Talonya Adams, Marco Lopez lambast Democratic opponent Katie Hobbs

Talonya Adams, the Black woman fired by Katie Hobbs who successfully sued over sex and race discrimination and retaliation, endorsed Marco Lopez during a scathing press conference Wednesday.

• Lopez is facing Hobbs in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

What happened: Adams and Lopez were joined at the Capitol by a handful of Black and Latino community leaders, including former Phoenix council member and county supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox and Chicanos Por La Causa CEO David Adame.

What they're saying: "We don't need someone who is ill-equipped, who doesn't understand the multiple crises that this state is in …. who cannot debate, who lacks fundamental skills, who has two jury verdicts convicting her of race discrimination, sex discrimination and retaliation. [Hobbs] has no ability to lead, and that's the truth of the matter," Adams said.

• Hobbs has since apologized to Adams and acknowledged that she faced discrimination as a Senate employee.

Why it matters: Hobbs is expected to beat Lopez handily in the Aug. 2 primary, but the criticism she's facing now could re-emerge during the general election, which is already expected to be difficult for Democrats.

Lopez is trying to convince voters that Hobbs is unelectable because of the jury verdicts and that he is the only Democrat who can win the governor's race and support down-ticket Democrats.

The other side: Hobbs' campaign did not return a request for comment Wednesday, but she told Axios Phoenix last week that she was "truly sorry" for the pain she caused Adams and her family.

• "My job is to answer to Arizonans when there are questions and concerns, make sure that my vision for an inclusive Arizona reflects their values and priorities. And that is exactly what I’m doing.”