Former Arizona GOP Senate candidate Blake Masters is running for Congress
NBCNov 02, 2023
Former Ariz. Senate Candidate Blake Masters Announces Congressional Run
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The Facts
Conservative Republican Blake Masters, who lost Arizona’s midterm election to Sen. Mark Kelly last year, announced his candidacy for the state’s 8th Congressional District on Thursday.
Masters joins a crowded field of six other Republicans who are vying to replace Rep. Debbie Lesko, who announced last week that she will not run for reelection in the heavily conservative district.
The Spin
Republican narrative
Blake Masters is a rising young star in the Republican Party, and Arizona conservatives want him to be their voice in Congress after his first attempt at securing a Senate seat. A stalwart defender of America First ideals, Masters has the intelligence and business background to be an effective legislator and conservative fighter. Masters is already leading in early polls, and he is the perfect candidate to revitalize the GOP.
Democratic narrative
The Arizona GOP has troubling far-right components, and the emerging war between Kari Lake and Blake Masters shows its internal dysfunction. Despite both being extreme MAGA candidates, Lake and Masters are battling over supremacy in the state GOP even though they aren't even running for the same office. While she was a failed candidate, Lake is popular among Republicans, and her endorsement could propel Abe Hamadeh over the top. Either way, the MAGA movement is crumbling from within.
