Former President Donald J. Trump is expected to endorse Kari Lake for the Senate in Arizona, adding further weight to what is already considered one of the most consequential Senate races in the country. This development comes as Arizona, along with West Virginia, Montana, and Ohio, is seen as one of the best opportunities for Republicans to gain Senate seats and regain the majority. A person familiar with Trump's thinking stated that the endorsement is likely to take place on Tuesday evening.

The move comes after Trump's recent conversation with Blake Masters, a prospective Republican candidate who lost a race for the other Senate seat in Arizona last year. Trump reportedly warned Masters that he would likely lose the primary against Kari Lake if he chose to run. This conversation was recorded by a trailing television camera while Mr. Lake was present. Lake, a former news anchor and staunch Trump ally, espoused Trump's false claims of winning the 2020 election during her unsuccessful run for Arizona governor last year. She also refused to accept her defeat, making her an example for Trump of how to win.

Kari Lake is scheduled to host her first campaign rally on Tuesday as she runs for the Senate seat currently held by Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Sinema dropped her Democratic affiliation last year to become an independent, and it remains uncertain whether she will seek re-election. However, the race already includes Representative Ruben Gallego, a Democrat, as a potential contender.

While a spokesman for Trump and a Lake campaign spokesman declined to comment on the endorsement, this development aligns with Lake's plans to announce her candidacy for the Republican Senate nomination. Arizona, known for its political competitiveness, could see a highly contested three-way general election race in November 2024. Lake's announcement event is scheduled for Tuesday evening in Scottsdale.

As a former television news anchor at a Fox network station in Phoenix, Lake ran for governor in 2022 but narrowly lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs. Similar to Trump, Lake has not conceded defeat and continues to claim widespread fraud as the reason for her loss. Her close alignment with Trump, who currently leads the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, further solidifies her right-wing stance. She has even referred to Trump as "Superman."

Considering Arizona shares a significant portion of its border with Mexico, immigration is expected to be a prominent issue in the Senate race. Lake has already made her stance clear, criticizing Sinema and Gallego for voting against funding the border wall and accusing them of supporting an open borders agenda. However, some establishment Republicans have expressed concerns about Lake's fiery, hard-right positions and election-denier stance, fearing it may not resonate well with some Arizona voters.

Lake joins a small pool of Republican candidates vying for the Senate nomination, including Mark Lamb, the sheriff of Pinal County, and businessman Brian Wright. Democrats, on the other hand, are aiming to protect their narrow 51-49 Senate majority and have Arizona as one of the eight competitive seats they need to defend in 2024.

This upcoming Senate race in Arizona is set to be closely watched, given its significance in determining party control and the potential for a highly competitive battle between Lake, Gallego, and potentially Sinema. The endorsement from Trump adds a new dynamic to the race and could have far-reaching implications for Arizona's political landscape.