Former TV journalist Kari Lake is running for U.S. Senate in Arizona after losing the 2022 gubernatorial election against Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs. Lake, who continues to challenge the results of the gubernatorial election and the 2020 presidential election, has received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump and fellow MAGA elected officials including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
On Friday, Lake announced that she also won the endorsement of U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), the former GOP whip and former head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, who is considered a Republican in Name Only (RINO) by many MAGA loyalists. [Last year, Cornyn told Texas reporters he did not believe Trump could win another election.]
When Lake shared the news on X, she wrote of Cornyn: “He helped President Trump confirm conservative judges and cut taxes. I look forward to joining him in the Senate to fix our country.”
Several MAGA accounts ripped Lake for promoting the endorsement: “What is wrong with you? Do you want the endorsement of Hillary Clinton also?” Another warned: “Yeah but if you keep aligning with certain people you may lose again.”
I see this tweet is still up Kari. What is wrong with you. Do you want the endorsement of Hillary Clinton also.https://t.co/CnaSBjpqKj
— America is back! (@nancylee2016) March 3, 2024
Note: Cornyn has repeatedly butted heads with Trump-endorsed Paxton. The futures of both men were part of a salty exchange after Cornyn announced that he’s running for the Senate Leader position now that Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has announced his retirement.
Paxton, who has hinted that he’ll run against Cornyn in 2026, responded on X by writing: “It will be difficult for John Cornyn to be an effective leader since he is anti-Trump, anti-gun, and will be focused on his highly competitive primary campaign in 2026. Republicans deserve better in their next leader and Texans deserve another conservative Senator.”