Kari Lake has won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate, defeating Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, according to the Associated Press. The race was called for Lake shortly after initial vote counts were released by the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office on election night.
With over 958,000 ballots counted statewide, Lake led Lamb by nearly 14 percentage points late on election night. She will now face Democratic Congressman Ruben Gallego, who ran unopposed in the primary, in the general election on November 5.
Lake, a former long-time Phoenix news anchor, entered politics in 2021 and previously ran for Arizona governor, receiving support from former President Donald Trump. At her election watch party, Lake expressed gratitude for Trump’s endorsement and support, referencing his resilience in light of the recent assassination attempt against him.
Lake, who lost the 2022 gubernatorial race to Democrat Katie Hobbs, has not accepted the election results and has made claims of a rigged election, challenging the results in court unsuccessfully. Her legal team was recently sanctioned by the Arizona Supreme Court for misconduct, and she is also involved in a defamation lawsuit filed by Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer.
Mark Lamb, who became Pinal County Sheriff in 2017, emphasized border security in his campaign despite Pinal County not sharing a border with Mexico. He ran on a platform of God, family, and freedom, and pledged to oppose the "woke left."
Despite leading in the polls, Lake declined to debate Lamb last month but did so in May. On election night, she described Lamb and his wife as friends and extended her appeal to both traditional Republicans and Democrats. She framed her race against Gallego as a contest between good and evil, criticizing Gallego as an “extreme liberal” and accusing him of supporting policies that contributed to high inflation.
Gallego, a Harvard graduate and decorated former Marine, is focused on issues such as defending abortion rights, reducing costs for families, and protecting the environment. He welcomed support from all voters for his campaign in a statement on election night.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee chairman, U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, described Gallego as a "proven fighter" for Arizonans and criticized Lake's stance on reproductive rights. In response, the National Republican Senatorial Committee congratulated Lake and highlighted their opposition to Gallego’s policies.
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