Trump-endorsed Blake Masters wins GOP Senate nod in Arizona
- Jessica Boehm, author of Axios Phoenix
Blake Masters speaks before President Donald Trump's speech at a Save America rally Friday, July 22, 2022, in Prescott, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Blake Masters, a political newcomer backed by former President Trump, has won the Arizona Republican primary for U.S. Senate, AP reports.
Why it matters: Masters success illustrates Trump's enduring influence over the GOP electorate and the declining power of establishment Republicans in Arizona.
State of play: Masters beat out a large field of rivals including solar energy executive Jim Lamon, Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, former Arizona National Guard General Mick McGuire and Turning Point USA CFO Justin Olson.
The intrigue: Masters has been a controversial figure in the primary election.
- In April, he said gun violence boiled down to "Black people, frankly."
- He's also been accused of embracing "great replacement theory," saying earlier this year that Democrats are trying to flood the country with immigrants “to change the demographics of our country.”
PayPal co-founder and Facebook investor Peter Thiel, who Masters worked for until February, has poured millions into the campaign and likely will continue to do so ahead of the general election.
The other side: Masters came under fire for his Big Tech connections during the primary.
- Lamon in particular labeled Masters as an inexperienced "global capitalist from California" and a puppet of the tech industry.
What's next: Masters will face Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in the general election in November.
- Kelly was elected in 2020 to finish the remainder of late Sen. John McCain's term.