Republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee is backing Arizona candidate Kari Lake’s controversial race for US Senate, DailyMail.com has exclusively learned.
Hagerty praised the fiery Trump-backed conservative, saying she is “not backing down.”
“Kari is fearless, she doesn’t back down and she will fight tirelessly to secure our border and make our country safe and prosperous,” he told DailyMail.com. “The stakes couldn’t be higher and it is now more important than ever that we retake the Republican majority.”
Lake has already received endorsements from Senate GOP conference chairman John Barrasso, Wyo., Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Ala., and Sen. Tom Cotton, Ark.
Her latest endorsement comes days after DailyMail.com unearthed bombshell audio of a top GOP official in Arizona trying (and failing) to bribe her out of the campaign.
Lake is ahead of her rival, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, 46 percent to 44 percent in a head-to-head matchup, according to her campaign’s internal polling.
Republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee is backing Arizona candidate Kari Lake’s controversial race for US Senate, DailyMail.com has learned
Taking into account incumbent Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who may run as an independent candidate, Lake leads Gallego by one point at 40 to 39, with 13 percent favoring Sinema and 8 percent still undecided.
Sinema has not commented on whether she will run again in 2024 since she changed her party affiliation from Democrat to Independent last year.
In another notable figure, as many as 70 percent of likely Arizona voters said they had heard about the DailyMail.com scoop that the poll found former Arizona GOP Chairman Jeff Dewit had tried to bribe Lake into could not run for Senate. More respondents said it improved their view of Lake than worse: 30 to 15 percent.
“I’m thrilled to have the support of a conservative force in the Senate, my friend Bill Hagerty. He has been a strong voice for securing our border and advocating for America First policies,” Lake said in a statement.
In a recording obtained by DailyMail.com, Dewit can be heard asking the MAGA darling and former news anchor to name her price for staying out of politics for two years.
“There are very powerful people who want to keep you out,” he tells her in a conversation recorded in early March last year.
It took just 24 hours after the leaked audio for Dewit to resign as party chairman in disgrace.
“There are very powerful people who want to keep you out,” he told her in a conversation recorded in early March last year.
DeWit stated that Lake, 54, one of the most public faces of the former president’s MAGA movement and a woman often mentioned as a 2024 vice presidential pick, said he thinks Trump will lose and that it’s time to make room for someone else.
After asking her not to discuss the conversation with anyone, he made his first offer.
“So the question I got from back east today was, ‘Are there any companies or something that can put her on the payroll to keep her out?’
Lake responded indignantly.
“This is about beating Trump and I think that’s a bad thing for our country,” she said.
Later, DeWit, who was chief operating officer of the 2020 Trump campaign, put it differently.
“Tell me, is there a number where…” he started.
Lake chimed in, “I can be bought? That’s what it’s about.’
‘You can take a break for a few years. You can immediately continue with what you are doing.’
Lake has already received endorsements from Senate GOP Conference Chairman John Barrasso, Wyo., Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Ala., and Sen. Tom Cotton, Ark.
Lake is ahead of her rival, Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, 46 percent to 44 percent in a head-to-head matchup, according to her campaign’s internal polling.
Lake repeatedly turned him down, saying she wouldn’t do it for a billion dollars.
“This isn’t about money, it’s about our country,” she said.
In DeWit’s resignation statement last week, he accused Lake of framing him by recording their private conversation.
“This morning I was determined to fight for my position,” said DeWit, 51. “However, a few hours ago I received an ultimatum from Lake’s team: Resign today or face the release of a new, more damaging recording.”
He said he resigned in the hope that it would put an end to her attacks on him.
Lake lost her bid for Arizona governor in 2022 by less than one point to Gov. Katie Hobbs. She fiercely disputed the election results and acted as a surrogate for Trump in the Copper State, sparking speculation that she could be on Trump’s shortlist for VP picks.
Arizona is a fierce battleground state and the Senate race will help determine which party controls the upper chamber.