Republican Kali Lake is set to handily win the Arizona Republican Senate primary, setting up a highly anticipated showdown between her and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, according to Decision Desk HQ projections.
Lake was almost considered the Republican front-runner to replace retiring Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) — her only real challenger was Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb — while Gallego was unbeatable on the Democratic side.
Lake ran for Arizona governor in 2022 and narrowly lost to Governor Katie Hobbs (Democrat).
“We congratulate Kali Lake on her landslide victory in tonight’s primary,” said Steve Daines, chairman of the Republican National Senatorial Committee. “Arizona residents must come together to defeat one of the most radical Democrats in the country, Ruben Gallego, who will work with Kamala Harris to abolish ICE, slash police budgets, and further reckless spending that leads to higher prices. Kali Lake will work with President Trump to secure our border, reduce crime, and lower prices.”
Lake, a former local news anchor who has repeatedly denied losing the election despite multiple lawsuits being dismissed, has tried, without much success, to win over skeptics and moderate Republicans he isolated in the last election.
Meanwhile, Gallego has tried to repudiate his own progressive beliefs, including by stripping himself of his membership in the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
A tally of Arizona Senate polls compiled by Decision Desk HQ shows Gallego leading Lake, 47 percent to 43 percent.
The nonpartisan election forecasting site Cook Political Report rates Sinema’s district as “Arizona favorable.”
