Ruben Gallego, Kari Lake vie for Senate seat in Arizona

Rep. Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake are facing disconnected successful battleground Arizona successful a high-profile Senate title arsenic Democrats activity to bent onto their constrictive power of nan enclosure astatine large.

Gallego and Lake person been duking it retired for nan unfastened spot aft Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a erstwhile Democrat turned independent, opted not to activity reelection. The spot is among a number that Democrats person been fighting to bent onto this cycle, pinch a Senate representation that's put them connected defense crossed a fistful of races in 2024. 

Gallego, 44, is simply a Marine combat seasoned who was first elected to nan House successful 2014 and represents a territory that includes parts of Phoenix and Glendale. In his run for Senate, nan progressive lawmaker has worked to tribunal voters successful nan middle, while coating his force arsenic extreme. Gallego would beryllium nan first Latino legislator to correspond Arizona. 

Lake, who narrowly mislaid a hard-right run for politician successful 2022, is simply a erstwhile TV news anchor and adjacent state of erstwhile President Donald Trump. The 55-year-old, who has wide sanction nickname successful nan state, has been a vocal predetermination denier regarding nan result of some her ain gubernatorial title and Trump's 2020 matchup against President Biden. But she often reeled successful that connection during nan Senate campaign. In nan lead-up to Election Day, Lake launched individual attacks astatine Gallego, including astir nan circumstances of his divorce.

Arizona Senate candidates Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Republican Kari Lake. Getty Images

Until Sinema won her Senate title successful 2018, a Democrat hadn't been elected to nan Senate successful Arizona successful 3 decades, though Sinema went connected to time off nan party. Then successful 2020, Sen. Mark Kelly, a Democrat, won a competitory Senate title to service nan remainder of Sen. John McCain's word aft his death, becoming nan first Democrat to clasp nan spot since 1962. 

The historically Republican authorities has been a cardinal battleground this cycle, and arsenic a separator state, has seen migration go peculiarly salient for voters — an rumor that has tended to beryllium much favorable for Republicans. 

Still, Gallego has led successful nan bulk of statewide polling successful nan months starring up to nan election, and Democrats invested heavy successful advertizing successful nan state, which saw among nan largest advertizing reservations disparities of each nan battleground races this cycle. Arizona besides has an abortion inaugural connected nan ballot — an rumor that has appeared to thrust Democrats to nan polls successful erstwhile elections.

In:
• Arizona
• United States Senate
• 2024 Elections