A coalition of Arizona sheriffs unleashed a blistering critique of GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake on Friday, condemning her incendiary remarks about a rival in a recent online forum.
Lake took aim at Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, a fellow Republican in the Senate primary, branding him a “total coward when it comes to election integrity” during an Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) Action forum on May 23.
“Kari Lake’s recent comment calling Sheriff Mark Lamb a ‘coward’ is both unfounded and disrespectful,” declared a statement endorsed by nine sheriffs and three sheriff candidates. “We want to make it clear: neither Sheriff Mark Lamb nor any law enforcement officer who wears a badge and uniform, putting their life on the line every day to protect and serve our communities, is a coward.”
The sheriffs’ statement didn’t mince words, criticizing Lake for her reckless rhetoric. “Arizona voters expect better from a political candidate, especially one running for the U.S. Senate,” the statement continued.
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In the candidate forum, Lake, a vocal proponent of the debunked notion that former President Trump won the 2020 election, contrasted herself with Lamb. “My opponent stood before Congress and said there was no fraud in the 2020 election,” Lake said, noting that Lamb reiterated this in a recent Univision interview.
“And I know that anybody who is on this call, from Arizona, must be rolling their eyes when they hear that,” she added.
Lake, who lost the 2022 gubernatorial race in Arizona to Gov. Katie Hobbs (D), has repeatedly cast doubt on the legitimacy of election outcomes. Despite her legal challenges being dismissed by the courts, Lake continues to allege widespread election mismanagement. “The elections are run poorly. They’re run very poorly, and I don’t know who exactly stole the election, but there are a lot of people who are running elections poorly, and we’ve seen the results,” she asserted.
The sheriffs’ condemnation underscores the fractious nature of the GOP Senate primary and highlights the deepening divisions within the party over baseless election fraud claims.
