Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidate appears with Nazi sympathizer and QAnon-linked activists at campaign events

By John J. Vandyne Last updated Nov 4, 2021

“The anti-mask club here with Kari Lake,” Schmidt-Crockett said alongside Lake and Arnold in the video. “America first,” they each said.

After Arnold posted a photo of the trio on Twitter, The lake responded, “It was also a pleasure to meet you.”

The longtime former Phoenix Fox affiliate TV presenter has also garnered support from other far-right conspiracy theorists, including Rep. Paul Gosar, Trump’s former national security adviser Michael Flynn and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

Following Trump’s loss to Joe Biden in Arizona last year, the state’s GOP censored Republicans who spoke out against Trump’s efforts to overturn the election, while support for the audit Supporter of the Maricopa County elections has become a litmus test for the GOP’s Primary candidates for Governor and Senate.

Lake’s campaign on Wednesday staged what it called a “electoral integrity” rally to commemorate the anniversary of the 2020 election, which it falsely describes as the “big robbery” in the company’s flyers. event.

CNN has contacted Lake’s campaign several times for comment, but has not received a response.

Lake posed for a photo last month with Ron Watkins, a MAGA conspiracy theorist who helped spread and amplify the violent far-right QAnon conspiracy on social media.

Watkins, who is running for Congress in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, wrote in the post: “I just had dinner with Kari Lake, the next Arizona governor. She inspires me with her tenacity and tenacity. will to lead the fight to retake Arizona – nothing from RINOs. “

At a Back the Blue campaign event in early October, Lake’s guest campaign Right-wing activist Mary Ann Mendoza, who lost her police son in an accident involving an undocumented migrant, spoke.

Last year, Mendoza promoted a QAnon-related conspiracy theory thread that baselessly claimed that Jews were plotting to take over the world, prompting the Republican National Convention to abruptly remove it from it. its conference program.

Lake has also appeared at events with at least two Republicans who have run or are running for Congress and are engaged in the QAnon conspiracy theory, Josh Barnett and Daniel Wood.

Barnett, who runs in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District, previously shared numerous QAnon hashtags on his social media platforms (including the harmless #savethechildren). Although he has since moved away from conspiracy theory, he has become active in promoting a mock Arizona election audit.

The lake has congratulated Barnett on social media as an “American hero” and “patriot” who “deserves so much credit for making sure the 2020 election debacle was investigated.” The forensic audit would not have taken place without you ”.

There was no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, and the mock audit confirmed Biden defeated Trump in Maricopa County.

At a question-and-answer conference in October, Lake praised Barnett, who sat in the audience, for helping with this audit.

“We have people like Josh here who helped roll them up in Georgia, Pennsylvania. And he’s a real patriot here. Can Josh stand up? I’m sorry. I have to call you,” a she declared. noted. “Josh Barnett is one of the most incredible – I always say our grandchildren will toast him in a bar 50 years from now as one of the people who helped save the republic.”

In May, before officially launching his gubernatorial candidacy, Lake also spoke at the same Arizona MAGA conference as Barnett and Wood, a Republican who ran in Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District l ‘last year. Wood has previously said that he has followed QAnon “sometimes” and that while he is careful about the movement, “he has millions of followers who really want our country to succeed.”

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Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidate appears with Nazi sympathizer and QAnon-linked activists at campaign events

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