‘Learn to Take a Joke’: Kari Lake Insists McCain Insults Were Just Campaign Talk, Tells Republicans to Grow ‘Thicker Skin’
Former Arizona Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, arrives for an evening rally with Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, during the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, Tuesday night, Jan. 23, 2024, in Nashua N.H. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
Kari Lake is insisting her past insults against the late John McCain were only campaign talk and made in jest.
The former Arizona gubernatorial candidate is currently running for the Senate seat currently occupied by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ). Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has also announced his intention to win the seat.
In a Monday interview with KTAR (92.3 FM), Lake discussed a variety of issues, from abortion to the war in Ukraine (which the Republican says is now “lost”) to her claims of election fraud in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race, claims that were shot down in court as Lake made legal efforts to rectify her loss.
On Monday, the Republican said she’s now trying to unite Arizona Republicans behind her Senate run, and she’s even lightening up her language.
The close ally to Donald Trump mirrored the former president in many ways when she was running for governor with her fiery campaign speeches and public digs at political enemies. Trump, of course, very publicly feuded with McCain before the latter’s death in 2018.
While running for governor, Lake hurled multiple insults at McCain, despite past praise. She told KTAR that the talk, however, can be chalked up to a campaign where she was dealing with “nuclear bomb-style incoming, tens of millions of dollars in attack ads from a McCain Republican.”
“It was said in jest. And I think that if John McCain, who had a great sense of humor, would have heard it, he would have laughed,” she said, adding that Republicans need to grow “thicker skin” and “learn to take a joke.”
In November 2022, Lake said at a rally, “We don’t have any McCain Republicans in here, do we? Get the hell out!”
She followed up by saying, “Arizona has delivered some losers” when referring to the GOP as the party of McCain.
The Republican referred to McCain as a “hero” and a “force to be reckoned with” after his passing in 2018.
Meghan McCain, daughter of John McCain, responded to Lake’s latest comments in a Tuesday post to X, formerly Twitter, in which she promised “no peace” for Lake over her past remarks.
