2024 United States Senate election in Arizona

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2024 United States Senate election in Arizona

The 2024 United States Senate election in Arizona will be held on November 5, 2024, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Arizona. Incumbent one-term Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema was elected in 2018 as a Democrat with 50% of the vote, succeeding retiring Republican Jeff Flake. Sinema left the Democratic Party in December 2022.

Sinema has not declared if she will run for re-election. U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego is seeking the Democratic nomination. Due to the uncertainty regarding Sinema, the state’s purple lean and the potential for a three-way race, most analysts currently consider the race to be a tossup.

Independents[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Announcement pending[edit]

Democratic primary[edit]

Sinema was considered highly vulnerable to a primary challenge due to her opposition to several parts of the Democratic Party’s legislative agenda. The most prominent dispute was over the Build Back Better Act, specifically the provisions concerning lowering prescription drug prices, as well as her opposition to increasing the minimum wage and to filibuster reform. Prospective polling showed Sinema trailing all of her potential challengers by wide margins, with U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego being viewed by numerous political analysts as the frontrunner to challenge the incumbent.[2] On January 22, 2022, the Arizona Democratic Party voted overwhelmingly to censure Sinema for a second time for voting against a carve-out to the filibuster in a Democratic-led effort to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act.

During the congressional consideration of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022, Sinema did not initially announce support for the bill, doing so only after Democratic leaders agreed to remove a provision on closing the so-called carried interest tax loophole, the closure of which would have raised taxes on hedge fund owners and investment managers.[3] This action renewed calls from Democrats for Sinema to face a primary opponent in her next election.[4]

If Kyrsten Sinema were to run and lose in the Democratic primary, Arizona law stipulates that she would be barred from appearing on the general election ballot, even as a third party candidate.[5] She would only be allowed to run as a write-in candidate, which would severely limit the possibility of a path to victory.[a] This is colloquially known as a “sore-loser law.” Sinema left the Democratic Party in December 2022 and registered as an Independent.[1]

Candidates[edit]

Declared[edit]

Potential[edit]

Declined[edit]

Endorsements[edit]

Ruben Gallego

U.S. Senators
U.S. Representative
Local officials
Labor unions
Organizations

Polling[edit]

Hypothetical polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Kate
Gallego
Ruben
Gallego
Kathy
Hoffman
Regina
Romero
Kyrsten
Sinema
Greg
Stanton
Undecided
Data for Progress (D) January 21–24, 2022 673 (LV) ± 4.0% 74% 16% 10%
66% 17% 17%
OH Predictive Insights November 1–8, 2021 229 (RV) ± 6.5% 47% 24% 29%
44% 24% 32%
25% 47% 28%
Data for Progress (D)[A] October 8–10, 2021 467 (LV) ± 5.0% 9% 23% 9% 19% 13% 26%
60% 25% 15%
62% 23% 15%
55% 26% 19%
24% 59% 17%

Republican primary[edit]

Former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey was considered a potential candidate, but said he would not run.[24] He would likely have faced a contested primary election due to former President Donald Trump’s repeated criticism of him for refusing to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Pro-Trump contenders include congressmen Andy Biggs and Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who has reportedly been encouraged to run by 2022 gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake, who herself has expressed interest in running for the seat.[25][26]

Candidates[edit]

Declared[edit]

Publicly expressed interest[edit]

Potential[edit]

Declined[edit]

Endorsements[edit]

Polling[edit]

Hypothetical polling

Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[b]
Margin
of error
Abe
Hamadeh
Kari
Lake
Mark
Lamb
Jim
Lamon
Blake
Masters
Karrin Taylor
Robson
Other Undecided
J.L. Partners April 10-12, 2023 550 (LV) ± 4.2% 4% 38% 8% 3% 7% 10% 2% 29%

General election[edit]

Predictions[edit]

Endorsements[edit]

Polling[edit]

Hypothetical polling

Ruben Gallego vs. Kari Lake (vs. Kyrsten Sinema)
Ruben Gallego vs. Doug Ducey (vs. Kyrsten Sinema)
Ruben Gallego vs. Blake Masters (vs. Kyrsten Sinema)
Ruben Gallego vs. Karrin Taylor-Robson (vs. Kyrsten Sinema)
  1. ^ Winning as a Senate write-in candidate has not proven to be impossible. In 2010, incumbent Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski lost the Republican primary to tea party candidate Joe Miller, but won the general election as a write-in candidate by a margin of 40% to 36%.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
Partisan clients
  1. ^ This poll was sponsored by Primary Sinema
  2. ^ This poll was sponsored by Progress Arizona, LUCHA, and Replace Sinema PAC
  3. ^ This poll was sponsored by Ruben Gallego
  4. ^ This poll was sponsored by Progress Arizona, LUCHA, and Replace Sinema PAC

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Collins, Eliza (April 7, 2023). “Kyrsten Sinema Is Preparing for a 2024 Re-Election Campaign”. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  2. ^ Ryan O’Donnell; Gustavo Sanchez; Brian Burton (October 14, 2021). “Poll: Kyrsten Sinema Poised to Lose Democratic Primary in 2024”. Data for Progress.
  3. ^ Zoë Richards; Frank Thorp V; Sahil Kapur (August 4, 2022). “Sen. Kyrsten Sinema signs off on Democrats’ big agenda bill, paving the way for Senate passage”. CNBC. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  4. ^ Kupar, Sahil (August 2, 2022). “Sinema faces conflicting pressures in Arizona on Democrats’ big agenda bill”. NBC. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  5. ^ “When states adopted sore loser laws”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
  6. ^ Lah, Kate Sullivan,Kyung (January 23, 2023). “Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego announces Senate bid in challenge to Kyrsten Sinema”. CNN. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  7. ^ Ulloa, Jazmine (January 23, 2023). “Democrat in Arizona Will Seek Kyrsten Sinema’s Senate Seat”. The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
  8. ^ Vaughn Hillyard; Bridget Bowman (January 23, 2023). “Gallego bid kicks off potentially crowded Arizona Senate race”. Meet the Press Blog. NBC News.
  9. ^ Christian Paz (December 9, 2022). “How Kyrsten Sinema’s decision to leave the Democratic Party will change the Senate”. Vox.
  10. ^ “Democrats Are Ready to Call Kyrsten Sinema’s Bluff”. The Daily Beast. December 13, 2022.
  11. ^ Alexi McCammond; Eugene Scott (January 23, 2023). “Democrat Ruben Gallego challenging Kyrsten Sinema in 2024 Senate race”. Axios.
  12. ^ “Greg Stanton said he will not run for Arizona’s Senate seat in 2024. All eyes are now on Ruben Gallego and Kyrsten Sinema”. Politico. January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  13. ^ “Journalist’s Roundtable: Ruben Gallego runs for Senate”. Arizona PBS. January 27, 2023.
  14. ^ Schnell, Mychael (April 6, 2023). “Rep. Dan Goldman endorses Gallego for Senate”. KXAN. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  15. ^ Bridget Bowman; Ben Kamisar; Alexandra Marquez (January 26, 2023). “Eyes on 2024: Mitch Daniels weighs life as a senator”. Meet the Press Blog. NBC News. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  16. ^ Daniela Altimari; Mary Ellen McIntire; Kate Ackley (February 2, 2023). “At the Races: Cash course”. CQ Roll Call.
  17. ^ McIntire, Mary Ellen; Ackley, Kate; Altimari, Daniela; Lesniewski, Niels (March 2, 2023). “At the Races: Back to the future”. Roll Call. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  18. ^ Bender, Michael C. (February 3, 2023). “Kari Lake, Still Refusing to Accept Defeat in One Race, Teases Arizona Senate Run”. The New York Times.
  19. ^ “CWA Arizona State Council Endorses Rep. Ruben Gallego for U.S. Senate”. Communications Workers of America. January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  20. ^ “Teamsters Endorse Ruben Gallego in Arizona Senate Race”. Yahoo Finance. PR Newswire. January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  21. ^ “AZ-Sen: “I’m one of the first members of Congress to endorse Ruben Gallego (D). Here’s why.”. Daily Kos. April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  22. ^ “Candidates”. Serve America PAC.
  23. ^ “VoteVets PAC Endorses Gallego for Arizona Senate”. March 27, 2023.
  24. ^ a b Al Weaver (December 18, 2022). “Why the GOP has Ducey at the top of its Senate candidate wish list”. The Hill. Ducey last week told reporters in his home state that he is ‘not running for the United States Senate.’
  25. ^ Kapur, Sahil (December 9, 2022). “Sinema’s decision to quit the Democratic Party jolts Arizona 2024 Senate race”. NBC News.
  26. ^ a b Otterbein, Holly; Everett, Burgess; Mutnick, Ally (February 1, 2023). “Arizona Republicans fear they may blow it again”. Politico. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
  27. ^ Hansen, Ronald J. (April 11, 2023). “Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb enters US Senate race for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s seat”. USA Today. The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  28. ^ a b c Eliza Collins (March 12, 2023). “Kari Lake Is Considering Senate Run, Making Some Republicans Nervous”. The Wall Street Journal.
  29. ^ Bridget Bowman; Ben Kamisar (January 20, 2023). “Eyes on 2024: Arizona Senate race shaping up”. Meet the Press Blog. NBC News.
  30. ^ Goodwin, Liz; Wingett Sanchez, Yvonne (January 18, 2023). “2024 Senate map is a GOP dream. But candidate strength is unsettled”. The Washington Post.
  31. ^ “Daily Kos Elections Live Digest: 2/20”. Daily Kos. February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  32. ^ Ferris, Sarah; Allison, Natalie (December 9, 2022). “Sinema party switch jumpstarts Arizona’s 2024 Senate battle”. Politico.
  33. ^ a b c Duda, Jeremy (December 12, 2022). “Sinema’s switch alters electoral math for GOP and Democrats in 2024”. Axios.
  34. ^ Otterbein, Holly (January 5, 2023). “Gallego builds political team ahead of Sinema showdown”. Politico.
  35. ^ “Which Republicans will run for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s seat? What we know”. The Arizona Republic. March 26, 2023.
  36. ^ Drucker, David (December 9, 2022). “Sinema’s switch upends 2024 Arizona Senate race”. The Washington Examiner.
  37. ^ Roberts, Laurie (February 18, 2023). “Kari Lake is the GOP’s nightmare Senate candidate, but really, who else is there?”. The Arizona Republic.
  38. ^ Latinos for America First (@LFTAMERICAFIRST) (April 22, 2023). “Latinos for America First Proudly endorses Sheriff Mark Lamb for Arizona US Senate”. Twitter. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  39. ^ “2024 Senate Race ratings”. Cook Political Report. Retrieved January 25, 2023.
  40. ^ “Senate Ratings”. Inside Elections. January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  41. ^ “2024 Senate”. Sabato’s Crystal Ball. January 24, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
  42. ^ Rod, Marc (March 16, 2023). “AIPAC rolls out first 2024 endorsements, including vulnerable Senate Democrats”. Jewish Insider.

External links[edit]

Official campaign websites