Kari Lake’s charm offensive was supposed to expand her appeal. But conversations with Republicans in her home state indicate the opposite is happening. Whomp, whomp.
The New York Times published a fresh story over the weekend about Lake’s woes as the de-facto GOP nominee for Arizona’s open senate seat. With Kyrsten Sinema retiring, Republicans sense a grand opportunity to reclaim a seat they held for the 14 years prior to Sinema’s election in 2018.
But Lake can’t stop alienating the masses.
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In an apparent effort to win over independent voters, she’s moderated her message on multiple key issues. The former TV news anchor now says she opposes a federal abortion ban, though she previously called the procedure the “ultimate sin.”
One of her early supporters, Arizona Tea Party president Dan Farley, says he’s skeptical of her core beliefs. He’s now supporting her main rival for the nomination, Sheriff Mark Lamb of Pinal County.
“Kari Lake is making a lot of rookie mistakes, and you just don’t know what you’re going to get with her or where she’s going to land,” he offered. “She’s a powerful force but kind of like a bazooka lacking aim. She’s blowing up her own garage instead of enemies in the driveway.”
Lake burst onto the political scene in 2022, when she ran a scorched earth gubernatorial campaign against Democrat Katie Hobbs. The ex-TV personality spared no insults when it came to knocking down her Republican opponents, denigrating each candidate on a personal level.
Lake wound up losing to Hobbs by over 17,000 votes, but not before alienating members of her own party. Former rep. Matt Salmon, who Lake said was “OK with special needs kids being raped” because he opposed her plan to install cameras in school bathrooms, told the NYT he’s ignored her recent overtures.
“There’s nothing authentic about her,” he said. “She touts her endorsements, but two years ago she would have criticized anyone with those same endorsements and declared them swamp creatures.”
Lake, for what it’s worth, mocked Salmon during a radio interview for refusing to meet with her.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle facing Lake in her quest for widespread appeal is her refusal to stop spouting up election conspiracy theories. At a recent rally, she announced her plans to keep contesting the 2022 election results, even as she campaigns for senate.
Since November 2022, Lake has filed more than half a dozen lawsuits claiming the election was rigged. She’s lost every single one.
Nevertheless, the drag-hating MAGA queen persists. She’s still arguing that Trump won the 2020 election.
The Arizona gubernatorial loser continues to insist the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.
Even Lake’s own supporters wish she would drop the conspiracies. “It alienates a lot of people,” said Julee Miller.
The numbers support this thesis.
In a poll released last month, 27% of Republicans said they hold a negative view of Lake, more than two times the number of Democrats who view Rep. Ruben Gallego, the Dem senate front-runner, unfavorably. Among all Arizona voters, 49%–49%!–said they have a negative opinion of her.
Speaking of Gallego, a pro-LGBTQ+ congressman who represents parts of Phoenix, an Emerson College poll released last week shows him leading Lake 44% to 40% in the race for Sinema’s seat. That’s significant, given that Sinema has now officially dropped out of the race.
With Lake the presumptive GOP nominee, Republicans in Washington are rallying around her, despite her divisive rhetoric and off-putting vibe. The National Republican Senatorial Committee has endorsed her, and a member of GOP leadership, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso, campaigned with her last month. Lake also met with Mitch McConnell during a visit to the capital.
Two years prior, Lake probably would’ve ripped a candidate who was cozying up to Washington’s establishment. But now, the alliances suit her.
It’s another reason why Arizona voters think she’s inauthentic.
“She seems to just want the limelight,” said a two-time Trump delegate. “She can’t be trusted in anything she says or does.”
Though the general election is still eight months away, it’s apparent Lake is facing an uphill climb. Spewing more election conspiracies almost certainly won’t help her case.
