Republican Kari Lake, who was defeated in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race but persistently asserts, without evidence, that she emerged victorious and is actually the real governor, has submitted documents to the Federal Election Commission to run for the U.S. Senate in Arizona.
A staunch ally of former President Donald Trump, Lake is anticipated to officially declare her candidacy during a rally on October 10, CNN reported, citing according to a source familiar with the plans.
On Tuesday, she held meetings with several GOP senators, including Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas, and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, as per the report.
Lake’s entry into the race is expected to further complicate the competition for the seat currently held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. This could potentially lead to a three-way general election, with Sinema having switched her party affiliation to independent in December. Progressive Rep. Ruben Gallego has already entered the Democratic primary, but Sinema has not publicly confirmed whether she will seek reelection.
Lake has constructed her political identity, including her 2022 gubernatorial campaign, around her support for Trump’s baseless claims of widespread election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Despite losing the gubernatorial race, she remains a prominent figure in Trump’s circle.
She has also asserted, without substantiation, that she won the election last fall against Democrat Katie Hobbs, the current governor of the state. Despite losing legal battles aimed at overturning the results, where she trailed by over 17,000 votes, Lake continues to maintain that she is, in fact, the real governor.
While Arizona has historically been a Republican stronghold, President Joe Biden narrowly secured the state in 2020, and Democrats have won the last three U.S. Senate elections there. The state’s GOP is grappling with setbacks after losing key statewide races in November, including the offices of governor and secretary of state.
Election deniers like Lake, echoing Trump’s unfounded election allegations, have gained prominence within the Arizona GOP. Trump-aligned candidates, with views aligned with election denial, have succeeded in recent primaries, although they often face defeat in the general elections. Despite these losses, Republicans still hold sway over most statewide executive offices and the state legislature.
Lake faces competition in the GOP Senate primary, with Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, another proponent of Trump’s election claims, having entered the Republican race in April.
