by - Trump-backed Kari Lake appeared to hit out at former member Ron DeSantis after he shared a misleading article.
- The article said George Soros, a favorite target of the far right, endorsed DeSantis.
- Lake recently lost the gubernatorial race in Arizona but refused to accept the outcome of the election.
MAGA-affiliated Republican and defeated Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake appears to be no longer celebrating Ron DeSantis’ politics after sharing conspiracy theories about the Florida governor.
Although Lake once said she thought DeSantis had “BDE” — the acronym for “big dick energy” or “big DeSantis energy,” in her words – On Thursday, she posted an article on Twitter from a right-wing media site that said George Soros had endorsed DeSantis for the 2024 presidential race.
“The Kiss of Death – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Endorsed by George Soros,” the headline said.
Twitter added a contextual warning to the post to indicate that this was a misleading claim.
Soros, the billionaire political donor who is a frequent target of right-wing and antisemitic conspiracy theorists, said he saw Donald Trump as an “unfortunate figure” and that DeSantis “would probably be the Republican nominee.”
Lake appears to be following Trump’s playbook, especially after she refused to acknowledge the results of an election she lost for governor in Arizona, in which Trump endorsed her. A judge rejected her appeal to overturn the results late last year.
Ron DeSantis of Florida at a news conference in Miami, Fla., on January 26, 2023.
AP Photo/Marta Lavandier
Last year, Lake repeatedly praised both DeSantis and Trump — likening herself to being the “DeSantis of the West.”
“Honestly, other than being called ‘Trump in a dress’, that’s the biggest compliment you could pay me,” she said in a speech to supporters last August.
With the 2024 election looming, Lake’s reversal of allegiance is just the latest in a contentious fight within the GOP. Lake’s attack on DeSantis, who has previously spoken at her campaign events, comes as Trump and DeSantis are no longer allies and have recently become bitter enemies.
DeSantis – a popular figure among hard-line conservatives – has not formally announced his bid for the Republican nomination but is widely expected to do so.
Lake is said to be hoping to be Trump’s running mate in the upcoming election.
