Kari Lake, the former Republican candidate for governor of Arizona, is contemplating a new career path, which will not please many Democrats. She went on One America News and stated that she is “seriously considering” running for Senate in 2024, according to Mediaite.
“I am seriously considering a run for Senate, yes absolutely,” she remarked.
She discussed her poll results versus potential opponents, including current Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema and Democratic challenger Representative Ruben Gallego.
“All the polling shows that I would win,” she stated.
In a three-person race, Lake and Gallego are tied in the polls, with Sinema a distant third.
Sinema appears to have made a choice on whether to seek reelection next year, and it is unlikely to sit well with her former Democratic Party.
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNELSinema, who proclaimed herself an Independent late last year but continues to caucus with Democrats, plans to run as a third-party candidate in a state that has just become a new political battleground — and distinctly purple.
A third-party campaign by Sinema may result in a highly competitive three-way Senate election in Arizona, creating a nightmare scenario for Democrats in a vital battleground state, according to the Wall Street Journal.
According to sources close to the situation, Sinema and her team recently had a staff retreat in Phoenix. According to slides received by The Wall Street Journal, the group apparently studied a slideshow that described a possible timeframe for her candidacy. Although Sinema has not yet confirmed her intentions, the materials suggest that she is planning to seek re-election, according to the WSJ.
“A re-election campaign by Ms. Sinema would have significant implications for the battle for the Senate in 2024 and will test whether a senator who has spurned a traditional party identity can build enough of a centrist coalition to win,” the publication added.
When Sinema abandoned the Democratic Party to run as an independent last year, political experts questioned if she would run for re-election. She frequently fought with Democratic Party leaders and progressive activists during her tenure with the party. Despite her departure from the party, Sinema still caucuses with the Democrats and is a key vote in their current small majority of 51-49, according to the WSJ.
“The slides reviewed by the Journal lay out details on timing. One slide breaks down the timeline through the remainder of 2023, including getting a poll and opposition research done by Sept. 30 and getting in place campaign staff by Dec. 31,” according to the outlet.
“Another slide on current communications strategy emphasizes her independent streak in the Senate. Ms. Sinema has been at the center of several high-profile bipartisan deals, including on infrastructure, gun, and same-sex and interracial marriage laws, while also frustrating many Democrats over her efforts to sometimes block President Biden’s agenda,” the publication added.
According to the WSJ, the slide stated, “Kyrsten is an independent voice for Arizona. As Arizona’s senior senator, she’s committed to ignoring partisan politics, shutting out the noise, and delivering real results helping everyday Arizonans build better lives for themselves and their families.”
According to the article, Sinema’s administration would not confirm or refute the facts of the employee retreat. However, the filing deadline for the United States Senate in Arizona is April 2024.
Sinema stressed her independent personality during a series of activities on Thursday, according to the outlet. She received recognition from the national and state agricultural bureaus, as well as a lunch with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. She outlined her accomplishments in Congress and chastised lawmakers she referred to as “show horses” who appear on television shows without putting in any effort or doing any real work.
Sinema stated that her support for the Senate legislative filibuster, which required 60 votes to advance most legislation, helped preserve the country from big policy shifts, according to the article.
“It’s our job to keep that pressure so that we stay right in the middle of public policy, protect the critical middle part of our country,” she told farm bureau participants.
