OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake got some extremely good news earlier this week as she reportedly continues to contemplate a run for the U.S. Senate after losing her 2022 race against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.
“Lake is 28 points ahead of all other possible candidates in a hypothetical 2024 GOP Senate primary poll for her state,” Just the News reported.
According to a survey conducted by JL Partners on April 10-12, 38% of registered Republicans and undeclared voters in Arizona stated that they would vote for Lake, even though she has not declared her candidacy for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (I-Ariz.) seat, the outlet reported.
Karrin Taylor Robson, who was the runner-up to Lake after losing the GOP gubernatorial primary to her last year, received 10% support. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb has 8%, followed by 2022 Arizona Senate candidate Blake Masters with 7% and 2022 Arizona Attorney General candidate Abraham Hamadeh with 4%.
“No Arizona Republicans have entered the 2024 Senate primary, but Lake, Masters, and Hamadeh were all endorsed by former President Donald Trump last year in their respective primaries,” Just the News added.
2024 Arizona Senate — Republican Primary:
Kari Lake 38%
Karrin Taylor Robson 10%
Mark Lamb 8%
Blake Masters 7%
Abe Hamadeh 4%
Jim Lamon 3%
Someone else 2%
Undecided 29%
.
Head-2-Head:
Kari Lake 54% (+32)
Mark Lamb 22%.@JLPartnersPolls, 550 RV, 4/10-12https://t.co/joHzEoXt8S pic.twitter.com/ZGXdUszdL1
— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) April 17, 2023
Earlier this week, Lake warned her supporters that those who oppose her politically, especially her legal battle alleging voter disenfranchisement by Maricopa County during the last election, are angling to take legal action against her.
In a short fundraising note, Lake claimed that “The establishment wants to ARREST ME for” exposing what she has claimed is election fraud in her state.
She made a similar statement last month in a tweet that contained headlines from online news sources indicating she could be indicted.
“They want to ARREST me for exposing fraud in the 2022 Election. Now, the AZ Supreme Court has ruled that the very fraud I highlighted has to be looked at. This is big, folks. Hit me with your best shot. I will never, ever back down. Try me,” she tweeted.
They want to ARREST me for exposing fraud in the 2022 Election.
Now, the AZ Supreme Court has ruled that the very fraud I highlighted has to be looked at. This is big, folks.
Hit me with your best shot.
I will never, ever back down.Try me. pic.twitter.com/YDIuprUM1W
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) March 23, 2023
Last month, the Arizona Supreme Court declined to hear most of Republican Kari Lake’s appeal over the gubernatorial race from November’s midterms. However, the state’s highest court did revive a claim that was dismissed by a trial court regarding the signature verification process in Maricopa County.
“In an order Wednesday, the state’s highest court said a lower court erroneously dismissed Lake’s claim challenging the application of signature verification procedures on early ballots in Maricopa County. The court sent the claim back to a trial court to consider,” the Associated Press reported.
“In her challenge, the former TV anchor focused on problems with ballot printers at some polling places in Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of the state’s voters. The defective printers produced ballots that were too light to be read by the on-site tabulators at polling places. Lines backed up in some areas amid the confusion. Lake alleged ballot printer problems were the result of intentional misconduct,” the outlet added.
The AP continued: “In mid-February, the Arizona Court of Appeals rejected Lake’s assertions, concluding she presented no evidence that voters whose ballots were unreadable by tabulators at polling places were not able to vote. The appeals court noted that even a witness called to testify on Lake’s behalf confirmed ballots that couldn’t initially be read at polling places may ultimately have been counted. And while a pollster testified that the polling place problems disenfranchised enough voters to change the election’s outcome, the appeals court said his conclusion was baseless.”
Lake issued a short statement on the ruling, saying she was “thrilled.”
“The signature verification process in Maricopa County is a house of cards,” Lake said in a statement. “Thanks to this ruling my team will get the chance to topple it.”
In February, Lake announced on Twitter that her election lawsuit was headed to the Arizona Supreme Court after the appeals court ruled against her. In their ruling, the court stated that voters were able to cast their ballots and votes were counted properly in Arizona during November’s midterm elections.
