Blake Masters garners endorsements from Gosar and Vance for Arizona congressional run, but not from Kari Lake



Blake Masters is running again for office. Although until recently there wereindications that he might take a second shot at the upper chamber, Masters announced Thursday he instead has Arizona's 8th Congressional District in his sights.

The Tucson venture capitalist and father of three told KTAR-FM Friday that he opted not to run for the Senate because he "didn't want to cause some contested primary. ... President Trump wanted Kari [Lake] to run, and I think she's running a hell of a campaign so far, so I look forward to supporting her."

Masters avoided a standoff with Kari Lake, but he must now face a primary candidate whom Lake elected to throw her weight behind the day of Masters' announcement.

Arizona Rep. Debbie Lesko (R), a member of the Freedom Caucus, announced earlier this month that she would not be running for re-election in 2024.

The 8th District, home to around 800,000 people, leans Republican. Trump won the district by 13 points in 2020. The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission gives the GOP a 15% vote spread against Democratic candidates in races across the state, reported the Arizona Capitol Times.

"I want to spend more time with my husband, my 94-year-old mother, my three children, and my five grandchildren," wrote Lesko. "Right now, Washington, D.C. is broken; it is hard to get anything done."

Masters appears to agree with Lesko's assessment that D.C. is broken, but is confident he can do something about it.

"Washington is beyond broken. The Democrats in power have failed us. Joe Biden (and the people who are really running his administration) have delivered chaos at our Border, skyrocketing inflation, failing schools, and widespread wokeness. And they're doing it on purpose," wrote Masters.

"But there's good news: We The People are waking up. We are sick of the chaos, the crime, the weaponization of justice – just look at what they’re doing to President Trump. It's beyond crazy," he continued. "We need leaders who support President Trump. We need leaders who fight like the futures of our nation, our state, and our families depend on it. Because it does."

Masters started his career as a venture capitalist and co-authored a best-selling book with Republican megadonor Peter Thiel. He pivoted from business to politics in 2016, joining former President Donald Trump's transition team. In the way of policies, he would seek to secure the border and expedite deportation procedures; protect the unborn, the First Amendment, and the Second Amendment; restore American energy independence and high-paying manufacturing jobs; and protect Arizona's water supply.

Masters, once called "the future of the Republican Party" by Tucker Carlson, ran for the U.S. Senate in 2022 with former President Donald Trump's endorsement and lost by nearly 5 points to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly (D).

In recent months, there was talk of Masters launching a second Arizona Senate bid, most likely for Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's seat. However, it appears it wasn't in the cards — at least not where Trump was concerned.

Masters told KTAR's "The Mike Broomhead Show" that he had spoken to Trump and Lake before altering his 2024 political goals and turning his attention to Arizona's 8th Congressional District seat.

— (@)

As of last week, there were at least 13 candidates in the race. Among them is Abraham Hamadeh, a Republican candidate who ran for Arizona attorney general with Trump's endorsement last year and lost by fewer than 300 votes.

Hours after Lesko indicated she would not be seeking re-election, Hamadeh announced he was running for her seat.

"President Trump is under attack. He needs back up — and I'm ready to help him Make America Great Again," Hamadeh wrote on X.

Lake did not endorse him outright. Rather, she indicated that she would be supporting Hamadeh within hours of Masters announcing his candidacy. Over the weekend, Lake's campaign reiterated her support for Hamadeh, noting he "has fought unwaveringly beside @KariLake in their battle against Maricopa County's corruption."

Responding to Lake's endorsement, Masters told KTAR, "Good for him [Hamadeh]."

"I'm going to have great endorsements too," continued Masters. "Congressman Paul Gosar just endorsed me, probably the most conservative members of the House of Representatives will end up endorsing me. I think they’d like me to be their colleague."

Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) has also endorsed Masters, saying, "Blake is the conservative fighter we need in the House to combat the extreme liberal policies of Joe Biden and to put the GOP establishment in its place."

In the wake of Masters' announcement, Hamadeh's campaign has gone on the offensive.

Erica Knight, a spokeswoman for the campaign, told Politico, "All the way from Tucson, Blake Masters apparently has crawled out from under the rock he was hiding under after his terrible performance last November and now wants to run for a district hours away. ... The key endorsements for Abe Hamadeh so far, including Kari Lake, Ric Grenell, Kash Patel and Bernie Kerik, tell you everything you need to know about who the true America First fighter is in this race."

"Blake Masters, just entered the race coming in all the way from Tucson, no ties to the district. He actually did the worst out of the any of the Trump endorsed candidates. He only won that district by 7%, which is kind of scary. Where I won the district by 12%," wrote Hamadeh. "We can't afford any unnecessary errors going into 2024, our country is on the line. Any drag on the ticket could cost Trump the presidency in Arizona."

Early Monday, Hamadeh added, "I've got Kari's 6 and she's got mine. America First sticks together." Lake reposted the message.

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'I'm just here for THE National Anthem': Republican stayed seated during black national anthem at Super Bowl



Kari Lake was apparently sitting down at the Super Bowl during the song "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which is commonly called the black national anthem.

"The @NFL played two different 'National Anthems' tonight. Someone just sent me a photo of @KariLake sitting during the first one," Benny Johnson tweeted when sharing a photo of Lake.

"I'm just here for THE National Anthem," Lake replied.

\u201c@bennyjohnson @NFL I\u2019m just here for THE National Anthem\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\u201d
— Benny Johnson (@Benny Johnson) 1676246163

"I'm against a 'black National Anthem' for the same reason I am against a 'white National Anthem,' a 'gay National Anthem,' a 'straight National Anthem,' a 'Jewish National Anthem,' a 'Christian National Anthem,' and so on," Lake noted in a statement, according to Fox News Digital. "We are ONE NATION, under God. Francis Scott Key's words ring true for every single American Citizen regardless of their skin color. James Weldon Johnson's 'Lift Your Voice' is a beautiful song, but it is not our National Anthem."

Lake expressed support for comments posted by Zeek Arkham, who tweeted, "My 'black' National Anthem is the same anthem I've been singing since I was a child. The same one children of all races have been singing. My National Anthem never needed a color. Do they want racism to die, or do they want to keep finding ways to divide us all?"

"I love this," Lake noted when retweeting Arkham.

\u201cI love this.\u201d
— Kari Lake (@Kari Lake) 1676253840

Lake, who lost Arizona's 2022 gubernatorial contest to Democrat Katie Hobbs, is slated to speak at CPAC's Ronald Reagan Dinner next month.

Lake has claimed that she did not lose the governor's race: "I didn't lose. I won. They stole this," she said.

\u201c.@KariLake: \u201cThey thought that being new to politics, they would steal the vote of the people of Arizona in broad daylight, and I would just walk away going it\u2019s too big of a hill to climb, of a mountain to climb.\n\nThey picked a fight with the wrong person. I didn\u2019t lose, I won.\u201d\u201d
— Kari Lake War Room (@Kari Lake War Room) 1673144740

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'We're in dangerous times': After 'terroristic threat' shuts down her HQ, Kari Lake remains steadfast, notes media's role



Kari Lake's campaign headquarters was targeted over the weekend by what her team reckoned to be a "terroristic attack." Lake noted that the alleged threat wasn't the first her team has had to deal with, but that it would be dealt with and the person responsible identified.

Dangerous times

On Sunday, Republican nominee for Arizona governor Kari Lake spoke to reporters in Queen Creek, Arizona, about her campaign headquarter's weekend encounter with suspicious packages, which allegedly contained white powder and threats.

Concerning the Oct. 5 discovery of the threats, Lake said, "We're in dangerous times. ... This is not the first time we've been threatened. I've been threatened many times. Our tires have been slashed. We've had screws drilled into our tires so that our tires would blow out while we're on the road."

Reiterating that these are dangerous times, Lake suggested "that's why we need to elect somebody who's strong and a fighter and not a coward. We'll get to the bottom of this. I really don't want to get too far ahead of it."

Katie Hobbs, the Democrat gubernatorial candidate who refuses to debate Lake, wrote in an op-ed on Saturday, "The new GOP is led by extremist, radical stone throwers like Kari Lake."

Hobbs, who has not recused herself from official duties overseeing the midterm election, also claimed, "We can't risk Kari Lake."

Arizona state Senator Wendy Rogers suggested that the potential risk to Lake's life must be addressed, demanding that the gubernatorial candidate be protected by the Arizona Department of Public Safety to "err on the side of caution."

\u201c.@KariLake must absolutely be protected by DPS who should deploy immediately to protect her, because she has clearly become #ArizonasGreatestAsset \u2026 it\u2019s a no-brainer. Err on the side of caution.\u201d
— Wendy Rogers (@Wendy Rogers) 1667764361

What happened in Phoenix?

Around 10 p.m. on Saturday, two envelopes allegedly containing a "suspicious white powder" and "abusive messages" were discovered at Lake's campaign headquarters in Phoenix.

Just days after former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton stressed that Lake should not be elected, one of Lake's staffers reportedly opened one of the suspicious envelopes and was exposed to the powder.

A source told the DailyMail.com that in addition to the white substance, the envelope contained a letter with "a bunch of vulgarities and ranting and raving about Kari."

Having noticed that the second package resembled the first one, the young employee reported it.

The FBI, Phoenix Police, Phoenix firefighters, bomb squad units, and hazmat crews were dispatched to the scene

"When officers arrived, they learned there were suspicious items located inside the mail. Additional resources responded to collect the items and secure the area," said Sgt. Phil Krynsky.

Lake told reporters that "a couple" of staffers had been exposed, but that "so far they're doing okay."

"We're monitoring them," said Lake, "and we want to make sure that everything's okay."

Krynsky confirmed that there had been no reports of injury, but that the investigation was ongoing.

Although Colton Duncan, spokesman for the Lake campaign, indicated on Sunday that the powder was initially headed to Quantico for testing, Lake confirmed later in the day that it was now being tested at a local lab.

Lake said, "We're going to find out what it was."

Duncan emphasized that the Lake campaign's "resolve has never been higher, and we cannot be intimidated. We continue to push full speed ahead to win this election on Tuesday."

Media myopia, polarization

The alleged "terroristic act" that targeted the Lake campaign has not been met with the kind of media attention that the alleged attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband garnered in recent days.

GOP Chairman Ronna McDaniel tweeted, "More violent threats against Republicans that most of the media refuses to cover - the same media that has attacked @KariLake relentlessly. This is completely unacceptable."

\u201cMore violent threats against Republicans that most of the media refuses to cover - the same media that has attacked @KariLake relentlessly.\n\nThis is completely unacceptable. Happy to hear that at this time no one was hurt.\nhttps://t.co/EyoUVv8DJr\u201d
— Ronna McDaniel (@Ronna McDaniel) 1667757306

Lake, who previously was a TV news anchor, has long criticized the mainstream news media and its bias.

Fox News Digital reported that Lake emphasized that the "fake news media" has been a big part of political polarization in the nation and ramping up tensions.

"We are in such polarized times, and this is one of the reasons I walked away from the fake news media, because I realized that the media is a big part of it, pitting people against one another," said Lake.

Referencing the threats her campaign has faced from anti-conservative, anti-Republican forces, she posed the question to reporters, "You guys want us like this?"

Republican Senate nominee Don Bolduc was reportedly attacked before his New Hampshire debate last Wednesday.

Earlier this month, a Chicago man allegedly left a terrorizing voicemail threatening to assassinate the Republican gubernatorial candidate in Illinois, Darren Bailey.

On Oct. 18, the home of Republican congressional candidate Pat Harrigan's parents was reportedly riddled with bullets with his children sleeping inside.

In June, 26-year-old California resident Nicholas John Roske, who identified himself as a "trans gamer girl," allegedly attempted to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Bret Kavanaugh. Roske was armed with a Glock 17 pistol and had in his possession a tactical knife, pepper spray, zip ties, a hammer, screwdriver, nail punch, crowbar, and duct tape.

Hundreds of pro-life pregnancy centers, pro-lifers, and churches were targeted in a series of attacks by pro-abortion terrorists in the lead up to and following the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Twitter blocked an Arizona Republican from posting — but less than an hour after Elon Musk said he was checking 'into it,' the candidate was tweeting again



Arizona state Rep. Mark Finchem, a Republican who is currently running for Arizona secretary of state, was briefly sidelined on Twitter before being swiftly reinstated less than one hour after Elon Musk, who recently acquired the social media platform, took notice of Finchem's plight.

On Monday afternoon, Finchem posted a screenshot on Truth Social of a notice that said his Twitter account had been temporarily placed in "read-only mode" because he had supposedly violated Twitter's rules.

"Twitter has blocked my account from speaking truth with one week left until the election. They are trying to put their thumb on the scales of this election. Tag Elon Musk and tell him to unban me right now. I am the Secretary of State nominee in a swing state running against the criminal Soros-funded candidate," Finchem wrote.

Finchem later posted another screenshot of a notice that indicated that he had less than 11 hours left until his account would return to normal functionality.

Jenna Ellis tweeted about the platform's move to block Finchem, writing, "@elonmusk this shouldn't happen a week before the election!"

"Looking into it," Musk replied.

\u201c@JennaEllisEsq @RealMarkFinchem Looking into it\u201d
— Jenna Ellis \ud83c\udf4a\ud83e\udd85 (@Jenna Ellis \ud83c\udf4a\ud83e\udd85) 1667253693

Less than an hour later, Finchem was posting on the platform again.

"We are back! Thank you @elonmusk for stopping the commie who suspended me from Twitter a week before the election. Twitter is much better with you at the helm," Finchem tweeted.

\u201cWe are back! Thank you @elonmusk for stopping the commie who suspended me from Twitter a week before the election. Twitter is much better with you at the helm. Thank you @MediaRightNews1 @JennaEllisEsq @KariLake @Brick_Suit & others for spreading the word! #AZSOS\u201d
— Mark Finchem #JustFollowTheLaw VoteFinchem.com (@Mark Finchem #JustFollowTheLaw VoteFinchem.com) 1667259618

"I LOVE THE NEW @elonmusk OWNERSHIP," Jenna Ellis tweeted after Finchem's account was freed.

Musk has indicated that he wants Twitter to be a forum for free speech, though he recently said in a note directed toward Twitter advertisers that the platform cannot turn into "a free-for-all hellscape."

He has also said that a "content moderation council" will be established. "Twitter will be forming a content moderation council with widely diverse viewpoints. No major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before that council convenes," Musk tweeted. "Anyone suspended for minor & dubious reasons will be freed from Twitter jail," he wrote in another post.

\u201cTwitter will be forming a content moderation council with widely diverse viewpoints. \n\nNo major content decisions or account reinstatements will happen before that council convenes.\u201d
— Elon Musk (@Elon Musk) 1666981135

Ex-Democrat Tulsi Gabbard issues full-throated endorsement of Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake



Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who recently announced that she was dumping the Democratic Party, has endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake in the Arizona governor's race.

"For too long establishment leaders from both parties have sought to enrich themselves, play games, and build up their power while ignoring and even enabling the suffering of millions of hard-working Americans," Gabbard tweeted. She said that Lake "puts people first," and "is fighting for border security, energy independence, public safety, and other policies that actually make life better and more affordable for the American people."

Gabbard also said that Lake "isn't afraid to call out the warmongering ... elitist cabal of permanent Washington and the Military Industrial Complex, and their propagandists in the mainstream media. I look forward to supporting @KariLake ahead of these critical midterm elections."

\u201c...puts people first, is fighting for border security, energy independence, public safety, and other policies that actually make life better and more affordable for the American people. Kari Lake isn\u2019t afraid to call out the warmongering... (2/3)\u201d
— Tulsi Gabbard \ud83c\udf3a (@Tulsi Gabbard \ud83c\udf3a) 1666067354

Lake is running against Arizona's Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs.

Gabbard served in the U.S. House of Representatives from early 2013 until early 2021 — she mounted a White House bid during the last presidential election cycle, but ultimately dropped out and backed Joe Biden.

Last week, Gabbard announced that she was abandoning the Democratic Party, lambasting the party in a video.

"I can no longer remain in today's Democratic Party that's under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers who are driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue and stoking anti-white racism, who actively work to undermine our God-given freedoms that are enshrined in our Constitution, who are hostile to people of faith and spirituality, who demonize the police but protect criminals at the expense of law-abiding Americans, who believe in open-borders, who weaponize the national security state to go after their political opponents, and above all, who are dragging us ever closer to nuclear war," Gabbard declared in the video.

Gabbard also urged other disaffected Democrats to join her in exiting the party.

\u201cI can no longer remain in today\u2019s Democratic Party that is now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue & stoke anti-white racism, actively work to undermine our God-given freedoms, are\u2026\u201d
— Tulsi Gabbard \ud83c\udf3a (@Tulsi Gabbard \ud83c\udf3a) 1665486011

Democrat Katie Hobbs was a no-show at a Hispanic town hall where Kari Lake thrilled voters



Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs (D) was a no-show at a town hall event hosted by Spanish-language media Wednesday, while her Republican opponent Kari Lake not only came to the event but was a hit with the crowd.

Lake spoke for more than an hour addressing questions on K-12 education, public safety, immigration. She received loud applause for her answers, all the while standing next to an empty podium that was reserved for Hobbs. One of the event organizers said that Hobbs, who currently serves as secretary of state for Arizona, declined an invitation to participate. Members of the audience booed upon learning that Hobbs would not appear alongside Lake.

\u201cTwo candidates are announced, only one walked out. Where are you, @katiehobbs? These Latino voters deserve better.\u201d
— Kari Lake (@Kari Lake) 1665021287

The Democratic candidate has refused to participate in debates, calling her GOP opponent a 2020 election "conspiracy theorist." Hobbs campaign manager Nicole DeMont said in September any debate would give Lake the opportunity to "just create another spectacle" and that "you can't debate a conspiracy theorist." Those comments were made after the Hobbs campaign negotiated with the Citizens Clean Elections Commission to change a potential debate format into separate half-hour interviews with a moderator. The commission turned the campaign down, and since then there has been no agreement to have a debate.

Democratic strategists have begun to worry that Hobbs' refusal to debate and her comparative reluctance to do in-person campaign events will backfire with voters in what's considered a toss-up race. Whereas Lake organizes large rallies and speaks to reporters frequently, often to challenge their questions, Hobbs has run a quieter campaign with smaller gatherings and fewer press conferences.

"There's a lack of charisma," one anonymous Democratic strategist told ABC News on Wednesday. "And I think it's a challenge on their end because they're not confident when they go out, so their response to that is to try and do as little publicly as possible and try to sail to the finish line. And the ramifications of that are not everybody seeing you be visible."

The strategist, who requested anonymity to discuss the race frankly, said declining to debate Lake was a missed opportunity.

"Missing that was an error. I think a lot of the reasoning around that was 'oh, well, she's just gonna say crazy stuff anyway, let's not give her the platform,'" the strategist said. "But what happened with that was … voters missed out on seeing them next to each other, they missed out on seeing Hobbs be the adult in the room and Kari be bombastic."

Meanwhile, Lake has taken the opportunities Hobbs has given her to accuse her Democratic opponent of "hiding" from voters. After Wednesday's town hall, the Lake campaign shared a photo of Hobbs' empty podium with the caption, "They say a picture is worth a thousand words."

\u201cThey say a picture is worth a thousand words.\u201d
— Kari Lake (@Kari Lake) 1665022653

"She does not have the courage to be on this stage," Lake said of Hobbs during the event. "She says, 'I don't want to be there' and she says 'Kari's a conspiracy theorist.' Well, then, show up and call me out. I'm happy to have a dialogue."

"I'll be honest. I don't like the idea of being on the stage with a twice-convicted racist, but this job is so important that we need to stand up here and debate these issues and tell the good people of this state what we plan to do for our citizens," Lake said, referring to a controversy involving the firing of an African-American policy adviser by the Arizona state Senate in 2015. Hobbs was the Democratic minority leader in the Senate at the time.

Talonya Adams was fired by the state Senate after complaining that she was paid less than her white colleagues. She filed and won two civil lawsuits against the Senate alleging sex and racial discrimination. Hobbs was not named as a defendant, but she and her chief of staff were called to testify in the cases. Adams was paid $300,000 in damages on Sept. 21, 2022.

It was inaccurate for Lake to say Hobbs was "convicted" in those civil cases, but Hobbs was not present at the event to defend herself.

"I wish, by the way, that my opponent were here," Lake said. "The people here in the media, some are from national media, they never pin her down on where she stands."

"The media chases after me," Lake continued. "I always speak to the media, but she won't answer the questions. She won't answer the questions and she didn't have the courage to be here."

\u201c.@KariLake: "I always speak to the media, but she won't answer the questions. She won't answer the questions & she didn't have the courage to be here. I think that should tell you something. She's hiding something. What is she hiding? I think we know: her terrible record."\u201d
— Kari Lake (@Kari Lake) 1665025277


The Hobbs campaign insists that its strategy will prevail in November.

"Arizonans are rejecting Kari Lake's extreme and dangerous positions that are so far outside the mainstream," campaign manager Nicole Demont said in a statement to ABC News on Wednesday. "We're confident that sanity will beat chaos and Sec. Hobbs will be elected in November."

Watch the town hall event:

Kari Lake puts on a clinic for how pro-life Republicans should respond to abortion questions



Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake performed a rhetorical jiu jitsu flip of a reporter who tried to corner her on abortion at a speaking event.

"Tell me, if abortion is effectively banned in the state right now, tell me, is that something that you support?" a reporter asked Lake at the RNC Hispanic Community Center in South Phoenix last week. The Donald Trump-endorsed firebrand responded by turning the reporter's question around to highlight her Democratic opponent's abortion-rights extremism.

"I support saving as many lives as possible," Lake answered. "And what I really want to know, and I've been waiting — I tune into you guys all the time — I want to know where Katie Hobbs stands. But I never hear you guys ask her that."

\u201cWATCH: @KariLake on Abortion. \nAlso \u2014 where is @katiehobbs?\u201d
— Kari Lake (@Kari Lake) 1664670734

"I'm pro-life," she continued. "My plan would be that every woman who walks into an abortion clinic know that there are options out there, they don't have to choose that. There's families who would love to adopt a baby. And right now, the way it's been going, they go in and they only have one option. Nobody tells them that there's other options."

Abortion has surged to the forefront of Arizona state politics after a judge ruled that the state's 1864 law banning nearly all abortions should be enforced after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Katie Hobbs, the Democratic secretary of state for Arizona, seized on the issue and vowed to repeal the abortion ban if elected governor, calling out Republicans for remaining silent on the state's abortion ban.

"Make no mistake: if elected governor, Lake will seek to further take away Arizonans’ reproductive freedoms and put millions of peoples’ lives on the line," the Hobbs campaign said in a statement.

“Under this ban, it’s Arizona women and families who will suffer the most,” Hobbs said. “And as a mother, I’m furious that my 20-year-old daughter will have fewer rights than I did 50 years ago. The overwhelming majority of Arizonans support access to safe and legal abortion. This decision is a direct affront to what we the people, the voters, Arizonans, want.”

At a press conference Saturday, Hobbs added, "We deserve the health care that is our right, and access to safe, legal abortions, period."

Lake sidestepped the reporter's question on the Arizona law and demanded that journalists get more specifics from Hobbs on what limitations, if any, she supports for abortion.

"We want to help our women," she said. "If they're afraid we want to help them. We want to give women health care. And I want to help people. But I really challenge you, and I'm happy to get back to you on this when you find out where Katie Hobbs stands. Because let me tell you where she stands. She supports abortion right up until birth and after birth. She supports if a baby survives a botched abortion that that baby die on a cold metal tray. And none of you ever try to get her to try to talk about her stance. So get back to me after you do."

Liz Cheney threatens to leave Republican Party if Trump is the nominee, vows to help Democrats win Arizona gubernatorial race – Kari Lake fiercely fires back



In last month's Wyoming primary, Liz Cheney lost in a landslide to Harriet Hageman – the Trump-backed candidate. Cheney was obliterated by a whopping 37.4 points – the second worst defeat for a House incumbent in the last 60 years. Despite the overwhelming lack of support from GOP voters, Cheney is attempting to dictate the direction of the Republican Party.

Cheney appeared at the Texas Tribune Festival on Saturday, where she threatened to leave the Republican Party if former President Donald Trump becomes the GOP's 2024 presidential nominee.

"I'm gonna make sure Donald Trump — I'm gonna do everything I can to make sure he's not the nominee," Cheney told Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith. "And if he is the nominee, I won't be a Republican."

\u201c.@Liz_Cheney says if Donald Trump is the Republican nominee in 2024, she will not be a Republican. #TribFest22\u201d
— Texas Tribune (@Texas Tribune) 1664068418

Smith asked Cheney if she would consider running for president to prevent Trump from a second term, and the congresswoman replied, "I certainly will do whatever it takes to make sure Donald Trump isn't anywhere close to the Oval Office."

Cheney added, "Knowing what I know now, I would not have voted for Donald Trump."

Cheney also pledged to defeat another Republican America First candidate – Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake.

"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure Kari Lake is not elected," Cheney declared.

"I think we have to do everything we can in '22 to make sure those people don't get elected," she said of Lake and Republican Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano. "We have to make sure Mastriano doesn't win."

\u201c.@Liz_Cheney: \u201cI\u2019m going to do everything I can to make sure Kari Lake is not elected.\u201d\n\nDoes that include campaigning for Democrats?\n\n\u201cYes.\u201d #TribFest22\u201d
— Texas Tribune (@Texas Tribune) 1664067224

Lake fiercely fired back at Cheney for going against her own political party during an appearance on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”

"That might be the biggest, best gift I have ever received," Lake jokingly told host Maria Bartiromo. "I mean, the people in Wyoming can't stand her, I'm pretty much sure the people of Arizona don't like Liz Cheney."

"The Republican Party, the new Republican Party, is the party of we, the people," Lake slammed Cheney. "It is no longer the party of warmongers."

"Liz Cheney probably should change her voter registration," Lake quipped. "Turns out she really is a Democrat after all."

\u201c.@KariLake responds to Liz Cheney\u2019s pledge to campaign against her: \n\n\u201cThe New Republican Party is the Party of \u2018We The People,\u2019 it is no longer the Party of Warmongers.\u201d\u201d
— Kari Lake War Room (@Kari Lake War Room) 1664130937

On Twitter, Lake mocked Cheney's humiliating defeat, "She's putting more energy into electing Democrats than she did into winning her own primary lol."

Cheney also attacked House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and said he should never become Speaker of the House.

"At every single moment, when our time of testing came and Kevin had to make a decision … he’s made the politically easy-for-him, or the politically expedient, decision instead of what the country needed," Cheney blasted McCarthy.

Last month, Cheney vowed to support opponents of Republican election deniers – even if that means helping Democrats defeat members of her own party.

Cheney – the Republican daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney – has garnered support from legacy media and Democrats for her anti-Trump stance and being the vice chair of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

You can watch the entire Texas Tribune Festival interview with Liz Cheney below.

TTF22: CLOSING KEYNOTE: One-on-One with Liz Cheney www.youtube.com

Who are the 'MAGA Republicans' Biden is targeting?



Are you a "MAGA" Republican? Or really any kind of Republican? If you are, Joe Biden hates you and thinks you are a domestic enemy. Get ready, because Crowder is coming in hot. Also, there was a mass stabbing in Canada, where the prime minister says citizens don't have a right to self-defense. And a lesbian gets her tubes tied.




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WHO ARE THE "MAGA REPUBLICANS" BIDEN IS TARGETING? | Louder with Crowder

WHO ARE THE "MAGA REPUBLICANS" BIDEN IS TARGETING? | Louder with Crowder