Monday, April 1st, 2024

ARIZONA -–  After Kari Lake asked the “U.S. Supreme Court to endorse a conspiracy theory” and attempted to evade discovery in the defamation case against her, Arizona Republicans say “Kari Lake looks increasingly like she isn’t a candidate that can win.”

Laurie Roberts wrote today that Arizona Republicans are “not sure what [Lake’s] path is forward,” echoing frustrations expressed by Republicans last week that Kari Lake’s power hungry quest to stay in the “limelight” “will result in another defeat” as Lake “can’t be trusted in anything she says or does.” Over the weekend, reports noted that Lake is “not winning back the mainstream Republicans.” 

Read more:

Arizona Republic Opinion: Kari Lake’s chances of winning Arizona seem dimmer by the day

April 1st, 2024

By: Laurie Roberts

Key Points: 

• Once upon a time (read: 2022), Kari Lake called abortion the “ultimate sin” and supported a return of a 19th century law that turned doctors into felons… 

• Once upon a time (read: 2018), Lake lauded the late Sen. John McCain as “a war hero, icon and a force to be reckoned with.” Four years later, she told his supporters to “get the hell out” of one of her campaign events and upon winning the GOP primary proclaimed, “we drove a stake through the heart of the McCain machine.” These days, she assures voters that she was just joking.

• Once upon a time (read: January), Lake welcomed the opportunity to prove her oft-repeated claim that Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer sabotaged the 2022 election, saying she would battle Richer’s defamation lawsuit with everything she had because nothing less than America was at risk should she lose. Last week, she gave up without a fight.

• Naturally, Lake is spinning last week’s bombshell capitulation, saying she doesn’t want “to legitimize this perversion of our legal system.”

• But it all leads me to wonder. What exactly is it that Kari Lake stands for?

• Lake’s plan seems to be to rage her way into the U.S. Senate, but thus far it doesn’t seem as if the deep pockets within the GOP are convinced that’s a winning campaign strategy.

• And last week’s shot-in-the-foot-heard-round-the-world? Disastrous.

• “Not sure what her path is forward — martyrdom in pursuit of a misunderstanding of what is free speech,” longtime Republican political consultant Chuck Coughlin told me. “I really don’t see a path or any money coming her way…

• But where are the endorsements from former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, former Sen. Jon Kyl and Karrin Taylor Robson, who would be governor today had she won the 2022 GOP primary?

• Where is the support from establishment Republicans within Arizona’s GOP — the people who could confer legitimacy with those all-important moderate Republican and independent voters who will decide this election in November?

• And where is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell?

• Once upon a time (read: October 2022), Lake supported Sen. Ted Cruz to replace “the old bat,” as she called McConnell. So I’m guessing a fat check might not be forthcoming from his flush Senate Leadership Fund anytime soon.

• Lake has got to be left wondering when her financial ship will come in.

• “That is the $40 million question,” Republican consultant Barrett Marson told me. “What if that Brinks truck never pulls up?… 

• “And Kari Lake looks increasingly like she isn’t a candidate that can win.”

• Possibly because she isn’t a candidate who seems to really stand for much, other than outrage….