Kari Lake, a Republican U.S. Senate candidate for Arizona, got bad news on Sunday when her Democratic opponent, Representative Ruben Gallego, announced a coalition of dozens of Republican and independent Arizona leaders supporting him.
Lake, a fierce supporter of former President Donald Trump and a 2020 election denier who backs “America First” policies, will go up against Gallego, a fifth-term U.S. congressman and former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq, in November for the seat of Senator Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat turned independent who is not seeking reelection. Lake ran for Arizona governor in 2022 against Democrat Katie Hobbs. However, when Lake lost, she claimed the election was stolen, just like the claims she has made about Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. There is no evidence to support widespread voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election or Arizona’s 2022 gubernatorial election.
On Sunday, Gallego’s campaign launched “Republicans and Independents for Ruben,” a coalition of 40 Arizona Republicans and independents—which include current and former elected officials as well as industry experts, business owners and community leaders—who have endorsed the congressman.
“I am running for the U.S. Senate to represent all Arizonans, regardless of where they live or what political party they align themselves with. We may not agree on everything, but we can find common ground on one essential goal: building a better Arizona. And as a Marine combat veteran, a Congressman, and a dad of two, that is one fight I will never give up on,” Gallego said in the press release announcing the coalition on Sunday.
He continued: “I am honored to have the support of so many local elected officials, business leaders, and community members who contribute so much to our state and look forward to continuing to work with Democrats, Independents, and Republicans alike to deliver for Arizona.”
Newsweek has reached out to Gallego’s campaign via email and Lake’s campaign via online form for comment on Sunday afternoon.
Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Arizona, is among the members of the coalition.
“I am a lifelong Republican. But I cannot in good conscience stand on the sidelines while extremists like Kari Lake, who have hijacked our party for the sake of personal gain, undermine the very fabric of what makes America exceptional. Ruben Gallego is a Marine, a strong leader, and a good man, and in this election, the health of our democracy matters more than party affiliation. I am proud to endorse Ruben because Arizona needs him as our next U.S. Senator,” he said in the press release.
Randy Hartless, the mayor of Parker, Arizona, has also endorsed Gallego.
“I am proud to endorse Ruben Gallego for the U.S. Senate because he embodies the leadership we need to navigate the challenges facing Arizona, especially for our rural communities. Ruben’s commitment to tackling housing affordability and job opportunities for hardworking families, investing in education, and protecting our water future align with those we hold dear in Parker. This is a pivotal moment for the future of rural Arizona, and I am confident that Ruben Gallego is the right choice to represent all of us in the Senate,” Hartless said in the press release.
Gallego, who ran unopposed, won his state’s Democratic primary election with 497,510 votes. Lake, meanwhile, won the GOP primary in Arizona with 408,217, which was 55.3 percent of the vote. Her primary opponent Mark Lamb, Pinal County sheriff, put up a good fight, winning 39.6 percent of the vote (292,226 votes). This means that there is a chance for Gallego to try and reel in voters who did not choose Lake in the primary.
The other members of the “Republicans and Independents for Ruben” coalition include:
- Councilwoman Julie Spilsbury of Mesa
- Pete Hershberger, former Arizona state representative
- Chris Herstam, former Republican majority whip of the Arizona state House
- Steve May, former Arizona state representative
- Robin Shaw, former Arizona state representative
- Roberta Voss, former Arizona state representative
- Karen Bonds, former mayor of Parker
- Neil Giuliano, former mayor of Tempe, Arizona
- Robin Arredondo-Savage, former Tempe city councilmember
- David Luna, former Mesa city councilmember
- Paul Charlton, former U.S. attorney under President George W. Bush
- Chuck Coughlin, CEO and president of HighGround, Inc.
- Patricia Coughlin, local government relations
- Meghan Cox, CEO Impact Advocacy Group
- John Fees, business leader
- Tyler Francis, business leader
- Rebecca Gau, community leader
- Adam Goodman, business leader
- John Graham, business leader
- Wes Gullett, former advisor to the late Arizona Senator John McCain
- Paul Hickman, former state director for McCain
- Jerry Hirsch, business leader
- Lisa Hoberg, business leader
- T.J. Lindberg, army combat veteran
- Pat McGroder, business leader
- David McIntyre, president and CEO of TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Francis Najafi, business leader
- Bettina Nava, former state director for McCain
- David Reese, business leader
- Yasser Sanchez, immigration attorney
- Marc Sandroff, business leader
- John Skelton, business leader and former NFL quarterback
- Vic Smith, Yuma JV Smith Companies
- Monica Villalobos, president and CEO of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Brad Vynalek, business leader
- John Webster, business and community leader
- Amy and Dave Wudel, community leaders
Gallego’s announcement comes on the same day that the campaign for Vice President Kamala Harris, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, launched “Republicans for Harris.”
President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on July 21 following weeks of interparty fighting among Democrats on whether he should pass the torch to the next generation after his debate fiasco against Trump in late June in Atlanta. Biden also endorsed Harris the day he withdrew from the race and she is now likely to go up against Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, in November.
“Republicans for Harris,” is made up of dozens of prominent current or former Republican figures, some of which now identify with a different party, who have endorsed the vice president, including Mesa Mayor Giles.
“Since Donald Trump refused to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, Republicans have yet to course correct. The Republican Party with Trump at its helm continues down the path of political extremism, away from focusing on our fundamental freedoms,” Giles wrote in an op-ed published by The Arizona Republic on Monday.
He added: “I believe my party has a moral and ethical responsibility to restore faith in our democratic institutions. In the spirit of the late Sen. John McCain‘s motto, ‘Country First,’ I call on other Arizona Republicans to join me in choosing country over party this election and to vote against Donald Trump.”
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