Arizona GOP leader allegedly floated cushy job offer to dissuade Kari Lake from Senate run

A highly polarizing figure, 2022 Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake has clashed with both Democrats and non-MAGA Republicans in her state (including conservative activist Meghan McCain). Nonetheless, Lake is seeking the nomination for Arizona's 2024 U.S. Senate race and hopes to win the seat presently held by centrist Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (a former Democrat turned independent).

According to Arizona Republic reporter Ronald J. Hansen, Arizona Republican Party Chairman Jeff DeWit allegedly floated a possible job offer for Lake in the hope of persuading her not to run for office in the next two years.

"Citing a 10-minute recording it had obtained and authenticated," Hansen explains in an article published on January 23, "London's Daily Mail said Jeff DeWit told Lake, 'There are very powerful people who want to keep you out.' The conversation, which purportedly happened in March (2023), would seem to bolster Lake's claims that there were forces trying to derail her latest political run. It also adds to the controversies swirling around the state GOP."

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The Daily Mail, on January 23, reported that DeWit allegedly told Lake he thinks former President Donald Trump will lose the 2024 election and said, "So the ask I got today from back east was: 'Is there any companies out there or something that could just put her on the payroll to keep her out?'"

Lake reportedly became defensive and told DeWit, "This is about defeating Trump, and I think that's a bad, bad thing for our country."

The far-right Lake reportedly thought that DeWit was trying to buy her off and said, 'I can be bought?.... This is not about money. It's about our country."

Hansen explains, "A March conversation with Lake would have come at a time when Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb was gearing up for his Senate run, which began in April. Lake, meanwhile, maintained high public visibility after her narrow gubernatorial loss. She continued to fruitlessly claim, in a lawsuit, that the election was stolen, (and) she was mentioned as a vice-presidential pick for Trump and long considered the Senate race. She formally entered the Senate race in October with Trump's endorsement on the first day."

READ MORE: Why Kari Lake is in 'deep, deep trouble' in GOP election official’s defamation lawsuit

If Lake wins the GOP nomination in Arizona's U.S. Senate race, the state might see a three-way between Sinema (who hasn't yet announced whether or not she will seek reelection as an independent) and liberal Rep. Ruben Gallego (who is seeking the Democratic nomination).

READ MORE: Kari Lake faces uphill climb in efforts to woo moderate Republicans: 'Politics of personal destruction'

Read The Arizona Republic's full report at this link.