Kari Lake wins Arizona GOP election in her bid to succeed Sinema in the Senate
By
Samantha-Jo Roth
July 30, 2024 11:51 pm
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Kari Lake won a closer-than-expected GOP primary to replace outgoing Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), setting the stage for a marquee Senate race against Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), which could determine the balance of power in the upper chamber.
Lake, who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2022, received 53% of the vote with two-thirds of the ballots counted when the primary was called at 11:44 pm ET. Meanwhile, her primary opponent, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, received 41% of the vote. Lake’s victory was much narrower than expected, which could spell larger problems for Republicans in the Grand Canyon State, where voters have repeatedly rejected former President Donald Trump and the candidates he endorses in general elections.
The former news anchor will face Gallego, who is running unopposed, to replace Sinema who was elected in 2018 but left the Democratic Party last year to become an Independent. The Arizona senator considered running as an independent but ultimately opted against it in March.
After receiving the endorsement of Trump and out-fundraising her competitors in the Republican race, Lake has focused her messaging on Gallego and the Biden administration. According to the last campaign finance report in early July, Lake had $2.1 million in cash-on-hand, in comparison to Lamb’s $263,000.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/congressional/3105289/kari-lake-victory-arizona-gop-primary-election/