The U.S. Senate race for Arizona has shown to be quite the intense battle between Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego and former Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake, and we still don't even know if incumbent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, now an Independent, plans to run for reelection. On Wednesday, as a way to promote his candidacy, Gallego posted about the demographic makeup of Arizona and himself.
Gallego's post noted that "33% of Arizonans are Latino" and "33% of Arizonans have yet to see someone like themselves represent 'em in the Senate," as he added "In November, that’s going to change."
33% of Arizonans are Latino.
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) January 17, 2024
33% of Arizonans have yet to see someone like themselves represent 'em in the Senate.
In November, that’s going to change.
Why does the left always have to depend on identity politics? If Gallego is deemed the best person for the job by Arizona voters, he'll become the next senator.
As of Thursday afternoon, the post has over 450 replies, including from the Kari Lake War Room account. Lake's X account also took note with several reposts. Our sister site of Twitchy also highlighted some notable reactions.
Posts from the war room account as well as Lake and others, highlighted Gallego's fixation on race and the concerns that he would thus only represent a specific demographic, rather than the other 67 percent of Arizonans. Lake also noted "I refuse to let Ruben & his radical DEI agenda divide us anymore."
.@KariLake is running to represent all Arizonans.
— Kari Lake War Room (@KariLakeWarRoom) January 17, 2024
Not just one particular demographic.
Shame on you.
.@RubenGallego is so captured by Marxism that he’s running for Senate to represent just a third of our state.
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) January 18, 2024
I’m running to represent All Arizonans.
And I refuse to let Ruben & his radical DEI agenda divide us anymore.
EVERYONE can join our movement: https://t.co/sOVXTo2g7v https://t.co/iM1AmSZivo pic.twitter.com/Hz4j1gd3Ek
Another post from Lake, who declared the "race card isn't going to work for you here," pointed out that her husband and children are Latino. "And the terrible results you’ve delivered every community while in DC are DEFINITELY going to work against you," her post also mentioned, focusing on Gallego's record in Congress.
My husband and two children are Latino, @RubenGallego.
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) January 17, 2024
The race card isn’t going to work for you here.
And the terrible results you’ve delivered every community while in DC are DEFINITELY going to work against you. https://t.co/iM1AmSZivo
That Sinema has yet to announce whether she'll run for reelection makes this race a tricky one. Gallego was going after her in the months before she switched her affiliation, even before he made his own run official, as he appeared more than ready to face her and beat her in a primary.
What polling was available last year for a three-way race shows Gallego leading, though a VCreek/AMG LLC poll from last December sponsored by Americas PAC--with FiveThirtyEight designating it as a Republican poll--showed Lake winning by +6. A poll from earlier this month from the Democratic Public Policy Polling and commissioned by Replace Sinema PAC showed Gallego and Lake in a dead heat. With Sinema in the race, Gallego is ahead with 36 percent, while Lake has 35 percent and Sinema is at 17 percent. Without Sinema, though, Lake is ahead with 46 percent to Gallego's 45 percent, while 10 percent are undecided.
Forecasters currently regard the race to be a "Toss-Up." Especially with the 2024 Senate map looking particularly favorable to Republicans, especially in comparison to 2022, Arizona is seen as a potential top pickup for Republicans.