Southwest
JD Vance makes choice in critical Senate race as GOP control hangs in the balance
Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, is weighing in on what is expected to be one of the most closely watched Senate races this year, making a not-so-surprising endorsement of who he’d like to see join him and his colleagues in winning control of Congress’ upper chamber for Republicans.
“Kari Lake is a battle-tested warrior who will secure the border and advocate for policies that put the American people first,” Vance told the Daily Caller, who first reported his plans to endorse the former Arizona gubernatorial candidate and television anchor next week.
“Kari is running against a far-left Democrat who has been a rubber stamp for all of Joe Biden’s destructive policies that have gutted the middle class. I am proud to endorse Kari as the next U.S. Senator for Arizona,” he added, referencing Phoenix area Rep. Ruben Gallego, the likely Democrat nominee.
DEMS THRUST KARI LAKE, MCCAIN FEUD INTO SPOTLIGHT AS CRUCIAL SENATE BATTLE HEATS UP: ‘NO PEACE, B—-!’
Republican Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and Republican Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake. (Getty Images)
Lake told the outlet she was “humbled” to receive the endorsement, which comes just two weeks after she got the official backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the official campaign arm for Senate Republicans, which rarely endorses candidates before a primary takes place.
The conservative firebrand is also being backed by former President Donald Trump, Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Reps. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Burgess Owens, R-Utah.
Barrasso, a member of Republican Senate leadership, is expected to join Lake for campaign stops in Arizona this week.
DEMOCRAT IN CRUCIAL SENATE RACE UNDER FIRE FOR PAST AMNESTY, SANCTUARY CITY ‘SUPPORT’ AS BORDER CRISIS SPIRALS
Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) is seen during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on ‘Department of Defense Authorities and Roles Related to Civilian Law Enforcement’ in Washington, DC, U.S. July 9, 2020. (Greg Nash/Pool via REUTERS)
The race is widely seen as one of the best flip opportunities for Republicans, alongside West Virginia, Ohio, Montana and Nevada. Democrats currently hold a 51-49 majority with the support of incumbent independent Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and her fellow independent Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Angus King, I-Maine.
In recent cycles, races in the state have been decided within tight margins, including in 2022 when incumbent Democrat Sen. Mark Kelly defeated Republican businessman Blake Masters by less than 5%, a 2020 special election when Kelly defeated appointed Republican Sen. Martha McSally by less than 3%, and in 2018 when Sinema defeated McSally by just over 2%.
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) speaks alongside Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) with reporters in the U.S. Capitol Building on December 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Lake’s only major opponent in the Republican primary is Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, and, should she become the nominee, will likely face Phoenix-area Democrat Rep. Ruben Gallego in the general election.
Early polling of a hypothetical matchup between Lake and Gallego suggests a tight race, even when including Sinema, who has not yet said whether she will run for re-election after announcing her departure from the Democrat Party in Dec. 2022.
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
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A woman was hospitalized with serious injuries after she was violently attacked by a robber in downtown Long Beach. On June 18, Jennifer Silva, 34, was attending a World Cup watch party at a Hooters restaurant at 90 Aquarium Way. After the game ended, she left the restaurant just before 11 p.m. As she walked […]
Jurors deliberating the fate of the man accused of starting the Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive wildfires in California’s history, failed to reach a verdict Thursday afternoon, telling the judge they were deadlocked.
A spokesperson from the United States Attorney’s Office told KTLA that jurors will continue to deliberate until they reach a verdict or give up.
Jonathan Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver and one-time Pacific Palisades resident, is accused of starting the Lachman Fire on New Year’s Eve. The fire continued to smolder underground for about a week, even after Los Angeles firefighters believed it had been extinguished.
Flames reignited on Jan. 7, erupting into the deadly Palisades Fire that killed 12 people and destroyed thousands of homes in the upscale community, authorities said.
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A courtroom sketch of Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, during his initial court appearance on Oct. 23, 2025. (Bill Robles) -
The U.S. Dept. of Justice booking photo of Jonathan Rinderknecht over the Palisades Fire devastation in Malibu, California in January 2025 (AP).
Prosecutors argued that Rinderknecht deliberately set the fire, claiming he had grown increasingly resentful of wealthy residents and viewed Pacific Palisades as a symbol of that frustration.
“Their case, though circumstantial, is strong,” KTLA legal analyst Alison Triessl said. “The defense is relying on, can they (prosecutors) show beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Rinderknecht actually started this fire and it wasn’t the result of fireworks or some intervening cause.”
The defense argued there is no direct physical evidence tying Rinderknecht to the fire and said the prosecution’s case relies entirely on circumstantial evidence. Rinderknecht did not testify during the trial.
Defense attorney Steve Haney spoke outside the courthouse Wednesday about why he believes it will be difficult for prosecutors to prove how the fire started.
“The lack of scene preservation. The fact that they got there after a lot of the evidence was missing. Not a lot of direct evidence. This is a circumstantial case, which is always difficult as a prosecutor to prove,” Haney said.
Rinderknecht, who was arrested and indicted last October, faces up to 45 years in prison if found guilty of three arson counts, including destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.
Tony Kurzweil contributed to this report
Los Angeles, Ca
Boyle Heights warehouse cleanup begins as crews face 85 million pounds of spoiled food
Cleanup efforts are underway Thursday at the Boyle Heights cold-storage warehouse that burned for eight days after firefighters officially declared the massive blaze knocked down Wednesday evening. Los Angeles Fire Department crews remain at the Lineage warehouse near Union Pacific Avenue and South La Puente Street as they transition into the overhaul phase, searching for […]
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