Police are investigating a report that a suspicious white powder was mailed to the office of Kari Lake, a prominent Republican running for the governorship of Arizona, according to media reports.
Lake spokesman Colton Duncan said in a statement that two envelopes had been confiscated by law enforcement authorities in Phoenix and sent to an FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia for analysis, the Daily Beast reported.
“Just two days before Election Day, our campaign headquarters remains shut down,” Duncan said.
The potential threat, while not yet confirmed, comes amid rising concerns over politically motivated violence, including the recent hammer attack in San Francisco that seriously injured Paul Pelosi, the husband of House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi.
When the suspect powder was discovered late Saturday, police, FBI agents, a hazardous materials team and a bomb squad descended on the Lake campaign office, the Daily Beast said.
The staffer who discovered the powder was placed under medical supervision, but a Phoenix police sergeant, Phil Krynsky, said there were no reports of injury.
Lake, a plain-spoken and telegenic former television anchorwoman, has led an aggressive campaign marked by her strong support for former president Donald Trump, her fierce criticism of so-called “fake news,” and her refusal to say if she will recognize Tuesday’s election results if she loses.
Her meteoric rise to prominence has even fueled speculation that she could find a place on the ticket if Trump seeks a new term in 2024.
Concerns about election-related aggression prompted Republican national chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to warn Sunday against intimidation by either side.
“Nobody should be intimidating the voters,” she said.
Duncan, the Lake spokesman, said Sunday that the campaign was unfazed.
“Know that our resolve has never been higher and we cannot be intimidated,” he said.
The latest incident came less than a week after the campaign of Lake’s Democratic opponent, Katie Hobbs, reported a break-in at her headquarters.
A homeless man was arrested; witnesses said he had also broken into other office suites.
The Hobbs campaign issued a statement saying the incident at the Lake office was “incredibly concerning,” and adding, “I am incredibly thankful that she and her staff were not harmed,” CNN said.
