Kari Lake has been garnering quite a bit of national attention of late.
As Arizona’s GOP gubernatorial nominee in the upcoming 2022 election, she has made a name for herself as a dynamic candidate, expert communicator and truly affable individual.
Illinois was her birthplace and Iowa was the state where she grew up, in a family with eight other siblings.
Fortuitous byproducts of her early life experiences were her solid mid-western roots and down-home values.
Prior to venturing into the political arena, Kari’s professional career included serving in the capacities of news anchor and reporter.
This is where she had the rare opportunity of interviewing both former President Barack Obama and former President Donald Trump.
She became a household name in Arizona when she served as a prime time television broadcaster, the position she held for 22 years.
Over the two decades-plus she received several prestigious awards, including an Emmy.
It was in March of 2021 that she would walk away from her successful media career. She had grown uncomfortable with the lack of objectivity being exhibited by many within the journalistic field.
Her primary election turned out to be a power struggle between Republicans that were aligned with former President Trump and those affiliated with the establishment wing of the GOP.
Kari received the endorsement of former-President Trump.
Her establishment-backed challenger had the support of former Vice President Mike Pence, incumbent Arizona Governor Doug Ducey and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
Boris Epshteyn, a former Trump White House aide, noted that Kari won the primary despite being "outspent 10-to-1."
She was victorious in every single county in the state.
Mainstream news outlets recently reported that Democrats are becoming increasingly concerned about Kari. They evidently have good reason to be.
Axios featured a story, "Democrats fear Arizona Republican Kari Lake will be a big star."
The sub-headline of that piece is "Democratic Party Strategists are Watching Arizona's Kari Lake with Growing Alarm."
"Some of Katie Hobbs' supporters are concerned MAGA firebrand Kari Lake is outshining her low-key campaign," one NBC News blared.
A New York Times article chimed, "Democrats Worry They're Being Overshadowed in Arizona's Governor Race."
For its part, The Washington Post published this upbeat title "How Kari Lake turned her Campaign for Arizona Governor Into a Phenomenon."
The above reports and similar ones generally describe the degree that Democrats are engaging in hand-wringing over the performance and prospects of Kari's opponent Katie Hobbs, who is their party’s nominee for governor.
Kari's ability to relate to people and clear delivery of her policy positions are strengths that her opponent seems to lack.
Democratic Party operatives appeared to panic when Kari’s opponent, who is Arizona’s former secretary of state, declined to debate Kari.
Instead her opponent arranged a one-on-one interview with a local PBS affiliate.
Among those who were upset with the decision was Sandra Kennedy, a co-chair of the 2020 Democratic campaign for president in Arizona.
"If I were the candidate for governor, I would debate, and I would want the people of Arizona to know what my platform is," Kennedy told NBC News.
Columnist for The Arizona Republic Laurie Roberts went even further, writing that the Democratic nominee’s refusal to debate Kari "represents a new level of political malpractice."
David Axelrod, former senior adviser to President Obama, expressed criticism on his podcast for what he said was a "mistake" in avoiding debates.
"I think it’s a recognition that Kari Lake is a formidable media personality," Axelrod added.
The New York Times reported that some Democrats were unhappy with Kari’s opponent’s recent appearance on CBS's "Face the Nation," reporting that the Democratic nominee spent too much of her eight-minute segment being on the defensive.
From the Democrats’ perspective, the television moment was a missed opportunity to go on the attack against Kari.
Arizona’s GOP gubernatorial nominee actually has more going for her than the Democrats realize.
She has re-discovered the faith that makes for strength.
In an interview with The Arizona Sun Times in June 2021, Kari recounted the manner in which her faith was re-ignited, which led to a renewed connection with God.
It was in the summer of 2019 that she was confronted with the sheer anger of the woke mob. "Two years ago, I got canceled — as they say — now I laugh at it.
"It was painful at the time and really frightening. At the time, it was horrible," she said.
"Something had been recorded at work, and somehow [was] put out in the world and became a really big story and I immediately was attacked for it and was canceled for it."
As is often the case, suffering brought blessing.
"It really brought me to my knees. I was praying to God to just get me through this," Kari revealed.
During the pandemic lockdowns, while working from home she had the opportunity to embrace the Scriptures once again.
"I don’t know how people didn’t return to their faith during COVID," she remarked. “I started reading the Bible. I hadn’t been reading the Bible for decades – since I was a kid!"
After immersing herself in The Word, Kari yearned for regular church attendance. Some friends invited her to come and worship with them.
She went and it changed her life.
"I had the most beautiful church epiphany, and found a church that just stirred my soul. I’ve never missed a week, except when I’m out of town," she said.
"It just brought me so much closer to where I have an intimate, good relationship with Jesus. I feel as if I have a connection with Jesus."
This is the kind of connection that makes for success in any direction the road may lead.
Even a political one.
James Hirsen, J.D., M.A., in media psychology, is a New York Times best-selling author, media analyst, and law professor. Visit Newsmax TV Hollywood. Read James Hirsen's Reports — More Here.
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