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Mark Lamb, a right-wing sheriff and an ally of former President Donald J. Trump identified for his policing of elections and his defiance of a pandemic lockdown, introduced Tuesday that he would run for Senate in Arizona subsequent yr, a contest that might decide management of the carefully divided chamber.
Mr. Lamb, 50, grew to become the primary high-profile Republican to compete for the seat, one at the moment held by Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Get together in December to change into an impartial. Ms. Sinema has not mentioned whether or not she’s going to run, but when she does, there may be already one Democratic challenger: Consultant Ruben Gallego, a progressive Democrat from Phoenix.
In his announcement video, Mr. Lamb mentioned he would “stand as much as the woke left” and “safe our border and help our legislation enforcement.” He additionally known as out his help for gun rights and his anti-abortion stance within the advert.
Mr. Lamb, as the highest legislation enforcement officer in Arizona’s third-most populous county, Pinal, made headlines when he refused to implement the state’s stay-at-home order in 2020 after which when he expressed sympathy for the rioters who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He has additionally sown doubt over the outcomes of the 2020 election and drawn scrutiny for his embrace of personal militias and hard-line positions on immigration.
The sector seems more likely to develop, as Republicans see a gap to retake the seat within the potential matchup between Mr. Gallego and Ms. Sinema, which may break up the Democratic and impartial voters who’ve powered victories for the left within the state.
Kari Lake, a Republican who refused to just accept her defeat within the governor’s race final yr, has additionally signaled that she may leap into the race.
Ms. Sinema has infuriated Democrats together with her departure and opposition to key planks of their agenda within the Senate. Her break up with the celebration got here shortly after it gained an outright majority within the Senate in the course of the midterm elections final fall.
Arizona was one of many key battlegrounds in these elections, and in 2020, Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory there over Mr. Trump helped him to safe the presidency.
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