Politics

Trump Makes Early Endorsement In Arizona Senate Primary

President Trump And First Lady Melania Depart White House For New Jersey

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Kellen McGovern Jones Contributor
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Former President Donald Trump formally endorsed Kari Lake, a longtime political ally, in the Arizona Senate race on Tuesday evening.

“When I’m back in the White House, I need strong fighters like Kari in the Senate. She is a fighter. She’s strong and she’s good. She’s got a great heart, by the way,” Trump said in a video shared on his Truth Social platform. “I will need a majority in the House and in the Senate. We have to have a big, strong majority to help me push our America First agenda through, and to push it through really fast – that starts right here tonight by helping Kari Lake win in Arizona, and she will win too.”

Lake, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2022 and disputed the results of the election, officially declared her candidacy on Tuesday for the Senate seat currently held by Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.

Lake’s entrance into the race was widely anticipated, and within the Republican party, she is generally regarded as the frontrunner in the GOP primary in which she faces Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb as well as a potential challenge from Blake Masters, who ran for Arizona’s other Senate seat in 2022. On the Democratic side, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is vying for the same seat, while Sinema, who left the Democratic Party in Dec. 2022, has yet to formally declare a reelection bid.

Reports circulated last month that Sinema’s political team was circulating a prospectus outlining the potential coalition of Republicans, Democrats and independents that could pave the way for her reelection, but Gallego has out-fundraised the incumbent so far.

Lake and Gallego made headlines last week when the two engaged in an impromptu debate in an airport. A video of the encounter was widely circulated online.