Senate Republicans’ Flawed Candidates on Full Display as GOP Infighting Continues to Escalate

This week, as Senate Republicans’ flawed candidates continued to brawl in “increasingly crowded” and “contested” primaries, their “intraparty rifts” and candidates’ vulnerabilities were once again on full display in races across the map. 

• In Arizona, a wave of new reports detail that Kari Lake “was hit with another legal loss” in her ongoing efforts to spread election fraud conspiracies. Lake’s request to make 1.3 million ballot envelopes public was rejected on the basis that it could “create a significant risk of widespread voter fraud where none now exists” and “expose voters to harassment.” See some of the headlines below: 

 

• In Michigan, the already “caustic” and “radioactive” Republican “Senate showdown” got messier with the entrance of yet another Republican candidate, Sandy Pensler. Also this week, a new report from American Journal News details Peter Meijer’s “litany of staunch anti-abortion positions” during his time in Congress, including co-sponsoring legislation that would “ban abortion without exceptions,” and “repeatedly vot[ing] against and criticizing the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill that would protect abortion access in all 50 states.”

• In Nevada, a new report from KTVN highlights how “Nevada Democrats are taking aim at GOP U.S. Senate candidate Sam Brown for his anti-abortion stance and past comments.” Additionally, Jeff Gunter took swings at Brown and national Republicans in a recent interview, telling KSNV “they tried to intimidate me not to run” and calling Brown a three-time election loser who is “beholden to” the “big hedge fund guys” and “Mitch McConnell.” Gunter also called out “swampy Scam Brown” for being endorsed by “the same NeverTrump group endorsing Nikki Haley.” 

• In Ohio, new reports expose how Frank LaRose admitted that he “politicked out of [the] building where he moved his state office” and worked with anti-abortion groups to rewrite the State Issue 1 ballot language “to benefit their campaign to defeat the measure.” A new report from The New York Times also details that less than a month after Ohioans voted to protect reproductive rights, the entire Republican Senate field is doubling down on their support for a national abortion ban. And Bernie Moreno jabbed at his opponents, calling LaRose and Dolan “career professional politicians” who “have other important jobs and…can’t do both.”

• In Wisconsin, new reporting from the Washington Examiner highlights that “the NRSC has a problem on its hands — one too many wealthy businessmen are interested in the race,” which “would force Republicans to navigate a damaging and costly primary… something they wanted to avoid at all costs.” The article details that Scott Mayer took shots at the NRSC and their preferred candidate Eric Hovde, saying that “the NRSC does not elect you.” “People in Wisconsin elect you.” 

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