrestle" or "steel cage match" competition. After the two exchanged several tweets mocking the other's physical prowess, Riggs appeared to agree.

Frank Riggs Twitter
The testy, testosterone-laden Twitter rant culminated Monday with Leibowitz challenging Republican Frank Riggs to either an "Indian leg wrestle" or a "steel cage match." Screenshot: Frank Riggs Twitter

"Anytime. Punk. You will be embarrassed, big time. Just message me. You & your pasty ilk are welcome to join me @ 5 am for one of my daily workouts. Can you do a pull-up yet?" asked Riggs. After returning to Twitter following his brief account deletion, Riggs tweeted he "should have blocked [Leibowitz] long ago" and sent out a quote from former President Theodore Roosevelt lamenting "critics" as useless.

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About the writer


Benjamin Fearnow is a reporter based out of Newsweek's New York City offices. He was previously at CBS and Mediaite ... Read more

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