Former Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard, who recently left the party, endorsed Republican Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake late Tuesday.
Gabbard made the endorsement just days after announcing her departure from the Democratic Party and praised the Trump-backed candidate for her stance on border security, energy and public safety. Gabbard participated as a featured guest speaker at an Arizona Young Republicans event on Monday in support of Lake’s campaign.
“For too long, establishment leaders from both parties have sought to enrich themselves, play games, and build up their power while ignoring and even enabling the suffering of millions of hard-working Americans,” Gabbard said in a press release. “Kari Lake is a leader who puts people first, fighting for border security, energy independence, public safety, and other policies that actually make life better and more affordable for the American people.”
For too long establishment leaders from both parties have sought to enrich themselves, play games, and build up their power while ignoring and even enabling the suffering of millions of hard-working Americans. Kari Lake is a leader who… (1/3) pic.twitter.com/TTpMiOsiSF
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) October 18, 2022
Gabbard credited Lake for standing against the “elite cabal” of “propagandists” in Washington and the media. This language mirrored her announcement of her departure from the Democratic Party, in which she tore into the party for being an “elitist cabal of warmongers” who divide the U.S. by race and “anti-white wokeism.” (RELATED: ‘Elitist Cabal’: Tulsi Gabbard Announces She’s Leaving The Democratic Party)
“Kari Lake isn’t afraid to call out the elite cabal of permanent Washington and the Military Industrial Complex and their propagandists in the mainstream media. I look forward to supporting Kari Lake ahead of these critical midterm elections,” the statement concluded.
Lake received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement in early August during the tight primary against fellow Republican Karrin Taylor Robson. Lake is a strong Trump supporter who centered her campaign around the results of the 2020 presidential election, which she claimed were fraudulent, and security at the U.S.-Mexico border. A previous CNN segment called Lake a “rising star of the right-wing” and “proud spreader of lies” about the 2020 election.
A recent Arizona Public Opinion Pulse poll found that Lake is narrowly leading her opponent, Democratic Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs, 47%-44%. The poll was conducted on October 4th – October 6th, 2022 and surveyed 674 Arizona likely voters with a 3.77% margin of error.