In the latest twist in what’s shaping up to be the Arizona Senate race equivalent of a Wild West showdown, Kari Lake, the firebrand former TV anchor turned gubernatorial hopeful, has found herself staring down the barrel of a fundraising behemoth named Ruben Gallego. Now, people, let me paint you a picture of this political duel under the scorching Arizona sun.
Ruben Gallego, Democratic Rep and a man who doesn’t seem to know the meaning of “slow down,” has pulled in a jaw-dropping $7.5 million for the first quarter of 2024. This guy’s fundraising machine is churning out cash faster than a counterfeit operation, leaving Lake and her $2.1 million haul in the last quarter of 2023 eating dust. Now, with $9.6 million in cash on hand and seven months to go until Election Day, Gallego’s war chest is looking more like Fort Knox.
Gallego’s campaign, according to The Hill, is boasting about grassroots support that would make Bernie Sanders blush. We’re talking 98% of contributions being $200 or less, with a total of 100,000 individuals donating last cycle—half of whom were first-time contributors. Nichole Johnson, Gallego’s campaign manager, couldn’t resist a victory lap, saying, “Thanks to the support of hundreds of thousands of small-dollar donors who have chipped in what they could to help elect Ruben Gallego, we are building the infrastructure to win this November.” It’s a shame that elections have basically boiled down to a point where whoever has the most money wins.
Meanwhile, Lake, not one to shy away from a fight, is facing an uphill battle. With Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) deciding not to seek re-election and effectively turning the race into a likely Gallego vs. Lake showdown, the former news anchor needs all the help she can get. And while top outside groups might throw their financial weight behind her, direct campaign funds are where the real action is. After all, you can’t fight a war on ads alone.
Gallego’s already making moves on the airwaves, launching TV ads early to define his candidacy statewide. Lake’s response? Well, she’s been a bit busy dealing with legal drama, choosing not to defend herself against liability in a defamation lawsuit filed by Stephen Richer, a Republican election official in Maricopa County. Despite these distractions, Lake’s determination to challenge the extent of damages claimed shows she’s not throwing in the towel just yet.
It’s clear that Lake has her work cut out for her. But if there’s one thing we know about Kari Lake, it’s that she’s no stranger to a good fight. Will she be able to close the fundraising gap and rally her base for a surprise victory? Only time will tell.