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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake has received the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, the third-ranking member of GOP leadership in the House of Representatives. Lake has also secured the endorsement of the Senate’s third-ranking Republican, Tom Barrasso of Wyoming. While Lake is viewed as the probable nominee for the GOP, party polling presents a mixed picture of her chances in a general election, with some polls showing her narrowly ahead of Democrat Ruben Gallego and others showing her trailing.
Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Kari Lake Receives GOP Endorsements
Kari Lake, a Republican U.S. Senate hopeful, received an endorsement from U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a top-ranking GOP official in the House of Representatives, indicating Lake’s increasing support within her party. This endorsement, provided through Stefanik’s E-PAC, is Lake’s second from Republican leaders on Capitol Hill. It follows a similar endorsement from former President Donald Trump, who backed her campaign last month. Lake has also secured an endorsement from Senate’s No. 3-ranking Republican, Tom Barrasso of Wyoming.
Lake, a former Phoenix newscaster and prominent Trump surrogate, is vying for the seat held by U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz. Sinema has not formally announced her plans for a second term, but her campaign spending suggests otherwise. Stefanik, R-N.Y., the House Republican conference chair, noted that her political action committee’s endorsement of Lake is the first for the Senate this election cycle.
View Kari Lake’s Campaign Gallery
Lake expressed gratitude for Stefanik’s endorsement, praising her as a “proven conservative warrior.” She looks forward to collaborating with Stefanik in Congress to steer the country back on track. Despite facing a primary challenge from Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, Lake is widely seen as the GOP front runner. U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., is the only notable Democrat in the race.
Barrasso’s formal endorsement of Lake and her support from Stefanik suggest that she is gaining traction within the GOP, which could also attract Republican donors. However, Lake’s controversial comments regarding election denialism have made some Republicans cautious of her candidacy. The endorsements indicate that Lake is actively seeking to mend ties with traditional Republicans, including those close to the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
After narrowly losing the 2022 governor’s race, Lake has spent the year since attempting to overturn her defeat. Meanwhile, Republicans are increasingly supporting Lake, viewed as the likely nominee, in a bid to reverse the GOP’s recent Senate losses in Arizona.
While Lake is predicted to secure the Republican nomination, her chances in a general election are uncertain. Recent party polling presented by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, showed Gallego narrowly ahead of Lake, with Sinema a distant third. Nevertheless, Lake has attempted to portray Sinema as a supporter of Democratic President Joe Biden with a record similar to Gallego’s.
Stefanik’s PAC, known for its support of Republican women, reported that 11 of the 15 House seats that changed hands in 2022, when Republicans regained majority, involved women backed by E-PAC. Despite the record high number of Republican women, Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz., has announced her retirement after her current term ends next year.
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