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Former President Donald J. Trump on Sunday called Blake Masters, the failed Arizona Senate candidate considering a second run next year, and told him he didn’t think Mr. Masters could win a primary race against Kari Lake, the former news anchor who ran unsuccessfully for governor last year, according to two people briefed on the conversation. Mr. Trump’s delivery of this blunt political assessment — which could indicate that Mr. Trump may endorse Ms. Lake if she has a relatively open path to the nomination — is at odds with Mr. Trump’s posture so far this political cycle, in which he has shown more restraint in endorsing candidates than he had in the 2022 midterms. Mr. Trump’s call on Sunday came days after a report that Mr. Masters, a 37-year-old venture capitalist, was preparing to make a second run for the Senate in the swing state after his loss to Senator Mark Kelly, the Democratic incumbent, in 2022. Ms. Lake, who lost a bitter contest with Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, is looking at announcing a Senate campaign in the first half of October, two people familiar with the matter said.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Blake Masters, Masters, Kari Lake, Trump’s, Mark Kelly, Katie Hobbs, Kyrsten Sinema Organizations: Senate, Democratic, Gov, Democrat, Republican Party Locations: Arizona

☆ Blake Masters' favorite senator won't endorse his second Senate campaign in Arizona
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

GOP candidate Blake Masters is reportedly planning to run for Senate again in Arizona. Kari Lake may also run for the Arizona Senate seat. And he said that while he's a "big fan" of Masters, he'd be "really surprised" if he got involved in the Arizona Senate race this cycle. A Masters campaign could put him on a collision course with Lake, an erstwhile ally during the 2022 campaign. AdvertisementAdvertisementRepublican Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, the chairman of Senate Republicans' campaign arm, told Insider that he'd spoken to Masters about running but otherwise said little about the Arizona Republican's potential candidacy.

Persons: Blake Masters, Josh Hawley, JD Vance —, I've, Hawley, Kari Lake, —, Democratic Sen, Mark Kelly, Masters, Donald Trump, Republican Sen, he'd, JD Vance, Peter Thiel, Thiel, Vance, Vance isn't, Arizona —, Trump, Sen, Kyrsten Sinema, Ruben Gallego, Mitch McConnell, McConnell, Steve Daines, Republican Sens, Lindsey Graham of, Ted Cruz, Cruz, Graham Organizations: Arizona Senate, Service, Senate, Democratic, Wall Street, POLITICO, GOP, Republican, Apache, Big Tech, Arizona Republican, Ohio, Republican Party that's, Trump acolyte, Democrat, Republicans, Republican Party, Arizona Locations: Arizona, Wall, Silicon, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Missouri, Washington, Montana, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Ted Cruz of Texas

☆ Blake Masters Plans to Enter Race for Kyrsten Sinema’s Senate Seat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Eliza Collins | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Blake Masters holding his son Rex during a campaign rally last year in Mesa, Ariz. Photo: Matt York/Associated PressRepublican Blake Masters, who last year lost his Arizona Senate bid, is set to announce he is running again in 2024, according to people familiar with his plans, injecting additional uncertainty into what is expected to be one of the most chaotic and competitive races in the country.

Persons: Blake Masters, Rex, Matt York, Associated Press Republican Blake Masters Organizations: Ariz, Associated Press Republican, Arizona Senate Locations: Mesa

☆ An independent candidacy by Kyrsten Sinema could help Democrats win the 2024 Arizona Senate race as she appears to pull more support from Republicans than from her old party, a new poll says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

For months, Democrats have worried about a three-way Senate race in Arizona giving the GOP a boost. But a new Emerson College poll shows Democrats ahead in three-way matchups that include Sinema. But in a three-way race with Gallego, Lamb, and Sinema, the Democratic candidate leads with 36% support, followed by Lamb at 29% and Sinema with 21% support — while 15% of respondents were undecided. And in a three-way contest with Gallego, Wright, and Sinema, the congressman leads with 37% support, with Sinema at 26% and Wright with 25% support. One of the more fascinating elements of the polling is Sinema's continued popularity with a sizable bloc of Republicans, a dynamic similar to her 2018 Senate victory when she ran as a Democrat.

Persons: Arizona Sen, Kyrsten Sinema, Sinema, Ruben Gallego, who's, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, Gallego, Lamb, Brian Wright, Wright, Martha McSally, Emerson, Kari Lake, Blake Masters, Abe Hamadeh, Jim Lamon, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Cornel Organizations: GOP, Emerson College, Republicans, Service, Democratic Party, Independent, Democratic, Gallego, Pinal County Sheriff, Republican, Democrat, Sinema, Arizona Senate, Emerson, Biden, Cornel West Locations: Arizona, Wall, Silicon, Phoenix, Pinal County

☆ Tucker Carlson's show on Twitter makes ad deal with anti-ESG shopping app
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Brian Schwartz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson's new Twitter show has landed one of its first advertisers. Carlson agreed to a seven-figure advertising deal with Public Square (PublicSq. Carlson's show appears to match well with the conservative leanings of Public Square. The Public Square ads are expected to start appearing on Carlson's show in late August. A February press release for the merger said the deal "is expected to provide up to $158.5 million in cash" to Public Square.

Persons: Tucker Carlson's, Carlson, Carlson's, Andrew Tate, Tate, Tucker, Michael Seifert, Seifert, Omeed Malik, Malik, Nick Ayers, Mike Pence, Peter Thiel, Blake Masters, Ayers, Thiel, Neil Patel, Patel, Ron DeSantis, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Kennedy, Joe Biden, Biden Organizations: Fox News, Public, Fox, Systems, Twitter, Republican, Diversity Equity, Breitbart News, New York Stock Exchange, Colombier, Daily Mail, Wall Street, Arizona Senate GOP, Street Journal, Republican Florida Gov, Democratic, Quinnipiac Locations: Arizona

☆ Kyrsten Sinema, eyeing GOP voters, knocks 'both political parties' when asked about election deniers in Arizona
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In 2024, Sinema would likely need support from conservative voters who doubt the 2020 election. "Well, we're currently living in a climate where it's okay to say things that aren't true," Sinema said. "What I think we're facing in our country today is this situation where people don't know what's true and what's not true," said Sinema. Sinema again blamed "the two political parties" for becoming "more extreme." Lake says she's "seriously considering" a Senate campaign, and Sheriff Mark Lamb, already running in the GOP primary, has also cast doubt on the validity of the 2020 election.

☆ Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party last year, says she's 'absolutely' done with parties and won't join the GOP: 'You don't go from one broken party to another'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Kyrsten Sinema told CBS News she's "absolutely" done with political parties and won't join the GOP. She left the Democratic Party last year and became an Independent before a potential reelection bid. "It's okay not to agree a hundred percent with another," the Arizona senator told Margaret Brennan. There was less willingness for individuals to have their own opinions to make their own decisions," Sinema told Brennan. I mean, I just, I'm laughing because I literally just spent time explaining how broken the two parties are," Sinema replied.

When Thiel spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention, he had more hope that the party would concentrate on economic issues, his business associate said. Four political sources also told Reuters that Thiel is taking a step back from U.S. politics. In 2012, Thiel backed libertarian lawmaker Ron Paul, and in 2016 he donated some $1.25 million to the campaign efforts of Trump, who is the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination. In the 2022 election cycle, however, Thiel emerged as a potential Republican kingmaker, contributing more than $35 million to 16 federal-level Republican candidates, according to OpenSecrets. The business associate said he was not aware of any special proviso for former employees.

☆ Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego recently outraised Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in what could be the most unpredictable Senate race of 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego outraised Independent Kyrsten Sinema in the first quarter of 2023. Gallego's campaign reported raising $3.74 million, while Sinema raised $2.1 million, per the FEC. The Grand Canyon State could potentially boast the most competitive Senate race in the US next year. The outcome of a competitive three-way Arizona race could very well determine control of the Senate. And the race would also be held with the concurrent presidential election, which could feature a rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

☆ Peter Thiel's reported romantic partner was found dead in Miami. Police are investigating as possible suicide.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Jeff Thomas, a 35-year-old actor and model, was found dead in Miami in a possible suicide. Miami police view the case as a possible suicide and plan to interview Thiel, The Intercept said. The Intercept reported that Thomas and Thiel had been seen at each others' homes, including at raucous parties. "And he did, and so he didn't support Trump in 2020. Thomas said he had doubts about his relationship with Thiel, the Intercept reported, and the two were not living together.

☆ Chris Christie says Donald Trump 'can't win a general election' and GOP is finally recognizing harm of 'loser' candidates after 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

As Donald Trump embarks on his 2024 campaign, Chris Christie said he "can't win a general election." Christie pointed to the 2022 midterms where he said many election deniers proved to be "loser" candidates. Chris Christie said Donald Trump "can't win a general election" and predicted the former president will not be successful in his 2024 presidential run. "I've said, over and over again, that he can't win a general election," Christie said Sunday. "We could go through the entire list, loser, loser, loser, loser, and I think Republicans are recognizing that."

☆ Arizona Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego, who's trying to unseat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, says 'nobody' in the state 'has really spoken to' her she joined the upper chamber
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"She doesn't speak to Arizonans anymore. This is why she is where she is," he said, arguing that she would have been unable to win a Democratic Party primary. Since the announcement, Sinema has so far continued to caucus with Senate Democrats, but her switch still puts the party in a bind. Such a contest would pit Gallego and Sinema against a Republican candidate — creating an unpredictable three-way race. Potential GOP entrants into the 2024 Senate election include Kari Lake, the party's gubernatorial nominee last fall, along with 2022 Senate nominee Blake Masters and 2022 gubernatorial candidate Karrin Taylor Robson.

WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego announced Monday he will run for the Arizona U.S. Senate seat currently held by centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party in December to become an independent. In his statement Monday, Gallego said: “The problem isn’t that Senator Sinema abandoned the Democratic Party — it’s that she’s abandoned Arizona. Karrin Taylor Robson, who narrowly lost to Lake in the 2022 primary after spending $20 million of her family’s money, is seriously considering a Senate run, a source close to her said. And Mark Lamb, the Pinal County sheriff, is also considering a Senate run in 2024, said an Arizona Republican source. A Gallego adviser said he's prepared for a two-way race if Sinema steps aside or a three-way race if she chooses to run.

☆ Ruben Gallego launches Senate bid, saying Kyrsten Sinema has 'abandoned Arizona' as he tees up rare three-way race
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego officially launched his Senate campaign in Arizona on Monday. He said Kyrsten Sinema "abandoned Arizona" and branded her as an advocate for the rich and powerful. His launch tees up a likely 3-way race between him, the newly-independent Sinema, and a Republican. Gallego is well-positioned to win the Democratic primary after fellow Democratic Rep. Greg Stanton opted not to run for Senate. If Sinema runs as an independent, Arizona is likely to see a three-way race in the general election — a relatively rare occurrence.

☆ Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego expected to announce a bid for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's seat in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Haley Talbot | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., is expected to announce Monday that he's running for Senate in Arizona in 2024, according to a source familiar with his planned rollout. Gallego, a progressive Democrat, is running for the seat held by Sinema, who decided in December to leave the Democratic Party and become an independent. If she does, and Gallego wins the Democratic nomination, they'd face each other in the general election. In December, after Sinema announced she was changing her party affiliation, Gallego signaled to NBC News he was likely to launch a Senate bid. Gallego went on to say he believes if Sinema runs, “it will almost ensure the fact that the Senate seat will stay in Democratic hands” because of the GOP’s struggles to hold its coalition together.

☆ The Republican wave that wasn't could dim Trump's White House hopes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

House Republican leaders have already threatened the nightmare scenario of a debt default to extract deep spending cuts to Democratic priorities. With control of House oversight committees, Republicans could also launch probes of President Joe Biden's administration ahead of the 2024 presidential election that could weaken or embarrass Biden. But in 2022, people's votes were also influenced by their views on a former occupant of the White House - Donald Trump. Trump's misfortunes may benefit Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who romped to a re-election victory that cemented his status as a Republican rising star. Democrats in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin all won governor's races, likely limiting the ability of Republicans in those states to interfere with the presidential election.

WASHINGTON — The 2022 midterm elections were full of surprises. Republicans began the year favored to notch big victories, yet they fell short and barely captured control of the House. Lake was widely seen as the election-denying candidate with the best chance to win a statewide race in a key battleground in the 2022 elections. Secretary of state contenders who echoed Trump’s fabricated claims of a stolen election lost, including Mark Finchem in Arizona, Kristina Karamo in Michigan and Jim Marchant in Nevada. Their wins led Democrats to win every competitive House race and gain control of the state House for the first time in more than a decade — although recent vacancies have called that majority into question.

☆ Six battleground states will hold the key to the White House in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

AP Photo/Andrew HarnikGeorgia2012 margin: Romney +7.8%2016 margin: Trump +5.1%2020 margin: Biden +0.2%For decades, Republicans could easily depend on the Peach State's electoral votes falling into their column. Two years later, Biden won the state by roughly 12,000 votes over Trump, followed by the dual 2021 runoff victories of Sens. AP Photo/Matt RourkePennsylvania2012 margin: Obama +5.4%2016 margin: Trump +0.7%2020 margin: Biden +1.2%Biden's hometown of Scranton is dear to his heart so Pennsylvania was always going to be a key state for the party in 2024. AP Photo/Andy Manis, FileWisconsin2012 margin: Obama +6.9%2016 margin: Trump +0.8%2020 margin: Biden +0.6%Wisconsin is one of the most politically-divided states in the country. But Trump flipped Wisconsin to the GOP in 2016, the first time it had supported a Republican presidential nominee since 1984.

☆ Republicans boost outgoing Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey as a potential challenger to Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Republicans hope that outgoing Arizona Gov. "I hope that he'll get in," Utah Sen. Mitt Romney told The Hill of a potential Ducey candidacy. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, told The Hill that Ducey would be "excellent candidate." This year, Arizona Republicans nominated venture capitalist Blake Masters as their Senate nominee, but he went on to lose to Kelly by 5 points last month. "He's not our only chance, but he's probably our best chance," an Arizona-based Republican operative told The Hill of Ducey.

☆ Mitch McConnell says Trump's 2022 endorsements limited the GOP's 'ability to control a primary outcome' which led to 'candidate quality' issues
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Bryan Metzger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell blamed Trump for the GOP's poor showing in this year's Senate races. He reiterated previous comments on Tuesday about "candidate quality" issues with Senate candidates. "Hopefully in the next cycle, we'll have quality candidates everywhere and a better outcome," he added. McConnell also reiterated previous comments he's made about the party's roster of Senate candidates, including that he "never said there was a red wave." "I do think we had an opportunity to relearn, one more time: you have to have quality candidates to win competitive Senate races," he added.

☆ Trump-backed Walker loses: Three takeaways from Georgia U.S. Senate runoff
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( James Oliphant | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Republican U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker gives a concession speech during his election night party after losing the U.S. midterm runoff election to Democratic U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock beat Republican challenger Herschel Walker in a Georgia runoff election that fortified Democrats' Senate majority and handed the Republican Party another bitter loss to cap a disappointing midterm election season. Trump held two rallies for Walker in Georgia, but did not come to the state for the runoff, only phoning in to boost supporters on Monday night. That forced uncomfortable congressional Republicans to respond to Trump's statements in the days before the runoff election, pulling the focus from Walker's candidacy. At one rally prior to the runoff, Walker publicly mused about whether a werewolf could kill a vampire.

☆ How Trump’s legacy became ‘pure poison’ for independents
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Ronald Brownstein | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Among female independents, Trump’s ratings were even worse: just 23% favorable and 72% unfavorable, according to previously unpublished exit poll results provided by the CNN polling unit. Trump’s unfavorable rating hit a comparable 69% among independents with at least a four-year college degree. That was a significantly smaller advantage than the double-digit lead among independents Democrats enjoyed in both the 2020 presidential race and the 2018 contest for the House. While Democrats held the presidency, Republicans won independents by double-digits in House elections in the midterms of 2014, 2010 and 1994. Gretchen Whitmer won 59% of the independents with degrees and 56% of women independents.

Formal organizations like the Oath Keepers no longer define the American right-wing landscape. If Biden’s election was illegitimate, the Oath Keepers were ready to defend Trump’s legitimate one. And indeed, the trial has revealed the brazenness of the Oath Keepers, as well as some profound shifts happening in the American right. The evidence of a seditious conspiracy introduced in the Oath Keepers’ trial was damning, yet obvious. While certainly more polished, some of Masters’ talking points would not be out of place at an Oath Keepers meeting.

☆ Stolen checks, fraudulent activity: three major trade association PACs fell victim to theft in what's become a political epidemic
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

An Insider review of FEC filings shows that the National Association of Manufacturers' PAC reported eight instances of stolen and fraudulent checks and bank transfers, amounting to more than $10,000 in losses. Federal Election CommissionAnother trade association, the National Association of Home Builders, reported three instances of "fraudulent debit" during the 2021-2022 election cycle, amounting to more than $20,000 in lost funds. A filing with the FEC from the PAC of the National Association of Home Builders that details money lost from fraudulent disbursements. Federal Election CommissionThe National Association of Home Builders represents more than 140,000 members who construct close to 80% of all the new homes built in the US, per the association's website. The National Association of Home Builders did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ In Arizona, election deniers refuse to back down
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Ned Parker | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

FILE PHOTO: Supporters of Republican candidate for Arizona Governor Kari Lake and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters protest outside the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center as vote counting continues inside, in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., November 12, 2022. The defeat of Lake and other election deniers was seen as a powerful rebuke of candidates who echoed Trump’s myths of a stolen election. Republican activists urged voters not to use the secure box on Election Day, according to Maricopa County officials. Maricopa County on Sunday released a report detailing voter numbers by location on Election Day and was scheduled to certify election results on Monday. DELAYS IN CERTIFICATIONElsewhere in Arizona, two conservative counties, Mohave and Cochise, do not plan to certify election results until Monday, the final day to formally do so, following pressure by election deniers.

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