Staff Reports
The race for the Senate seat currently held by Democrat Kyrsten Sinema in Arizona is heating up as Blake Masters, a former candidate who lost in the previous election, is preparing to run again. This comes as a surprise to many Republicans who were expecting former governor candidate Kari Lake to enter the race. Lake, a vocal supporter of former President Trump, has been teasing a potential Senate run but has not made an official announcement.
The possibility of Masters and Lake going head-to-head in a GOP primary adds another layer of complexity to what is already expected to be a contentious battle in a swing state. Masters and Lake campaigned together in the last election and were often seen promoting each other on social media. However, this time they could find themselves as opponents.
Some believe that Lake would be the favorite for the nomination if she decides to run, but her narrow loss in the previous election raises questions about her ability to win a general election. On the other hand, some Republican strategists believe that Masters could have a better chance of winning in the general election if he can get through the primary against Lake.
You are invited to join me and @DrAndrewJackson on Sunday evening. Hope to see you there! https://t.co/4NyBiCgv4z
— Blake Masters (@bgmasters) August 26, 2023
One challenge for Lake is her failure to expand her voter base since the last election. Independent voters in Arizona now outnumber registered Republicans and Democrats, making them a crucial voting bloc in statewide elections. If Lake wants to win, she will need to appeal to these unaffiliated voters.
Establishment Republicans have not been enthusiastic about Masters, with the McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund canceling millions of dollars in TV ads for the Arizona Senate race last cycle. However, Masters has claimed that he could have won if McConnell had invested more money in the state. It remains to be seen if establishment Republicans will get behind Masters this time around.
Arizona, once a solidly Republican state, has become a battleground in recent years. Democrats now hold all major statewide positions, and President Biden won the state in 2020. The upcoming Republican primary for the Senate race is expected to be unsettled and fiercely contested. An official announcement from Masters is anticipated in the coming weeks.
