5 Arizona Republican candidates for US Senate to spar at forum in Phoenix

PHOENIX – With under six weeks until the primary election, voters will get the chance to hear from all five of Arizona’s Republican candidates for U.S. Senate during a forum in Phoenix on Thursday night.

The debate, hosted by conservative advocacy group FreedomWorks, is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the downtown Hyatt Regency on Second Street between Monroe and Adams streets.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for the free event. For those who can’t make it in-person, the forum will be livestreamed on FreedomWorks’ Facebook and YouTube pages.

Mark Brnovich, Jim Lamon, Blake Masters, Mick McGuire and Justin Olson are confirmed to participate. Kim Quintero, communications director for the Arizona Senate Republican Caucus, will serve as moderator.

🚨We're coming to Arizona on June 23rd for a #AZSen Forum with:

✔️@Brnoforaz
✔️@Jim_lamon
✔️@bgmasters
✔️@GeneralMcGuire
✔️@_JustinOlson

Moderator: @KimQuintero
RSVP: https://t.co/pmOqsbjZEt #ampFW pic.twitter.com/jzDaWxFz5q

— FreedomWorks (@FreedomWorks) May 25, 2022

The candidates are jockeying for the chance to take on Democratic incumbent Sen. Mark Kelly in the November general election. The primary election will be held on Aug. 2.

Polling has shown Brnovich, Lamon and Masters separating themselves from the other two candidates, with no clear-cut front-runner.

Brnovich rode his name recognition as Arizona’s attorney general to the early lead, but more recent polls have shown businessman Lamon and venture capitalist Masters either closing the gap or moving ahead.

With the Senate currently split 50-50 and Democrats holding the tiebreaker because they hold the White House, Kelly’s seat is seen as a key piece to Republican hopes of taking control of the chamber.

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