Arizona GOP gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake seen as future force in national politics
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Top strategists in the Democratic Party fear that Republican nominee for Arizona governor Kari Lake will become a rising star in national politics, including as a potential presidential candidate.
Lake, a political novice and former television news anchor, is engaged in a tense race with Democratic Secretary of State of Arizona Katie Hobbs for the open state governor’s seat.
Among the “ultra MAGA” candidates who are close allies of Donald Trump and who support his baseless claims that President Joe Biden lost the 2020 election, Lake is seen as one of the most likely to win in November.
Democrats are also wary of seeing her as a powerful force on the national stage, said Obama’s former top strategist David Plouffe. axios that Lake looks like a “plausible presidential candidate.”
Lake, 53, is a former TV news presenter who quit the company last year after decades. She is adept at creating viral moments through bombastic attacks on reporters and the mainstream media.
Top Democratic Party strategists see Arizona’s Republican nominee for Governor Kari Lake (above) as a future factor in national politics
Of the ‘ultra MAGA’ governor candidates who are close allies to Donald Trump, Lake is seen as one of the most likely to win in November
A political novice and former TV news anchor, Lake is engaged in an exciting race with Arizona Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs (above)
Experts say Lake’s lack of managerial experience and telegenic personality are major positives in the current era of American politics, where outsider credentials and spicy sound bites could win the day.
“That’s what has changed a lot in our politics. There is a performance aspect to both sides,” said Plouffe.
“Obama and Trump have accelerated that change in many ways, which is that you don’t have to wait 20 years to build your case,” he said.
“If you have something convincing to say and you can run a campaign online, then you are a plausible presidential candidate,” Plouffe said.
David Axelrod, another former strategist and adviser to Obama, also predicted that Lake would go far in politics.
“When you get a candidate with the performance skills of a major local TV host and the philosophy and thinking of Steve Bannon, it’s a powerful and dangerous combination,” Axelrod told Axios.
“Look at Italy,” he added, referring to the success of charismatic politician Giorgia Meloni, who is expected to become Italy’s next prime minister following the victory of her right-wing Brothers of Italy party in the recent elections.
Former Obama’s top strategist David Plouffe told Axios that Lake looks like a “plausible presidential candidate.” She can be seen above during a meeting with Trump last week
Democrat Hobbs (above) has refused to debate Lake, saying the Republican would turn the forum into a spectacle and embarrass the state
The Arizona governor’s race is extremely tight right now, with the RCP mean from recent polls showing Lake has a wafer-thin 0.9-point advantage over Hobbs, well below the margin of error.
Hobbs, the Democrat, has declined to debate Lake, saying the Republican would turn the forum into a spectacle and embarrass the state.
The refusal to debate was a major responsibility for Hobbs, who produced negative headlines for weeks and alarmed some of her supporters.
“I’m not interested in being part of Kari Lake’s spectacle or screaming contest, and I’m going to speak directly to voters,” Hobbs told reporters at a campaign event on Wednesday, while Followers of the lake, dressed as chickens, danced in front of the window.
Of the GOP candidates who won primary races by allying with Trump and backing his 2020 election denials, Lake is one of the most likely to succeed in winning voters overall.
Polls show Arizona governor’s race is considered one of the most competitive on the ballot this year
In other races, Trump’s choices seem to stand little chance, turning potentially competitive elections into likely victories for Democrats.
In Pennsylvania, Republican governor candidate and election denier Doug Mastriano has scored 10.3 points in the last RCP polling averageand has not received much support from the highest GOP establishment figures.
In Massachusetts, which currently has a moderate Republican governor, Trump’s pick Geoff Diehl defeated his centrist opponent in the GOP primary, but is believed to have little chance of winning the general.
GOP voters in Connecticut and Maryland, liberal states where centrist Republicans have had some success in previous elections, also selected Trump-backed candidates to run against a Democrat in the general election.