JUST IN: Kari Lake Gets Game-Changing News In Tight Senate Race

Republican Senator J.D. Vance from Ohio will announce his endorsement of Kari Lake for the U.S. Senate on Monday, the Daily Caller reports.

Back in October, Lake, the Arizona Republican who previously ran for governor in 2022, officially registered her Senate campaign committee with the FEC in anticipation of her campaign launch. Lake has been considered a strong contender to secure the Republican primary nomination since.

Should she win the primary, it is expected that Lake will compete against Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema and Democrat Representative Ruben Gallego in a three-way race in the general election.

“Kari Lake is a battle-tested warrior who will secure the border and advocate for policies that put the American people first. Kari is running against a far-left Democrat who has been a rubber stamp for all of Joe Biden’s destructive policies that have gutted the middle class. I am proud to endorse Kari as the next U.S. Senator for Arizona,” Vance said to the Daily Caller.

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“I am humbled to have the endorsement of Sen. J.D. Vance,” Lake said. “He has been a conservative hero in the Senate, standing up for America First values and never backing down to the DC Swamp. I look forward to joining him in the Senate to get our country back on track.”

Vance has recently joined the ranks of Senate Republicans supporting Lake in the Senate race, as the party has rallied behind her. Earlier this month, Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), who leads the Senate Republicans’ campaign efforts, also expressed his support for Lake.

Lake’s efforts to mend fences and build bridges with the Republican establishment have evidently paid off, with her campaign gaining momentum and attracting attention from key GOP donors and strategists. Her participation in the NRSC’s winter meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, provided her with an opportunity to engage directly with senators and influential donors, many of whom expressed their admiration for her campaign’s direction and focus.

Despite locking horns with the establishment in past runs, Lake has made significant strides in moderating her image and reaching out to those she previously criticized. Her ability to secure the NRSC endorsement also reflected a united Republican front in Arizona, a state that has leaned increasingly Democratic in recent elections but remains fiercely competitive.

Last month, the Arizona Republican Party’s chairman stepped down following the public emergence of a recording where he was heard urging Lake to take money or a position in return for withdrawing her candidacy. Upon his resignation, he cited concerns over “her limited appeal with moderates and independents, and her being a drag on the entire ticket.”

For the first time in a while, however, recent polls indicate that Lake is lagging behind Democratic candidate Representative Gallego. Despite this, Lake’s status as a MAGA movement star means she will still be a formidable contender, adding to the race’s unpredictability.

In one poll by Emerson College for The Hill and Nexstar, Gallego is ahead with 46% compared to Lake’s 39%, giving Gallego a 7-point lead. Another poll from the same period and sources shows Gallego with 36% and Lake at 30%, marking a 6-point lead for Gallego.

Lake’s campaign now faces the challenge of striving to reclaim a crucial Senate seat for the GOP.