Kari Lake launches her candidacy for the Senate

The 54-year-old Arizonan and former television anchor has the support of Donald Trump.

Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake formally announced Tuesday that she will seek the Senate seat in the state.

Lake made the official announcement of her candidacy in what is expected to be one of the most hotly disputed races of 2024. She gave a 50-minute speech in which she criticized rising inflation, gas prices and the border crisis.

I'm in this for us Arizonans, and when you elect me to the United States Senate, you are electing a mama bear on a mission to protect not just my kiddos, not just my babies. I want to protect Arizona, and I want to protect the United States of America. I promise I will make you proud.

 

Lake, 54, narrowly lost her race for Arizona governor to Democrat Katie Hobbs in 2022. He will now face Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, the only other major candidate in the race for the GOP nomination, and the winner will likely face Phoenix-area Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, who is seen as the favorite for his party's nomination. Incumbent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party to become an independent last year, has not yet announced whether she will seek re-election.

Arizona is one of the Republican Party's top targets to wrest the seat from Democrats in their efforts to regain the majority in 2024.

Donald Trump’s endorsement

“President Trump is proud to endorse Kari Lake, the next U.S. Senator from Arizona! Make America Great Again!” Donald Trump's campaign posted once Lake's candidacy was announced.