Kari Lake is still contesting the result of the Arizona governor race she lost. But she is now turning her attention to the state’s 2024 Senate contest, setting the stage for a political bounceback while worrying some Republicans who feel she is too extreme to win a general election.
Ms. Lake, an ally of former President Donald Trump, has said she is focused on her election lawsuits, but aides say she is considering entering the race for Senate. Her entrance would add further unpredictability to what could be a three-way contest for the seat currently held by independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Republicans see the seat as a prime pickup opportunity as they try to win back the Senate.
Ms. Lake, a charismatic former local TV anchor, narrowly lost the contest for governor by 17,000 votes in November’s midterm elections. She was one of several Republican candidates across the country who aligned themselves with Mr. Trump and his false claims of election fraud and lost in competitive states. A fresh Lake candidacy would test anew how Arizona voters feel about the former president and his aggressive political style in a major battleground.
Pollsters and strategists across the ideological spectrum believe Ms. Lake would be hard to beat in a GOP primary due to her rock star status among many conservatives. The uncertainty has pushed other Republicans who are close to her, including the 2022 GOP Senate candidate Blake Masters, to factor her plans into their own decision making, while Ms. Lake’s team argues her conservative policies and messaging can win the state.