Only three days after backing Donald Trump for president, the Arizona Police Association released a bombshell endorsement of Democratic Representative Ruben Gallego for Arizona’s open Senate seat. 

"The largest police/public safety association in the state, representing thousands of active law enforcement officers, proudly announces its endorsement of Representative Ruben Gallego to represent Arizona in the United States Senate,” the group said in a statement released Monday.

The association’s endorsement of Gallego over the Trump acolyte Kari Lake is sure to raise the stakes in a battleground state that is a must-win for Republicans. The same group has a history of supporting Republicans and backed Lake for governor and the Republican candidate Blake Masters for Senate in 2020. 

Lake, who lost her bid to become Arizona governor in 2022, is down 6 points according to new polling out of Arizona. Lake dismissed Gallego’s big advantage as “absurd partisan polls.”

“Congressman Gallego has continually fought for robust, increased funding for America’s Law Enforcement, and specifically Arizona Law Enforcement, securing over $168,000,000,000 (BILLION) in direct support of police officers,” read part of the statement published Monday.

The Lake campaign did not directly respond to the endorsement though her camp did fire off a tirade arguing that Gallego is “undermining our law enforcement” only minutes after the Police Association released its statement endorsing her rival Monday afternoon.

"As a Marine 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 expectation," wrote Arizona Police Association President Justin Harris. 

Harris spoke during Trump’s campaign rally in Phoenix on Friday, as did Lake.