Kari Lake – Donald Trump’s Choice for VP? If you don’t follow politics closely, you may not have heard of Kari Lake. But take it from us, she is a political firecracker and rising star who supports former President Donald Trump one hundred percent.
Lake lost her election in the Arizona gubernatorial race in 2022. Like Trump, she took it to the courts claiming election fraud with faulty voter machines that disenfranchised her supporters. She lost by around 17,000 votes, but she thinks that after losing two rounds of court decisions, the Arizona Supreme Court will finally declare her the victor anyway.
Lake as VP?
The latest news about Kari Lake is that she could be on Trump’s shortlist to be his running mate should the former president win the Republican nomination for president. Speculating about who could become a vice president is a parlor game in Washington among political activists and television pundits. Lake could decide to run for U.S. Senate instead should she finally give up her quixotic effort to take the governorship of Arizona.
Running as an Outsider
Leftists are furious that Lake would be considered a VP candidate. She has no government experience or background in running large organizations. She is instead known for being a news anchor. Lake has taken a page from Donald Trump’s playbook – hold large rallies and insult everyone who doesn’t support her. This may make her a darling of the right, but she is less likely to win a general election with this divisiveness, should she become the vice presidential candidate.
Lake Makes the Left Cringe
Vanity Fair’s Bess Levin is a Lake hater and she wants to dance on Lake’s grave someday (figuratively speaking). In a recent analysis, Levin pointed out how Lake wants to see election officials from Trump’s re-election campaign in 2020 and in her own gubernatorial effort be jailed.
But Lake Has Big Support in Conservative Land
Levin also noted how Lake just won a straw poll at the rightwing gathering CPAC. This contest asked attendees who they wanted to be vice president. Lake received more votes than Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo, Ted Cruz, and Mike Pence.
She Still Thinks She Is the Rightful Governor
After the vote, Lake took to Twitter and said, “We’re flattered, but unfortunately our legal team says the Constitution won’t allow for her to serve as Governor and VP at the same time.” That’s right, Lake still thinks she can become governor.
Trump Loves Her
Trump values loyalty more than anything and Lake is certainly in Trump’s corner. Lake is as “Trumpy” as they come. She supports his election denial and ignores anyone who is a Trump detractor. This makes Trump one of Lake’s biggest fans.
Not a Bad Communicator
To her credit, Lake is good on the stump and packs them in at her rallies. She spoke twice at CPAC and is not afraid to surprise people in the audience. In her second speech at the confab, she claimed that someone attempted to bribe her with a cushy, high-paying job if she were to leave politics.
Big Risk Taker Looking for a Reward
So, Lake is not afraid to share even the most unlikely details with a crowd. She enjoys being in the limelight and that is one aspect of her personality that could endear her to other rank and file Republicans besides the movement and activist conservatives who attend CPAC.
She Is Not the Only Candidate Mentioned for VP
Lake is likely to run for U.S. Senate in Arizona and that would take her out of the running for VP. If Trump is serious about picking a woman running mate, Lake would also have competition for the slot. Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, and Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders are also mentioned.
Lake on the other hand is jobless at this point and may want to write a book or become a Fox News contributor to keep her name in the public eye. We likely won’t stop hearing from the Arizona conservative any time soon.
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Author Expertise and Experience
Serving as 19FortyFive’s Defense and National Security Editor, Dr. Brent M. Eastwood is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Foreign Policy/ International Relations.
