According to a recent story, both Kari Lake and Blake Masters are still taking a serious look at the 2024 Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Arizona, with both failed 2022 candidates maneuvering to outflank the other.
Thedailybeast.com story reported on a recent telephone call between the two former allies that was “intense” and “erratic.” Lake has long been whispering about a potential Senate campaign, but has held off on any official announcements while she continues to contest her 2022 gubernatorial loss, and while she helps Donald Trump campaign in early primary states — a move many view as part of her audition to be Trump’s running mate. For his part, Masters was not considered to be a likely candidate after his five point loss to incumbent Democrat Mark Kelly, but he recently took steps to be an official candidate, much to the consternation of Lake and her campaign team.
The story paints a picture of Masters deferring to Lake and saying he would not run against her if she ran, but asking what was taking her so long to run? Masters also indicated that he no longer felt like Lake would be the strongest candidate the Republicans could field, and that he would give the party a better chance of victory.
For her part, Lake believes herself to be the strongest candidate, bolstered by her still unshaken opinion that she won the 2022 race for Governor. And while her non-stop campaigning since last November may have increased her negative ratings among some voters, she certainly benefits from near-universal name recognition.
In the meantime, Republicans already have a candidate who, in most years, should be getting the party faithful excited. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is a candidate out of central casting, with a strong record on border and crime issues, who does great on television and with the media in general. But Lamb’s campaign hasn’t gotten off to the strong start it needed to, he has already replaced his top campaign advisors, and his fundraising lags while donors wait for Lake and Masters to make up their minds.
“Nevada Republicans won statewide with Sheriff Lombardo in 2022, and that model makes all the sense in the world for Arizona Republicans to follow.” said one Arizona pollster, who noted that Lamb polls better than Lake or Masters do in potential 2024 matchups. “For whatever reason, Lamb just isn’t connecting on the political side like he needs to, and he is running out of time to make his case.”
Democrats have largely settled on liberal Congressman Ruben Gallego while everyone waits for an announcement from incumbent Kyrsten Sinema, who switched her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent late last year. She is widely expected to run and has continued raising money for a re-election campaign.