CAROLINE VAKIL
The Hill
Republicans are facing a dwindling number of alternatives to mount a challenge to Kari Lake in the Arizona Senate primary, raising concerns for the party over what should be a prime pickup opportunity next year.
Lake, who narrowly lost her gubernatorial election to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) last November, is weighing a potential Senate run for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (I) seat. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) has already thrown his hat in the ring, while Sinema has not yet announced whether she’s running again.
Republicans concede Lake would be the party’s frontrunner if she officially launched a bid and see almost no serious alternatives who could take her on. But they also worry her emphasis on baseless allegations of election fraud could cost them.
“I think most people are facing reality that if she runs for that seat, she has a significant number of Republican primary voters who are going to vote for her, and why put good money after bad, I think is what a lot of people are thinking,” said Republican strategist Chuck Warren, who has worked in Arizona.
“So unless somebody comes in and throws $15 [million], $20 million of their own money, I think it’s very difficult, and that person’s not popping up,” he continued.
