Blake Masters plans to announce his second Senate campaign soon, according to reports.
Blake Masters Enters Arizona Senate Race, Setting the Stage for a Fiery Competition
According to sources, Blake Masters, a hard-line conservative, is gearing up for another shot at national politics by entering the Arizona Senate race in 2024. This comes after his loss in 2022, and his campaign announcement is expected in the coming weeks, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Masters’ entry into the race adds to the already tense and crowded competition for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (I-AZ) seat. The battle for this seat is crucial, as Arizona is one of the six presidential swing states that will heavily influence the outcome of the 2024 election. President Joe Biden narrowly won the state by a margin of just over 10,000 votes in 2020.
A Chance for Republicans to Regain Control
With Sinema’s seat considered a toss-up, Republicans see an opportunity to make up for their losses in the 2022 midterm elections and potentially gain control of the Senate. However, Sinema herself has not yet announced whether she will run for reelection.
On the Democratic side, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has already declared his candidacy for Sinema’s seat. If a Republican candidate enters the race, it could turn into a high-stakes three-way battle. So far, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is the only GOP candidate who has launched a campaign.
A Potential Showdown with Kari Lake
Blake Masters’ entry into the race also sets the stage for a potential showdown with former gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake. Lake, a firebrand conservative, lost in 2022 to now-Gov. Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) but has emerged as the front-runner for the Republican Arizona Senate primary without officially launching a campaign.
Lake is popular among hard-line conservatives, but establishment Arizona Republicans are cautious about selecting her as their party’s choice for senator. They fear a repeat of the 2022 election, where many candidates endorsed by former President Donald Trump won their GOP primaries but ultimately lost to Democrats in the general election.
Masters and Lake both ran their 2022 campaigns on bolstering the Republican Party’s right wing and with the endorsement of Trump. While Lake claims that election fraud cost her the 2022 election, Masters questioned the results of the 2020 election but conceded his own loss in 2022. He has expressed his support for Trump’s candidacy in 2024.
Trump’s Influence and the Key to Winning
Former President Donald Trump continues to hold a strong grip on Arizona, particularly among his fellow GOP presidential candidates. A recent poll showed that 50% of registered Arizona Republicans are most likely to support Trump in the primary, with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) coming in second at 19%.
It remains uncertain whom Trump would endorse in the Arizona Senate Republican primary. However, similar to 2022, an endorsement from Trump would likely be crucial in winning the GOP primary in 2024. However, it could also risk alienating independents and centrist Republicans in the general election.
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