Sep 28, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Kari Lake to announce Senate run for Sinema's seat in Arizona

Axios

Kari Lake attending the first Republican debate in August as a surrogate for Donald Trump. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Kari Lake told the WSJ she'll announce at a rally on Oct. 10 that she's running for Senate in 2024, setting up a possible three-way race with Independent incumbent Kyrsten Sinema and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego.

Why it matters: Lake, who still hasn't accepted her narrow loss to Democrat Katie Hobbs in the 2022 governor's race, is one of former President Trump's most vocal defenders and has been discussed as a possible 2024 running mate — though her Senate run could complicate that equation.

Lake has acted as a top surrogate for Trump on TV and at the Republican debates, solidifying her status as one of the top stars of the MAGA wing of the party.

What to watch: The likely three-way battle will expose deep divisions in both major parties on whether to appeal to their bases or independents in a critical 2024 battleground state, Axios' Juliegrace Brufke and Hans Nichols write.

The race will have implications in the presidential campaign and give President Biden an opportunity to run against the "ultra MAGA" mindset that Lake represents.
Lake, a former TV news anchor, frequently amplifies the false election claims at the heart of two of the former president's indictments.

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Kari Lake to announce Senate run for Sinema's seat in Arizona

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