Arizona conservative firebrand Kari Lake is coming to Utah on Monday to fundraise for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Trent Staggs.
Lake, the former television anchor who still disputes her 2022 loss in the Arizona gubernatorial election to Katie Hobbs, will headline a fundraiser for Staggs in Draper on Monday evening. Tickets to the event cost between $250 and $9,900, the maximum legal donation in federal races.
Staggs confirmed Lake would be appearing on his behalf in a brief text message exchange with The Tribune.
“Very excited to have Kari in town and help ensure a conservative represents Utah in the Senate,” Staggs said.
The timing of Lake’s visit is serendipitous for Staggs, coming just days after Republican Sen. Mitt Romney revealed he would not seek another term in 2024. The Riverton mayor has received very little support in recent polling and struggled to raise money since officially becoming a candidate in May.
Lake has become a popular figure in the Republican Party. She is a close ally of former President Donald Trump and pushed false claims that he lost the 2020 presidential race due to fraud. She refused to concede her 2022 election loss in the Arizona gubernatorial race, has sued multiple times to have the results overturned, and herself declared the winner. None of those legal challenges have been successful.
Lake is rumored to be eyeing a run for U.S. Senate in Arizona next year for the seat currently held by independent Kyrsten Sinema.
Romney’s exit from the political stage is expected to draw several candidates into the race to replace him. Staggs and House Speaker Brad Wilson are the only official candidates in the race so far. Those said to be considering a run include current Congressmen Blake Moore, John Curtis and Burgess Owens, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, entrepreneur Thomas Wright and anti-human trafficking activist Tim Ballard.
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