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After losing Arizona’s gubernatorial race in 2022, Kari Lake — the former news anchor turned MAGA loyalist — set her sights on the Senate. On Monday, just a day before the state's primaries, her campaign and supporters received a call from Donald Trump.
Trump called to encourage listeners to back Lake, but also to recite his litany of grievances. He told listeners that Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 race was a "coup" by Democrats, the Arizona Republic reports. He mdae his call as Arizonans head to the poll today for their primary election.
The former president also complained about the media, pressed his "drill, baby drill" energy message, and voiced his intent to end taxes on tipped earnings.
Trump told listeners on the call that Lake was "as good as you can get."
“She’s fantastic. She will not let us down,” Trump said. “Kari Lake, I just think she’s going to be as good as you can get. There’s nobody going to be better.”
Lake will face off against Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and neuroscientist Elizabeth Jean Reye in Tuesday's Republican primary. The winner will face congressman Ruben Gallego, who is running unopposed in his primary. The race will fill the seat left open by retiring Senator Krysten Sinema.
Lake is considered to be the favorite for the GOP primary, according to the Arizona Republic. She has already secured Trump's endorsement and has the support of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, as well as most of the Republican senators who would serve as her colleagues if she wins.
Groups backing Lake have already spent approximately $140,000 to boost her primary chances. Democrats have spent $800,000 fighting against her.
During the call — which lasted approximately 15 minutes — Trump insisted that Lake was the best candidate for securing the US' southern border with Mexico.
“She’s fearless when it comes to being a champion for the common-sense, America-first policies. Kari will vote to seal the border,” he said. “We’re going to seal that border. It will stop them immediately, and that will stop, in turn, the invasion, the largest invasion in the history of probably any country. There’s never been anything like it.”
He painted Gallego as an "open-border zealot" and an "ultra-left winger, radical Democrat."
Trump insisted that Gallego is a "guy that's not respected" in Arizona, despite the fact that Gallego is a former Marine and has consistently won elections in the state since 2009. He has been re-elected to Congress three times.
Current polling shows Gallego leading Lake by mid-single digits.
