Kari Lake emerged victorious in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in Arizona and is now set to face off against Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego in the upcoming general election. Lake, who is a former local news anchor, aligns herself with hard-right Republican views in the mold of former President Donald Trump. She has promoted lies about the 2020 election being stolen and even claimed the same about her own unsuccessful race for governor in 2022. Lake has received endorsements from Trump and continues to pursue legal battles related to the last election, including an ongoing defamation lawsuit from a fellow Republican official.
Despite facing tough competition from Republican challenger Mark Lamb, the sheriff of Pinal County, Lake was widely expected to win the primary. However, the question on many analysts’ minds was how much of a victory she would achieve and whether it would be enough to make her a strong candidate in the general election. Republican consultants advised that Lake needed to earn at least upwards of 55% of the primary vote to demonstrate her ability to unite the state’s Republican Party against Gallego in the general election.
In head-to-head general-election polling, Gallego currently holds an edge over Lake and had a lead even before outgoing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she would not seek reelection. Lake’s brand of Trumpism, which includes promoting election denial, border hysteria, and attacking late GOP Sen. John McCain, has resonated with a segment of Arizona’s Republicans. However, it may not necessarily be a winning strategy for statewide office, as evidenced by Lake’s loss to a Democrat in the previous gubernatorial race.
Lake’s campaign has been characterized by her alignment with Trump’s ideology and the perpetuation of misinformation regarding the election. Despite garnering support from a portion of Arizona’s Republican base, Lake faces challenges in appealing to a broader electorate in the general election. Gallego, her Democratic opponent, has maintained a lead in polling and presents a formidable challenge for Lake in the race for the U.S. Senate seat. As the election draws nearer, both candidates will need to work to consolidate support within their respective parties and appeal to independent voters to secure victory in November.
