Kari Lake Gets Massive Update In Senate Race

For the first time in the current election cycle, former newscaster and GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake has taken a lead in a new poll over her likely Democratic opponent, U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego.

Lake, who ran for Arizona governor in 2022 with President Trump’s endorsement, now shows a slight two percent lead over Gallego, according to an analysis by The Hill.

Early polls had Gallego ahead, but Lake has consistently focused on immigration, blaming the increase in migrants at Arizona’s southern border on Gallego’s support for President Joe Biden’s policies. This strategy appears to resonate with some voters in a state with mixed political leanings, swinging from a Trump victory in 2016 to a narrow Biden win in 2020.

In the Arizona Senate race, issues like migration and the high cost of living have significantly influenced voter sentiment, eroding Gallego’s usual incumbency advantage. Despite his congressional experience, these pressing local issues have left many Arizonans disillusioned.

Lake, who launched her campaign in February, initially trailed Gallego by about 5 percent in various polls. However, following Biden’s poorly received debate performance, her numbers improved, with the latest polling data showing Lake leading Gallego 51-49 percent.

“Incumbent first-term independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, initially elected as a Democrat in 2018 by a margin of 2.3% over then-Republican incumbent Sen. Martha McSally, left the Democratic Party in December 2022. She had initially filed paperwork to run for reelection as an independent but announced in March 2024 that she would not seek a second term,” The Hill’s analysis noted.

“Democrats have won four consecutive statewide federal elections in Arizona and flipped the Governor’s office in 2022, while Republicans control both houses of the Arizona State Legislature and hold a minimum majority in Arizona’s U.S. House delegation. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump won Arizona by 3.5% in 2016, while Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden prevailed by 0.3% in 2020,” the analysis continued.

After her 2022 loss to current Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, Lake pursued several legal cases challenging the election's integrity, but without success. In recent months, Lake has shifted her focus to addressing core issues such as Washington’s dysfunction, rampant inflation, and the need for more housing in the Southwest.

These issues seem to be resonating with many voters, positioning her as a candidate aligned with everyday concerns. Additionally, she has gained significant support within her party, securing endorsements from 23 of the 49 Republican Senators.

This strong backing was evident in April when Trump hosted a fundraising event for her at Mar-a-Lago, where she raised over $1 million, setting a new record for a non-incumbent at the club. The strong financial and political support underscores her prominent stance in the Republican primary scheduled for July 30th, reports note.

According to her campaign, Lake brought in $4.1 million during the first quarter of this year, which “is roughly twice as much as she raised in 2023’s last fundraising quarter,” The Daily Caller reported in April, adding that she had around $2.5 million in cash on hand at the time.

“Kari Lake doubled her fundraising haul from last quarter. She is seeing strong from grassroots donors and Arizona donors,” a Lake campaign spokesperson noted in a statement. “Gallego is Far-Left, and out of step with Arizonans. Just like President Trump, Kari is performing strong in Arizona and will win in November.”

Lake’s campaign generated $1.3 million through 40,000 contributions, which came from approximately 22,000 individual donors. Most of the donations were small amounts, with 99% of them under $200. The campaign received contributions from all 50 states, as well as from Guam, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., the report said.