MEMO: Extremist GOP Candidate Kari Lake is a Threat to Arizona
To: Interested Parties
From: Josselyn Berry, Arizona Democratic Party
Date: TUESDAY, November 8, 2022
Subject: Extremist GOP Candidate Kari Lake is a Threat to Arizona
As we head into election day, Kari Lake has made it clear that she is out of step with everyday Arizonans, more focused on earning the praise of Donald Trump and getting attention on social media than delivering for the people of Arizona. She has campaigned on an all-out assault against our democracy, baseless conspiracy theories, a harmful economic agenda and extremist positions on reproductive freedom. We need a leader dedicated to protecting the families, freedom and future of Arizonans, not a fringe candidate peddling conspiracy theories and threatening our democracy.
Lake’s Economic Agenda is Unworkable, Harmful to Arizona
Kari Lake’s proposed economic agenda is barebones and unworkable, with one Arizona Republic columnist saying it looks like it was written on a napkin. Veterans, policy experts, seniors and fellow Republicans have stated that it will have a negative impact on Arizonans, who are already facing the highest inflation rates in the country. Her plans for addressing inflation and the water shortage would increase costs, exacerbate inflation and strip funding from local police and fire departments. Meanwhile, Katie Hobbs has released a detailed plan to relieve economic stress on working families with a tax cut for 800,000 Arizona families, eliminating sales tax on diapers and baby formula and rolling out a sales tax holiday on school supplies. Experts have stated that it could help combat inflation.
Extremist Views on Reproductive Rights and Support of Draconian Abortion Bans Are in Sharp Contrast to Katie Hobbs’ Commitment to Protecting Abortion Access
Kari Lake is a “100% pro-life” anti-abortion radical who opposes exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother. Lake responded to the SCOTUS decision overturning Roe by saying she supports the 1901 Arizona law and celebrated the 1901 ban as a “great law” and vowed to support and enforce it during the Republican primary debate. She backs Arizona’s century-plus-old abortion ban which does not have exceptions for abortion or incest and criminalizes providers who perform abortions punishable by up to five years in prison. Lake pledged to sign a “carbon copy” of Texas’ six-week abortion ban on Steve Bannon’s podcast and has committed to banning abortion pills. As the Arizona Republic reported, “Lake has not budged from her staunch opposition to abortion.”
A majority of Arizonans support access to abortion and Katie Hobbs is a proud reproductive freedom champion. She denounced the overturning of Roe v. Wade, has committed to repealing Arizona’s draconian 1901 abortion ban, will fight back against any efforts to further restrict our reproductive freedoms, and will expand access to family planning resources so every Arizonan has access to equitable reproductive healthcare.
Lake is a delusional conspiracy theorist catering to the fringe of the party; calls for cameras to be installed in Arizona’s classrooms to monitor teachers
Lake has called for government cameras to be installed in all of Arizona’s classrooms, drawing criticism from everyone, including from fellow Republicans. Lake also loves to push election conspiracies. In the days leading up to the primary election, Lake warned that “we’re already detecting some stealing going on,” she said at a campaign stop. Hours before the polls closed, she hadn’t changed her tune, saying “If we don’t win, there’s some cheating going on.” After she was declared the winner however, Lake dropped all talk of fraud and never produced a shred of evidence.
Lake has ignored Arizonans throughout her campaign, focusing on winning the support of unpopular out-of-state extremists like Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Tulsi Gabbard. Lake continues to lash out at members of her own party. In an October interview with The Conservative Circus, Lake referred to the Republican party as “a cavalcade of losers” and attacked Senator John McCain, calling the widely respected Republican Senator a “loser.” Members of her own party are concerned with her candidacy and are supporting Katie Hobbs, with one Republican saying, “She’s a danger to Republicans losing the gubernatorial race for the first time in 16 years.” Respected Arizona Republicans Rebecca Gau and Lisa Hoberg penned an op-ed arguing “why Arizona’s Republican women should vote for Hobbs.”
Lake Continues to Peddle Baseless 2020 Election Fraud Conspiracies and Refuses to Commit to Accepting 2022 Election Results
Kari Lake has been peddling conspiracy theories about the outcome of the 2020 election since the beginning of her campaign, claiming that Joe Biden is “an illegitimate president” and that Biden “didn’t win in Arizona” in 2020. She has refused to commit to accepting the results of the 2022 election, telling CNN, “I’m going to win the election, and I will accept that result.” Lake has committed to abolishing the state’s 30-year-old early voting program, despite voting by mail in every election since 2010. During her primary election night party, Lake wielded a sledgehammer that she said was intended for electronic voting machines and the Democratic nominee for governor. Members of her own party are so troubled by her remarks and the threat she poses to our democracy that leading Arizona Republicans are backing Katie Hobbs. As Arizona’s Secretary of State, Hobbs fought for Arizonan’s right to vote in 2020 and pushed back against calls to overturn the will of the people. She released a comprehensive voting rights plan early in her campaign and fights back against dangerous election disinformation peddled by Kari Lake on a daily basis.
She doesn’t care about everyday Arizonans or finding solutions to the problems our state faces. Kari Lake has repeatedly insulted and ignored local media outlets, favoring MAGA media like OANN and Sebastian Gorka’s show and has repeatedly referred to the Arizona Republic as “Repugnant” and insulted local reporters.
CONCLUSION
Across Arizona, a growing community of conservatives, Independents and Democrats are taking a stand to keep Lake from turning the governor’s office into chaos and lawlessness and to make sure Arizona moves forward under Katie Hobbs. This race will be close, but Katie Hobbs has campaigned on universal early childhood education for students, affordable childcare, increased school funding, and school repairs. She has fought for and earned the support of Arizonans, including high-profile state Republicans who are putting country over party to support Katie Hobbs for governor.