Information regarding a recorded conversation between newly-resigned Arizona Republican Party Chair Jeff DeWit and Kari Lake continues to trickle out as speculation increases regarding who the “very powerful people” “Back East” were who told him to offer her a job to keep her out of politics for two years. An inside source told The Arizona Sun Times that it was the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), which was denied by NRSC Chair Senator Steve Daines (R-MT).
DeWit told NBC News after resigning that the offer “had everything to do with her being a drag on the ticket. There are people who want to make sure we win the election and that’s it. No one believes she can get across the finish line, particularly with independents.” Lake is running for U.S. Senate and is a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump, with some circulating her name as a possible vice presidential candidate. She flew to New Hampshire before the primary on Tuesday.
“He said I can’t win w/ independents. I am the most popular republican in the state w independents. He’s in CYA mode,” Lake texted The Sun Times.
Lake also texted her campaign statement to The Sun Times. “The tape speaks for itself: The Arizona GOP Chairman Jeff DeWit attempted to bribe Kari Lake. Thankfully Kari is an extremely ethical person who rejected DeWit’s multiple attempts to offer her money and corporate board seats in exchange for Kari not running for public office. She will be an incredible Senator for Arizonans.”
Despite concerns about Lake’s appeal, a Rasmussen Reports late exit poll taken after the 2022 gubernatorial election found that 8 percent of voters chose Lake over Katie Hobbs. Independents chose Lake 51 to 37 percent over Hobbs, and women voted for Lake over Hobbs by a 49 to 43 percent margin. A majority of voters said they found it at least somewhat likely that “2022 election irregularities in heavily Republican areas of Arizona happened intentionally to suppress Republican votes.”
Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) posted on X that the scandal isn’t going away so DeWit needs to reveal who was behind the offer. “.@JeffDeWitAZ, you need to tell the world who put you up to this,” he said. “I recommend that you do so immediately. This isn’t going away.” Lake has said she doesn’t know who DeWit was referring to.
The NSRC has a history of pulling money from conservative candidates it doesn’t believe are viable and transferring it to other races. In August 2022, the NRSC removed funding it had slated for Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), but he won reelection anyway. The organization also pulled funding from Blake Masters in Arizona and Dr. Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, who both lost their races.
The NRSC also gets involved in Republican primaries, sometimes choosing more moderate candidates over conservatives. In 2010, the NSRC backed incumbent Senator Robert Bennett (R-Utah) in the Republican primary over Lee and two other conservative challengers. Lee defeated Bennett, anyway. Bennett had a lifetime rating of 84 from the American Conservative Union. Lee has a 99 rating.
Also in 2010, conservatives pressured the NRSC to support Joe Miller’s challenge to incumbent Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), but the ads it ran attacked the Democratic challenger — which could have helped Murkowski. Miller won the primary but lost the general election due to Murkowski coming back and running as a write-in candidate with establishment support. According to CPAC, Murkowski has one of the lowest ratings in the Senate for a Republican at 55.
Longtime conservative mogul Richard Viguerie wrote an article for Roll Call in 2014 about the NSRC’s “Bait-and-Switch” fundraising letters, which promise to “elect senators who will cut taxes, fight big government and protect liberty” but use the “money to help elect progressive, big-government establishment incumbents.” He cited an example of the NRSC supporting incumbent Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) in the primary runoff, even though the Tea Party challenger, Chris McDaniel, received more votes in the initial primary vote.
The fundraising arm for the House of Representatives, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), has faced similar criticisms over the years.
The Sun Times asked DeWit what he meant by “the ticket,” but DeWit said he could not get back to the news site before press time. The NRSC has not responded to inquiries.
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Rachel Alexander is a reporter at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow Rachel on Twitter / X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Jeff DeWit” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.
I agree with you, Randy
The decision to lie cheat and steal is a personal one. When an organization does it on your behalf they cease to be a useful organization.
There is a difference between Elected Representatives and those elected to Republican Party Leadership. It takes intestinal fortitude to make that distinction. Unfortunately, many Republican Party officials lack understanding and fortitude. As a former County Republican Party Chairman, I can assure you this is a problem at every level. Deep pocketed people and gutless politicians are destroying the party.