In a recent debate between Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, Lake avoided answering a direct question from Gallego about her ongoing false claims regarding the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election.
Lake, who has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has maintained her stance that both the 2020 presidential election and her 2022 loss to Katie Hobbs were the result of a rigged process.
During the debate, Gallego criticized Lake for her denial of both climate change and the legitimacy of her gubernatorial loss, directly challenging her to acknowledge the outcome of the election.
Instead, Lake redirected the conversation to Arizona’s water issues, criticizing Gallego for his congressional record on addressing the state’s drought challenges.
Lake’s refusal to clarify her position on the 2022 election reflects her continued embrace of election denialism, which has been a central theme of her political rhetoric.
She and Gallego are competing for the Senate seat being vacated by independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema.