Kari Lake won the Republican Senate primary in Arizona on Tuesday evening, setting up a heated race against Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., in November for the open seat being vacated by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz.
Lake defeated Pinal County, Arizona Sheriff Mark Lamb for the nomination.
Gallego won his bid for the Democratic nomination to the Senate as well, officially securing the party’s nod to succeed Sinema.
Lake initially ran for governor of the state in 2022 but was defeated by now-Gov. Katie Hobbs, D-Ariz. Prior to her gubernatorial run, Lake was a news anchor for a local Arizona television station and had been working in the media for 27 years.
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Lake challenged the results following her gubernatorial election loss. She still contends that there were significant irregularities in 2020 and 2022, echoing claims that former President Trump and a great number of his supporters have made about the elections. The concern has led to the Republican National Committee (RNC) devoting significant time and money to election integrity efforts.
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Lamb has been sheriff in Pinal County since being elected in 2017. He rose to prominence in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he refused to enforce a stay-at-home order from Republican then-Gov. Doug Ducey.
“It’s unfortunate that we’re here, but I need to make a stand for the people and for freedom,” he said at the time, according to the Associated Press. “I don’t want to cite, fine or arrest fine people.”
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Consequences for violating the Arizona pandemic-era order included fines of $2,500 and up to six months of jail time.
Lake had an advantage in the Senate competition with significant name recognition already from her 2022 campaign. Further, she enjoyed Trump’s endorsement as well as numerous other Republican lawmakers.
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With Sinema’s decision to leave the Democratic Party and not to run for re-election in Arizona, Gallego ended up running unopposed in the Democratic primary race.
Gallego and Lake will now face off in the general election on Nov. 5.
Arizona’s open Senate seat is rated as “Lean Democratic” by non-partisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report. It is joined in the category by Senate races in swing states Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which both have Democratic incumbents.
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