U.S. Senate hopeful Kari Lake won’t debate her Republican rival, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, ahead of Arizona’s July 30 primary election.
Lake formally declined to participate in a June 26 debate hosted by the nonpartisan Clean Elections Commission. The commission will instead grant 30 minutes for questions of Lamb, who will have the stage to himself.
Lamb is considered a longshot to upset Lake, who entered the U.S. Senate race last fall with the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. Lake has mostly avoided addressing Lamb’s candidacy, and instead has focused her attacks on Congressman Ruben Gallego, who’s running unopposed for the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination.
Lake has previously made participation in debates a hallmark of her campaigns. While running for governor in 2022, Lake called Democrat Katie Hobbs a coward for refusing to debate her ahead of the November general election.
