Kari Lake defends Trump, tells Iowans to ask 2024 candidates about election fraud

NEVADA, Iowa — Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake told Iowans Thursday she’s willing to “do anything I can” to help former President Donald Trump get back into office.

Lake addressed about 80 people at the Story County Republicans’ Lincoln Highway Dinner. Her visit comes as Iowans are beginning to consider 2024 Republican caucus candidates, but Lake is likely not running for president. She is still fighting in the courts over her claims of election fraud in her 2022 loss to Democrat Katie Hobbs.

 A member of the audience asked Lake whether she would consider serving as Trump’s running mate in 2024.

“You don’t really run for that,” Lake said. “… I will do also anything I can to help President Trump. I believe he is the only man who can get us through these dark tumultuous times. I really do.”

The Arizona Republican also weighed in on Trump’s indictment, saying, “They’re going after President Trump for a nothing-burger.”

She said the focus should be on President Joe Biden, who she said is bought and paid for by the Chinese Communist Party, and “evil” Anthony Fauci, the former chief medical adviser to the president. Lake spoke to supporters at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, following Trump’s arraignment Tuesday in New York on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

Al Ortiz, a Grimes resident who came to Nevada for the event, said he was locked in to vote for Trump in the 2024 Republican caucuses, and does not believe the indictment will impact the former president’s campaign. He said he’d love to see Lake as a running mate to Trump.

“I think her message and Trump’s are aligned really well, basically the same message,” Ortiz said. “They’re concerned about elections, they’re concerned about just all the corruption going on … plus conservative values.”

Lake also held Iowa events Wednesday. She posted on Twitter that her Iowa City event hosted an open bar that ran out of all beer brands except Bud Light. Lake and supporters criticized Bud Light for its sponsorship deal with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender TikTok influencer.

I have to share something hilarious with you guys.

I’m in Iowa with hundreds of voters tonight for a rally. There was an open bar that RAN OUT of beer…

Except for one brand… @budlight

Go woke, go BROKE. Sad!

— Kari Lake (@KariLake) April 6, 2023

Lake is scheduled to join a Good Friday prayer breakfast in Cedar Rapids with actor Kevin Sorbo. This trip is her second stint in Iowa following the 2022 midterm elections. She also held events in the state in February.

Lake said she hasn’t given up on her court challenge over the 2022 election results. She has not conceded to Hobbs, who was sworn into office in January. The Arizona Supreme Court rejected most of Lake’s appeal challenging the election results, but sent a challenge of early ballot signature verification procedures in one county back to a trial court for reconsideration.

“The fake news isn’t covering it,” Lake said. “They said that ‘she lost on most counts in the Arizona Supreme Court.’ Most counts. But not all counts. And we made it, we made it and we’re still out and we’re still fighting.”

Lake called for Iowans to question the presidential candidates coming through ahead of the 2024 Iowa caucuses on free and fair elections, and to specifically ask what they think about the 2022 Arizona governor’s race. She said “globalists” are committed to stopping the 2024 election from proceeding fairly, as she claimed they did in 2020 in Trump’s loss and in her Arizona race.

Some candidates being pushed are “Trojan horses,” Lake said, and won’t talk about election results.

“I ask you that every candidate who comes through, when they stand on the stage, when they’re shaking your hand, when they’re walking through town, taking your questions, that you ask them where they stand on election integrity,” Lake said. “And I think you get even more specific: Was the 2022 election here in Arizona stolen? And if they won’t say absolutely yes, that’s a big red flag. … I’ll tell you what, I know that one of them will be honest with you about these elections. And one of them is Donald J. Trump.”