Gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake, a fresh face in the Arizona 2022 GOP scene, disclosed a peculiar proposition on the Eric Metaxas radio talk show on Tuesday. The offer? A hefty paycheck and a cushy corporate board position, but with a peculiar condition – she was to refrain from running for office in 2024.
Lake, who’s considering vying for the U.S. Senate in the next election, recalled the incident: “A couple of months ago I had a call from a very influential person in Arizona who insisted on discussing a certain matter face to face.” During the meeting, this influential figure dangled the tempting bait of a prestigious job title, a lucrative salary, and a board position, contingent upon her promise not to run in the 2024 elections.
In response, Lake highlighted her resilient character, “Really, are you serious? I walked away from a prestigious job. I walked away from money. I’m not motivated by that.” Prior to her foray into politics, Lake had voluntarily left a high-paying position as an evening news anchor on the Fox affiliate in Phoenix.
When she politely dismissed the initial proposition, the figure posed an open-ended offer, “How much would it take? What would it take? Just for two years,” suggesting a potential compromise. Lake deciphered the motive behind the offer: an attempt to avoid her presence on the ballot, reminiscent of the fear induced by Donald Trump’s candidacy. Lake expressed her opinion that these tactics reflect their dread of a highly motivated electorate that could possibly overturn any attempts of a rigged election.
Despite the murky waters of political gameplay, Lake indicated that such an offer only strengthened her resolve to remain involved in politics. However, she has yet to finalize her next move. A potential option might be to pursue the Senate seat currently occupied by Democrat-turned-independent Kyrsten Sinema. Sinema’s voting record – backing President Joe Biden 93% of the time – has made her a potential target for a Democratic primary challenge from Arizona’s Rep. Ruben Gallego.
Sinema’s refusal to nullify the Senate filibuster rule and her initial reluctance to support Biden’s hefty Build Back Better legislation have landed her in the crosshairs of her own party. This, coupled with her switch to independent status, makes the upcoming election a thrilling three-cornered contest involving herself, the likely Democratic nominee Gallego, and a yet-undetermined Republican candidate.
Despite a lack of abundant polling data for this potential three-way race, an OH Predictive Insights poll showed Gallego with a single-digit lead over Lake, while Sinema trails by double digits. Lake is currently the favorite to secure the GOP primary for the Senate race, demonstrating the strength of her growing political movement.
Lake summed it up best: “The fact that they came to my door and said, ‘What is it going to take to have you put your movement on ice?’ tells me we need to keep our movement going.” It’s an intriguing peek into the political maneuverings of modern politics, and a testament to Lake’s determination not to be swayed from her path.
