Top Republicans Continue to Coalesce Around Kari Lake

Arizona Republican Kari Lake, the former newscaster and gubernatorial candidate, has received an endorsement from the number 3 Republican in the Senate.

In a statement provided to The Messenger, Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the Senate GOP Conference Chairman, endorsed Lake. He is a member of GOP Senate leadership and a close ally of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The endorsement was first reported by Politico.

"Kari Lake will shine brightly for Arizona. She is a generational communicator who is giving voice to Arizona citizens," Barrasso said. "Kari Lake is in this race to make Arizona and America stronger."

Barrasso's endorsement is yet another sign that top Senate Republicans are getting behind Lake, who is seen by GOP operatives as unbeatable in a Republican primary. She was endorsed by former President Donald Trump during her announcement speech and is the only Senate candidate thus far to receive an official endorsement from the former president.

“I am honored by the friendship and endorsement of Senator Barrasso. He is a tested and proven conservative leader who I greatly admire," Lake said in a statement. "I look forward to working with Senator Barrasso to get America back on track and fire Chuck Schumer.”

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has not ruled out endorsing Lake, according to a source familiar with the committee's strategy, as previously reported by The Messenger.

“We have had productive conversations with Kari Lake and her team. She is a talented campaigner with an impressive ability to fire up the grassroots. We have a clear path to victory with two Democrats on the ballot in Arizona,” said NRSC Chairman Steve Daines in a statement last week.

Lake will face Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who raised $475,000 in the third quarter, in the primary.

Arizona is set to be the most unpredictable Senate race of 2024. The incumbent, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, has yet to announce whether or not she'll seek a second term. But if she does, she'll seek reelection as an Independent, opening up a three-way race that'll likely be against Lake and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego.

Lake lost to Gov. Katie Hobbs last year by around 17,000 votes and is still fighting the result in court. She has yet to acknowledge that she lost.