The battle for control of the U.S. Senate is going to come down to which party’s voters show up on Election Day.
Regardless of party, the margin of error in key battleground states across the country makes it anybody’s race.
But in a stunning twist, this Libertarian Senate candidate may have just become Democrats’ biggest nightmare in one key battleground state.
The tipping point?
Throughout August and September, it seemed as though the Arizona Senate race was falling right into Democrats’ laps.
After Trump-endorsed candidate Blake Masters won the state’s Republican Primary, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell took it upon himself to unilaterally throw in the towel on Arizona and hand incumbent Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) a re-election victory.
As retribution for defeating the Republican establishment’s handpicked candidate, Senator McConnell canceled millions of dollars worth of advertising dollars in the state, leaving Masters to fend for himself.
Fortunately though, Masters refused to allow Mitch McConnell and the establishment elites to hand Democrats control of the U.S. Senate once again.
Now, according to RealClearPolitics’ polling average, Masters now trails Senator Kelly by just 1-point, putting him within striking distance of pulling off the upset.
But with the margin between the two candidates so small, even the slightest shift in the race’s landscape could prove to be the tipping point for either campaign.
And that’s exactly what appears to have happened one week out from Election Day, as Libertarian candidate Marc Victor has officially dropped out of the race and thrown his support behind Blake Masters’ campaign.
“It is in the best interests of freedom . . .”
According to a report from The New York Times, on Monday night, Victor attempted to get both Senator Kelly and Masters on the phone to discuss the issues at hand and decide which candidate he would endorse.
Masters was the only one who took his phone call, and apparently, the Republican proved to Victor in that phone call that he was making the right endorsement.
“At my invitation, Blake Masters and I had an unscripted, open, and recorded discussion and exchange of ideas on a variety of issues,” Victor said in a statement, adding that the two discussed issues like the economy, taxation, the Federal Reserve, foreign policy, the drug war, guns, abortion, and numerous others.
“I found Blake to be generally supportive of the Live and Let Live Global Peace Movement,” he continued, referencing the non-profit the libertarian founded. “Likewise, we found ourselves in general agreement about how to improve America and to advance the cause of freedom and peace.”
“After that discussion, I believe it is in the best interests of freedom and peace to withdraw my candidacy and enthusiastically support Blake Masters for United States Senate,” Victor concluded. “I intend to assist in any way reasonably possible to elect Blake.”
For his part, Masters also released a statement celebrating the endorsement as another step in “building a broad coalition to defeat the worst Senator in America.”
“Marc Victor joins a growing list of Arizonans from across the political spectrum who are fed up with open borders, big government corruption, and rising crime,” Masters said in a statement. “We are building a broad coalition to defeat the worst Senator in America.”
“This is another major boost of momentum as we consolidate our support against the extreme and radical policies of Mark Kelly and Joe Biden,” he concluded. “Live and Let Live.”
Masters’ most pivotal endorsement yet
While most will likely brush this endorsement off as minor in comparison to other endorsements Masters has received, Marc Victor’s endorsement could prove to be the Republican’s most pivotal endorsement yet.
Obviously, receiving the endorsement of former President Donald Trump in the Republican Primary propelled Masters to the nomination in the first place, but Victor’s endorsement could very well seal the deal.
As previously mentioned, Masters is currently a little more than one point behind Senator Kelly in RealClearPolitics’ polling average.
And interestingly enough, in the latest polls on the race, Victor has secured anywhere from 3% to 6% of the vote.
So if polls are correct, even if just half of the voters who supported Marc Victor’s campaign decide to cast their votes for Blake Masters, it could very well cover the deficit and mark the end of Democrat Senator Mark Kelly’s career.
As always though, polls and endorsements do not win elections – voters do.
Elections are won by those who show up and vote, and the Arizona Senate race will be no different.
It’s all going to come down to which party wants it more, and right now at least, that looks to be Republicans.
Patriot Political will keep you up-to-date on any developments to this ongoing story.
