Politico: Now she's the world's problem': Some Arizona Republicans relieved Lake is heading to Washington

[Dennis Donovan]

Politico - (archived: https://archive.ph/yaT6E ) Now she’s the world’s problem’: Some Arizona Republicans relieved Lake is heading to Washington

She’s still expected to play a role in Arizona politics.

By Megan Messerly
12/12/2024 04:31 PM EST

President-elect Donald Trump’s pick of longtime loyalist Kari Lake to lead Voice of America has some Arizona Republicans breathing a sigh of relief.

Lake has for the last two election cycles dominated Republican politics in Arizona, running and losing back-to-back races for governor and Senate — and earning her the ire of some of her fellow conservatives in the state. Some Arizona Republicans had already been skeptical of her political future in the state, given the losses, though her name had been floated both for state Republican Party chair and Arizona secretary of state.

This decision now all but removes her from those conversations, creating space for other Republicans, like Karrin Taylor Robson, who ran against Lake in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2022 but came in second, to rise to the fore.

“When you’re a two-time loser and you did worse the second time around, that’s a clue that maybe the voters don’t want you,” said Barrett Marson, a GOP strategist in Arizona. “I think it clears space for the conservative but normal wing of the Republican Party in Arizona.”

Robson has been floated as a likely Republican candidate for governor, and there was some uncertainty over whether Lake would be interested in a rematch.

/snip

[happybird]

1. "conservative but normal wing"

That’s one hell of a phrase. I know they are out there, somewhere, but really starting to believe control by the insane reality-tv extremist troll wing won’t disappear in my lifetime.

[Solly Mack]

2. The world doesn't want her.