close
close

Mondor Festival

News with a Local Lens

    • Kari Lake is a useful tool for getting others to toe the Trump line
    minsta

    Kari Lake is a useful tool for getting others to toe the Trump line

    Pabio Posted on

    Fresh after her second defeat in Arizona, there is talk of a desire to convince Kari Lake to return to her native Iowa to challenge Republican Senator Joni Ernst in 2026.

    play

    Forget Mexico. Could Lake Kari be heading towards corn country?

    Fresh out of her second loss in statewide election in Arizona, there are efforts to have Lake return to his native Iowa to challenge Republican Sen. Joni Ernst in 2026.

    It appears Ernst, a former National Guard member and retired lieutenant colonel who spent more than two decades in the military, isn’t really interested in serving as a rubber stamp for Pete Hegseth’s nomination to the post Secretary of Defense.

    Ernst demanded a Hegseth’s “very thorough verification”who was accused of sexual assault and faces other allegations of mishandling money and drinking on the job.

    Kari Lake is good at winning a GOP primary

    In MAGA ranks, delaying Trump’s nomination amounts to treason and is likely to win you a primary election.

    “It really is that simple,” a top Trump ally told Fox News. “If you oppose President Trump’s nominees, you oppose Trump’s agenda, and there will be a political price to pay for that.”

    Enter: Lake Kari.

    His name started appearing last week as possible challenger to Ernst.

    “We’re learning a lot about Joni Ernst and the Senate establishment right now,” Turning Point USA said. Charlie Kirk wrote on social networks. “Trump loyalists are talking about finding a primary challenger. This is getting very serious.

    “@KariLake was born and raised in Iowa. What if she came home to the Joni Ernst primary in 2026 and took her Senate seat? conservative commentator Rogan O’Handley wrote. “Say what you want, but Kari (Lake) is really good at winning GOP primaries. And that’s all it would take to win in deep red Iowa now.

    Threat could bring Ernst and Mexico into alignment

    Of course, the campaign to recruit Lake to return to her home soil could be disrupted if Trump decides that the former news anchor’s talents lie in the direction of diplomacy.

    Lake would be considered the ambassador to Mexicowhich makes Trump’s mockery of “Governor Justin Trudeau of the great state of Canada” seem tame.

    Notice: Lake as ambassador to Mexico? Oh, brother

    Then again, Lake could also serve as a useful tool for Trump, with the mere mention of his name being enough to force Joni Ernst – or the Mexican government – ​​to fall into line.

    On Monday, Ernst appeared at soften Hegsethsaying she would “support Pete through this process.”

    It’s unclear if that means she’ll vote to confirm him.

    But if she doesn’t, there’s always Lake waiting in the wings.

    Lake, who is single-handedly responsible for Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs and Democratic Sen.-elect Ruben Gallego.

    I’m pretty sure the Arizona Republican Party… hoping to win back in major state offices in 2026 – I would be very sorry to see her go.

    Contact Roberts at [email protected]. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsazon the discussions at @LaurieRobertsaz and on BlueSky at @laurieroberts.bsky.social.

    Subscribe to azcentral.com Todayy.

    Pabio
    View all posts

    You Might Also Like