Kari Lake opponent Ruben Gallego gets endorsement from Arizona Police Association amid polling lead

Ruben Gallego, the Democratic candidate in the upcoming Senate elections in Arizona, was endorsed on Monday by the state's police association, a potential boost as he continues to lead in the polls over Trump ally Kari Lake.

In a letter published on X, the APA, described as the "largest police/public safety association i the state, representing thousands of active law enforcement officers, said Gallego "has continually fought for robust, increased funding for America's Law Enforcement."

It went on to say that he has fought "specifically" for law enforcement in the state, "securing over $168,000,000,000 (BILLION) in direct support of police officers so that they have personnel and equipment needed to both protect themselves and keep their communities safe."

The letter also details several efforts championed by Gallego, including benefits to the families of officers suffering from PTSD and de-escalation training and mental health resources to assist officer well-being."

"As a Marine and combat veteran, we know Congressman Gallego understands the complexities of modern policing in American society today, while at the same time recognizing the public's expectations," said APA President Justin Harris.

"The APA doesn't take our endorsements lightly; we recognize the importance of having a U.S. Senator that can bring people together to improve society for all. We believe Congressman Gallego will be that U.S. Senator," he added.

Kari Lake reacted to the news with a publication on X, saying that Gallego has "spent nearly a decade in DC undermining our law enforcement & making America less safe." "Our campaign has overwhelming support from Arizona Law Enforcement because they know that I want to help them in their mission to make America safe," she added.

Lake continues continues to trail her opponent, Democrat Ruben Gallego, as the time to go to the polls gets closer.

The latest study, conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies among 592 likely voters between August 12 and 15, has the Democrat ahead by a 5-point difference, 44% to 39%.

The figure shows a smaller distance compared to two polls also published this month by The New York Times/Sienna College. One conducted among 677 likely voters had the Democrat with a wide, 9-point lead (51% to 42%), while another one among the same amount of registered voters showed a 49%-41% scenario favoring the Democrat.

However, the narrower margin from the most recent study doesn't necessarily mean a change of trend, as a previous batch of polls showed a much closer race. Two studies sponsored by Republican entities in late July and early August had Gallego with a 2-point lead and a 46%-46% parity, respectively.

Moreover, another study by HighGround shows Gallego with a double-digit lead over Lake, getting 49.6% of the support compared to 38.6% for the Republican. Another 9.2% said they didn't know or refused to answer, while the remaining 2.6% said they would vote for another candidate.