Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate drops out, backs Republican Blake Masters

Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Marc Victor said Tuesday he was ending his campaign and asking his supporters to back Republican Blake Masters in a move that could nudge a narrow slice of voters in a race already expected to be close.

Victor, an attorney whose campaign to oust Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., was always a long shot, held a one-on-one conversation with Masters on Monday that convinced him the best option for people who share his outlook this year is Masters.

“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 written statement. That ranged from tax and economic policy to the Federal Reserve and same-sex marriage, he said.

"I found Blake to be generally supportive of the Live and Let Live Global Peace Movement. 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. I intend to assist in any way reasonably possible to elect Blake.”

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The effect of Victor's exit remains to be seen, but would seem to only help Masters. It comes one week before Election Day, giving some time for libertarians to know their candidate has thrown his support to the Republican. Many early voters may have already cast their ballots for Victor in a move more futile than ever.

Kelly mostly has maintained a narrow lead over Masters in polling, according to summaries collected by Real Clear Politics. But that lead has shrunk and some of Victor's share figures to now wind up in Masters' column.

Victor's support has ranged from 1% to 6% and averaged about 3% in polls taken since mid-October.

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Victor finished a distant third in his 2012 Senate run in a race won by Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. But Victor garnered 102,000 votes, about 4.6%, in that contest. Democrat Richard Carmona lost to Flake by 68,000 votes.

Masters welcomed his former opponent's support.

“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. Live and Let Live.”

Kelly's campaign made no reference to Victor or to Libertarians in a statement after the move.

“With just one week to Election Day and nearly a million ballots already cast, Senator Kelly is proud of the broad coalition of Republicans, Democrats, and Independents who have come out in support of his re-election campaign," said Sarah Guggenheimer, a Kelly campaign spokesperson.

“After Blake Masters spent the last year and a half sharing beliefs like giving tax handouts to billionaires and corporations while privatizing Social Security, instituting a national abortion ban with no exceptions for rape or incest, and caving at the slightest sign of pressure to lie about the 2020 election, nothing can distract from his dangerous and harmful agenda.”

Kelly defeated then-Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., in 2020 by 2.4 percentage points in a race largely lacking any third-party challengers. A Libertarian write-in candidate got fewer than 400 votes and other write-ins collected about 800.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., also defeated McSally in 2018 with only token support for a Libertarian write-in.

Reach the reporter Ronald J. Hansen at ronald.hansen@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4493. Follow him on Twitter @ronaldjhansen.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Libertarian U.S. Senate candidate Marc Victor drops out of race