Kari Lake’s efforts to moderate keep clashing with an impenetrable force: herself.
As the de-facto Republican nominee in Arizona’s crucial senate race, Lake is running an outreach campaign. The gubernatorial loser is trying to mend fences with her alienated foes, including former GOP governors Doug Ducey and Jan Brewer, and her two top 2022 primary rivals, Karrin Taylor Robson and former Rep. Matt Salmon.
A source told the New York Times that Lake has “expressed her regret about past behavior” in “some” of those conversations.
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There is a lot of healing to be done. Lake was ruthless in her 2022 primary, accusing Robson of “trying to buy the election with her 95-year-old husband’s millions.”
Meanwhile, Lake said Salmon was “OK with special needs kids being raped,” because he opposed her to install cameras in school bathrooms.
He’s already stated his disinterest in reconciling.
“She employs the politics of personal destruction, and she’ll say anything — the most vile things in the world — to get ahead. And I’m sorry, I just can’t forget that,” Salmon told The Washington Post.
Lake’s charm offensive also isn’t working on Meghan McCain. She’s said brutal things about her deceased father, respected Republican Senator John McCain.
“These are wounds that are unable to heal for me and my family because people like Kari Lake and Trump continue to debase my family and dad,” Meghan told the NYT. “What she has asked of me is to give her cover for her hideous commentary and her hideous statements about my family, and I would rather die than do that.”
Still, the Republican establishment is falling behind Lake. The National Republican Senatorial Committee endorsed her, and a member of GOP leadership, Wyoming Denator John Barrasso, campaigned with her last month. Lake also met with Mitch McConnell during a visit last week to Washington D.C.
Lake told the NYT she’s trying to move forward.
“I’m willing to continue to extend olive branches. If somebody does rebuff it and say, ‘No, I’m not interested,’ that’s fine,” she said. “The olive branch is still out. My door is still open.”
After spending more than a year trying to undo her 2022 election defeat, Kari Lake appears to be abandoning her efforts.
On CNN Sunday, interviewer Melanie Zanona asked Lake multiple questions about 2020. After sidestepping the first two, our anti-drag queen couldn’t help herself when broached with a third inquiry.
“The 2020 election, I think it was a rigged election. President Trump — I believe it was,” she said.
Signed, American democracy— Will Bunch (@Will_Bunch) March 10, 2024
Though Lake is no longer contesting her own election loss, she filed over half a dozen fruitless lawsuits alleging widespread voter fraud. Lake lost to Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, by more than 17,000 votes.
She’s also lost every case and appeal, with numerous judges ruling there was no legal basis to her arguments.
But that doesn’t mean Lake is finished with the court room. She’s still being sued for defamation by Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer after falsely accusing him of being a criminal.
He filed the lawsuit last year after she wouldn’t quit saying he “sabotaged” electronic ballot printers.
Despite that, Lake is making headway in the nation’s capitol. She recently picked up the endorsement of Texas Senator John Cornyn, who embodies the D.C. establishment.
Her supporters, however, weren’t pleased.
“This isn’t something to be proud of,” one person commented.
“Yeah but if you keep aligning with certain people you may lose again,” added another.
Some of the words Lake’s followers used to describe Cornyn were “traitor,” “swampdweller,” “sh*t war pig” and the ultimate insult: “RINO.”
I am thrilled to have the support and endorsement of Senator @JohnCornyn.
He helped President Trump confirm conservative judges and cut taxes.
And therein lies Lake’s big dilemma: she’s married to MAGA. That’s bad news for Republicans looking to win back one of Arizona’s senate seats.
A recent batch of polls from Emerson College found Lake six points behind the presumptive Democratic nominee, pro-LGBTQ+ Rep. Ruben Gallego. With independent Krysten Sinema not running for reelection, the race will be a two-person contest.
Lake will likely keep trying to bite her tongue until then. History shows she probably won’t be successful.
