Donald Trump gave Kari Lake, his close political ally and Arizona Senate hopeful, the nickname of “Border Kari Lake” at his rally in Tucson, Arizona, on Thursday.
The Republican presidential nominee described Lake, who was in the audience, as “tough on the border” and “a fantastic person.”
In November, Lake is hoping to win the Arizona Senate seat currently occupied by Kyrsten Sinema, who was elected as a Democrat but now sits as an independent. Republicans are hoping to seize control of the Senate after failing to do so during the November 2022 midterm elections, when a widely anticipated “red wave” failed to materialize. There are currently 51 Senators, including Sinema, who remain aligned with the Democrats at least for committee purposes against 49 Republicans.
Speaking at his rally on Thursday, Trump said: “She’s tough on the border so if you don’t mind I’m going to call her Border Kari Lake. From now on it’s Border Kari Lake. She’s a fantastic person, I’ve known her a long time, I was one of the early people that endorsed her and I’ll tell you she is tough, tough, tough on the border and you know let’s think it over.”
According to Arizona’s Family 3TV & CBS 5, a local media network, after being given the nickname, Lake, who had been sitting in the front row, “stood and pumped her fist” in response.
Trump returned to the nickname later in his address, commenting: “Border Kari Lake, thank you, thank you border Kari. I’m giving her a take, you know when I give people takes it stays. But that’s a good one, she’s going to be great.”
Speaking to Newsweek a Lake campaign spokesperson said: “Kari is honored by the title, and after ‘Border Kari Lake’ helps secure a senate majority, ‘Senator Kari Lake’ looks forward to securing the border. With President Trump in the White House and a Republican majority in the house and senate, our best days are ahead of us.”
