What Arizona voters can expect from Senate debate between Kari Lake and Ruben Gallego
Oct 9, 2024, 10:36 AM | Updated: 11:46 am

Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake are scheduled for a showdown on Oct. 9, 2024, less than a month before Election Day. (File Photos: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images, left, Rebecca Noble/AFP via Getty Images, right)
(File Photos: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images, left, Rebecca Noble/AFP via Getty Images, right)
Tune to KTAR News 92.3 FM or our app at 6 p.m. Wednesday to hear the Arizona Senate debate between Ruben Gallego and Kari Lake followed by our special show with expert analysis.
PHOENIX — One of the most fiery rivalries of Arizona’s 2024 political season is set for a showdown on Wednesday night.
The hotly anticipated Arizona Senate debate between Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. and run for one hour.
The stakes are high as the general election is less than a month away. Furthermore, the debate is also at the center of a big political week in Arizona with visits from both presidential candidates and their running mates.
For weeks leading up to the debate, Democrat Ruben Gallego and Republican Kari Lake have filled Arizonans’ TVs, radios and social media feeds with intense political ads sharply critiquing one another’s records.
Both senatorial hopefuls are salivating over the soon-to-be-vacant seat held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who served one term and isn’t running for reelection.
The debate is sponsored by Arizona Clean Elections, the state’s nonpartisan debate sponsor. Watch it online here.
Expect high energy from Arizona Senate debate
Although the impassioned rivalry between Lake and Gallego will culminate during Election Day on Nov. 5, the Wednesday debate is like the rising action before the climax.
Arizona voters can expect a passionate debate with attacks and entertainment, according to Valley political strategist Chuck Coughlin. He is the president and CEO of the political consulting firm Highground Inc.
“I think we’ll hear some pretty crazy stuff being thrown around on the debate stage,” Coughlin told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Monday.
There’s a lot at stake for Lake, who has consistently trailed behind Gallego in polling.
In fact, HighGround Inc. found Gallego led Lake by 11 points back in August.
“Every poll across the state and across the country shows that Gallego has about a 10-point lead,” Coughlin said.
Due to the poll numbers, Lake is likely desperate to land blows on Gallego, he added.
Coughlin said it will be interesting to see how the debate moderators and Gallego respond.
“I’m sure she will do everything she can to be an attack dog on him,” Coughlin said.
What impact will Arizona Senate debate have on voters?
Another political strategist based in metro Phoenix, Stan Barnes, said the Arizona Senate debate will be to political theater what “Hamilton” is to Broadway.
In other words, he expects it to be explosive, captivating and dramatic.
“I expect it to be acerbic, caustic, difficult, a great gulf between the two, very little consensus on anything, and very adversarial,” Barnes told KTAR News on Monday. “It might be some really good Arizona political theater.”
He also said he thinks it’s possible the debate could change the minds of some Arizona voters.
“The U.S. Senate race in a state of Arizona’s size feels a little more intimate,” Barnes said. “If Kari Lake has a great night and if Ruben Gallego does not, I think it could move the needle.”
Gallego and Lake will likely show off their respective strengths and impress voters who were already going to vote for them, he added.
However, both have a lot to prove to those who are less partisan.
“They’re both a little untested in this regard. And if one of them really lays an egg or belly flops or whatever analogy you want to use, I think it could matter,” Barnes said.
Why politicians are flocking to Arizona
The Arizona Senate debate is one big event in a busy political calendar for the Grand Canyon State.
That’s because Arizona is a key battleground state that could determine the future of Congress, according to Barnes.
“There’s a lot of attention being paid to our state right now,” Barnes said. “Arizona is one of a handful of swing states in this election cycle that will determine the outcome of the presidential contest and maybe the U.S. Senate and maybe the U.S. House.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, will hold a rally in Phoenix on Thursday.
Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, will hold a rally in Prescott Valley on Sunday.
Both of their vice presidential hopefuls are also visiting Arizona this week.
“We really are getting the kind of attention that a swing state — a genuine, deciding swing state — deserves,” Barnes said. “It’s going to be fun to watch.”
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.