Lake snags endorsement from top GOP senator

Kari Lake received a high-profile endorsement from Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), a member of Senate GOP leadership, in the Arizona Senate race Monday.

Barrasso’s endorsement comes roughly a week after Lake formally launched her bid for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s (I-Ariz.) seat.

“Kari Lake will shine brightly for Arizona. She is a generational communicator who is giving voice to Arizona citizens,” Barrasso said in a statement. 

“Joe Biden’s policies have crushed Arizona. Arizonans are dealing with record inflation – up 20 percent under the Biden administration. Arizona is also on the front lines of the worst illegal immigration crisis in American history. Nearly 8 million illegal immigrants under Biden, equal to the population of Arizona,” he continued. “The U.S. Senate needs a Senator from Arizona that understands these issues, and will fight hard to solve them.”

Lake thanked Barrasso in a statement, saying, “I am honored by the friendship and endorsement of Senator Barrasso.”

“He is a tested and proven conservative leader who I greatly admire. I look forward to working with Senator Barrasso to get America back on track and fire Chuck Schumer,” she added.

Barrasso’s endorsement was first reported by Politico.

The news is notable given that Republicans had expressed concerns earlier this year — before Lake launched her bid — about their chances of winning Sinema’s seat after Lake lost the Arizona gubernatorial election last cycle, when her baseless claims about the 2020 election became a focal point during the race.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), chairman of the Senate GOP campaign arm, has said that he’s had “productive conversations with Kari Lake and her team.”

A Republican strategist told The Hill last week that Lake had met with Barrasso and Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) in addition to top advisers for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and the super PAC aligned with him, Senate Leadership Fund. 

The strategist also noted that the executive director for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Jason Thielman, was at Lake’s rally kicking off her campaign. Thielman’s appearance at the rally and Lake’s meetings with GOP senators were also first reported by Politico.