Trump turns against 'spotlight hound' Kari Lake as possible 2024 running mate: report

06 July 2023

Kari Lake — the far-right MAGA Republican and conspiracy theorist who lost to Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs in 2022 — is being mentioned as a possible candidate in two races: Arizona's 2024 U.S. Senate competition, and as a vice presidential choice if Donald Trump is the nominee. Lake, however, hasn't made a decision about the Senate race.

Lake is reportedly on Trump's all-female short list of possible running mates if he wins the GOP nomination; the others are Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia), South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii (an ex-Democrat who is now a MAGA-friendly pundit on Fox News). But according to the Daily Beast's Zachary Petrizzo, Trump is reconsidering Lake's presence on that list — as he believes she is too much of an attention seeker.

The Beast interviewed some Trump advisers on condition of anonymity. One of them described Lake as a "spotlight hound," and another said of her, "She's a shameless, ruthless demagogue who wants power and will do whatever she has to do to get it."

Another Trump adviser told the Beast that he "sees through her gambit for the vice presidency," adding, "You don't have to be a wizard to figure that out. She is a woman that knows what she wants and knows how to get it."

A Lake spokesperson told the Beast that reports of Trump growing wary of Lake are "pathetic attempts from Team DeSantis" to sow division in Trump's campaign. Lake has criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for entering the GOP presidential primary, calling for Republicans to cancel the primary and unite around Trump immediately.

Petrizzo notes, however, that "it's not DeSantis operatives who say Lake is starting to overstay her welcome — it's Trump's own people." And the journalist reports that some of Trump's advisers are now saying that he doesn't necessarily have to select a woman as a running mate if he is the nominee.

Trump hasn't said anything critical of Lake publicly. On his Truth Social platform, the former president recently urged readers to buy Lake's new book, "Unafraid: Just Getting Started" and posted, "Every day, Kari fights to Make America Great Again. I know this book is great, because I wrote the foreword."

The Daily Beast's full report is availableat this link (subscription required).

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