Kari Lake Triumphs in High-Stakes GOP Primary for Arizona Senate, Set to Battle Gallego in November

PHOENIX (AP) — Kari Lake clinched the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Arizona on Tuesday, establishing a contentious showdown against Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego for a pivotal Senate seat in the 2024 elections.

In Maricopa County, which encompasses metro Phoenix and accounts for 60% of Arizona’s electorate, Republicans had a critical choice between established incumbents and challengers aligned with former President Donald Trump’s unsubstantiated claims about the 2020 election.

Gallego ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, setting the stage for the general election.

Upon her victory, Lake hailed Trump as a “hero” and called for his supporters to back her campaign, emphasizing the need for support in Washington, D.C.

“He can’t do this alone,” Lake stated. “He needs backup in Washington, D.C. And I’m going to be his backup.”

The Republican field narrowed significantly when Lake, a major figure in Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement and former news anchor, entered the race. She defeated Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who struggled to compete financially, raising only $2 million to Lake’s $10.3 million by the end of June.

Lake will go head-to-head with Gallego for the seat currently held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Elected as a Democrat in 2018, Sinema left the party to become an independent and opted against running again.

Lake, who transitioned from a television news anchor to a political figure, has drawn significant attention for her outspoken criticism of the media, strict border security stances, and unwavering support for Trump.

Trump expressed strong support for Lake in a telephone rally, declaring, “She’s fantastic. She will not let us down.”

Lake previously won a tough primary for Arizona governor in 2022 but narrowly lost the general election, failing to gain broader Republican support.

In her Senate bid, Lake has appealed for unity, welcoming votes from those who didn’t support her previously. Yet, she also presented the election as a stark contrast between “good and evil.”

She described Gallego as “an extreme liberal Democrat from Chicago” closely aligned with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Lake’s campaign has seen attempts to moderate some of her more controversial positions, including her stance on abortion. However, inconsistencies remain, as she continues to challenge the legitimacy of past election results.

Meanwhile, Maricopa County Republicans had their first opportunity to replace officials who did not support Trump’s and Lake’s election fraud claims. Recorder Stephen Richer, who defended the integrity of elections, faced significant opposition from the Trump-aligned faction.

The belief in rigged elections continues to prevail among Arizona Republicans, despite consistent rejections of fraud claims by judges and election experts.

Republican candidates also competed for a chance to replace retiring GOP Rep. Debbie Lesko. The diverse field included candidates like Blake Masters and Abraham Hamadeh, who have turned against each other since their respective 2022 campaign losses.

Democratic voters were tasked with deciding two fiercely contested U.S. House primaries in the Phoenix area. The winner of the Democratic primary in the 1st Congressional District will face Republican Rep. David Schweikert, while another primary in the 3rd District will likely determine Gallego’s successor in a predominantly Latino community.

Associated Press writer Anita Snow in Sun City West, Arizona, contributed to this report.