ICYMI: Lamb Leads by 34 Points, New Ad in AZ-05 Republican Primary

Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it, a new Club for Growth PAC poll shows Sheriff Mark Lamb (61%) leading Daniel Keenan (27%) by 34 points in Arizona’s 5^th District Republican primary. The poll comes as Club for Growth Action’s affiliated Win It Back PAC released a new ad touting President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Lamb in the race. The ad will begin on July 7^th and run on Fox News, satellite, and streaming. Laura Gersony covered both launches in an exclusive report for the Arizona Republic.

Click here to read the full coverage in the Arizona Republic.

Click here to view the full polling memo from Club for Growth PAC.

Click here to watch the full ad, Sheriff, from Win It Back PAC.

POLLING BREAKDOWN:
Ballot:

Mark Lamb: 61%

Daniel Keenan: 27%

Undecided: 12%

Net Favorability:

Mark Lamb: +33%

Daniel Keenan: +7%

STORY EXCERPTS:

With just two weeks to spare before the July 21 primary, the libertarian-leaning Club for Growth will spend $250,000 on television ads promoting the former sheriff of Pinal County.

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“Mark’s hunted down cartels, ran down traffickers, and locked up illegals,” a narrator says over a rock-and-roll soundtrack. “That’s why Trump gave Mark Lamb his complete and total endorsement.”

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Trump has showed no sign of reconsidering his endorsement. And Lamb has appeared to hang onto his advantage in the race. Alongside the new TV ads, the Club for Growth released a poll showing the former sheriff in the lead with around 60% of the vote.

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The group’s decision to spend precious funds on Lamb’s race is telling.

The Club for Growth is famous for intervening in Republican primaries. Funded by big donors in the business community, the group acted as an arbiter of crowded races during the 2000s and 2010s. More recently, they widened their focus to protecting Republicans in competitive general elections, infusing millions to defend Arizona’s GOP incumbents from Democratic challengers.

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The pro-Lamb Club for Growth ad strikes a cheerful tone. It promotes Lamb’s Trump endorsement as “BIG NEWS.” A rock-and-roll soundtrack plays over photos of the former sheriff shaking hands with the president and drone footage of the U.S.-Mexico border wall. The ad quotes from Trump’s social media post backing Lamb in October.

“Trump says Mark strongly supports our incredible law enforcement, will work hard to keep our secure border secure and stop migrant crime,” the ad says.

The ad will air on Fox News, satellite, and streaming starting July 7, according to Mitola.

It’s one of the biggest expenditures in the race so far.