Where Is Kari Lake? The Question Haunting Maricopa

Jim Graham, a concerned resident of Cobblestone Farms, has noticed a potential shift in Pinal County’s political landscape. At 65 years old, he voices a demand directed at Kari Lake, the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate: “If you want my vote, you need to come down and ask for it.”

With fewer than two months until Election Day, Lake has yet to make an appearance in Maricopa County, home to a significant portion of the electorate. Strikingly, there are no campaign signs in the county’s largest city, prompting local residents to question her absence.

Recent social media activity reveals growing frustration among Maricopa voters. The hashtag #WhereIsKariLake? has emerged as citizens seek to express their concerns. In a Facebook post, Joanna Butler urged the Republican candidate to increase her visibility and questioned the absence of campaign advertisements. “Why isn’t there any commercials for Kari Lake?” she asked, contrasting her lack of visibility with ads for opponents like Ruben Gallego and Kamala Harris.

Barry Kammeyer, a resident of Santa Rosa Springs, echoed this sentiment on X, directly questioning Lake’s commitment to voters in Maricopa. “Drive around Maricopa, it’s like you’re not even in the race,” he wrote.

As residents drive along John Wayne Parkway, the scarcity of Lake’s campaign signs becomes evident compared to those of her Democratic counterpart, Gallego. Chuck Coughlin, a notable political commentator and CEO of Highground in Phoenix, attributes Lake’s disappearing act in the county to a damaging combination of inadequate funding and waning support.

Coughlin noted a lack of significant fundraising activity, indicating reduced confidence among potential donors. “I have not seen any type of significant surge in her fundraising, which would reflect a confident electorate about her outcomes,” he stated. This financial shortfall limits her ability to maintain a consistent presence through advertising and promotional materials.

Furthermore, Coughlin raised concerns about Lake’s appeal. Her extreme partisanship has alienated some Republican voters and eliminated the potential to attract independents and those from other parties. “You need votes in order to win a statewide election,” he remarked. “You cannot win with just your own party.”