Blake Masters is considering another Senate run in Arizona, this time aiming for the seat currently held by independent Sen. Krysten Sinema. Masters, who lost to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in last year’s election, has yet to declare his candidacy officially. However, sources close to the situation informed Politico that an announcement could come as soon as next week.
Kari Lake, a Republican and former gubernatorial candidate, has previously indicated an interest in running for Senate and plans to decide by the year’s end. Although her advisers expect her to enter the race this fall, some members of the Republican party question if Lake and Masters will compete for the same seat.
Lake, who lost last year’s gubernatorial race to then-Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, continues to contest the election outcome and remains in the public spotlight through various legal challenges. Barrett Marson, a GOP strategist based in Arizona, stated that Masters had been waiting on Lake’s decision regarding the 2024 Senate race before making his move. Marson suggested that Masters may be reconsidering his candidacy, reasoning that if Kari Lake enters the race, Masters would be unlikely to win due to their similar platforms and voter appeal. Additionally, Lake has greater brand recognition among Republicans compared to Masters.
In the 2022 elections, Lake lost to Hobbs by over 17,000 votes, while Masters lost to incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly by more than 125,000 votes. Arizona’s 2024 GOP Senate primary already features at least three confirmed candidates: Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, consultant George Nicholson, and engineer Brian Wright.
On the Democratic side, Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego and engineer Andrew Becerra have announced their intentions to seek the state’s Democratic Senate nomination.
Sen. Sinema, who became an independent in December, has filed the necessary campaign paperwork for 2024, although she has not formally launched her campaign.