Kari Lake has been one of President-elect Donald Trump's staunchest supporters throughout the past years, going as far as joining him in his false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.
Lake also claimed without evidence that she was the rightful winner of the Arizona gubernatorial election of 2022, and that Democrat Katie Hobbs unlawfully took the victory. Her claims recently led her to settle an election defamation suit brought forward by a Republican official from Arizona over her defeat.
The Republican official in question, Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer, told the outlet that "both sides are satisfied with the result." He had sought a public acknowledgement that many statements Lake made about him were not true, as well as damages and attorney's fees. Lake lost the race to Democrat Katie Hobbs by some 17,000 votes.
Lake made of the claims and her embrace of the MAGA world her main tool to appeal to voters. However, even after Trump clearly won the November election, even taking Arizona by a difference larger than five percentage points, she failed to follow his footsteps. Lake lost this year's Senate election against Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego, who got 50.1% of the vote against her 47.7%.
Out of elected office, Lake has yet to see her loyalty rewarded in the incoming Trump administration. She was reportedly floated as a candidate to be the next ambassador to Mexico, but the president-elect announced this week that the post will go to Ronald Johnson, a former ambassador to El Salvador.
"Ron will work closely with our great Secretary of State Nominee, Marco Rubio, to promote our Nation's security and prosperity through strong America First Foreign Policies," Trump said when making the announcement on his Truth Social platform. The message highlighted Johnson's diplomatic experience and more than two decades of service with the CIA.
Johnson served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump's first administration from 2019 to 2021. His new role places him at the forefront of a relationship that has grown increasingly central to U.S. immigration policy.
Lake, in the meantime, is still out of a political job. Trump hasn't taken office yet and there are several posts to fill, but the Republican is 0 for 3 in potential posts and likely eager to see how her political career can move forward.
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