Lake’s primary win sets stage for crucial Arizona showdown

MAGA favorite Kari Lakewon the Arizona Republican primary Tuesday to run against Democrat Ruben Gallego for a US Senate seat in a race that could decide which party controls the upper chamber.

Lake, who hailed Donald Trump as a “hero” in her acceptance speech, is allied with the former president. In 2022, she lost a close race for the governorship of the state. Her margin of victory in this week’s primary against an underfunded and unknown opponent — just 55% — suggests she may struggle to unify her party, according to the Arizona Republic.

Public polls show that Arizona, a crucial swing state in the presidential race, is a toss-up between Kamala Harris and Trump. Sen. Mark Kelly, a former astronaut, is on the short list of five potential vice-presidential candidates Harris is considering. His selection would give her candidacy a boost in the presidential race in Arizona, but it would also create a Senate vacancy that might be vulnerable to a Republican challenge.

Harris is expected to announce her pick before she begins a series of swing-state rallies on Tuesday. Her decision will be closely scrutinized for what it signals about her strategic approach to the 3D chessboard of the electoral map, but the decision could just as easily hinge on personal rapport and the candidate’s capacity to act as an effective surrogate.

Lake, meanwhile, may need Trump’s support to do well enough to beat Gallego. Polls show he has a slight edge, but it will be a close race, which means whoever has the turnout advantage at the top the ticket may carry other candidates over the finish line.