Trump, aides say, has delighted in watching Lake’s rise, seeing echoes of his own. A former TV news anchor-turned-right-wing gubernatorial candidate in Arizona, she, like him, has delighted in sparring with the media and made repeated falsehoods about the 2020 election the centerpiece of her campaign. Her monomaniacal focus on that topic, in fact, has made even Trump himself blush.

“It doesn’t matter what you ask Kari Lake about – ‘How’s your family?’ And she’s like, ‘The family’s fine but they’re never going to be great until we have free and fair elections,’” the former president has frequently recounted to donors, according to a source close to Trump’s political operation. “He was like, ‘You could ask her, how’s the weather?’ And she’ll turn it into the election. ‘Oh, the weather in Phoenix is OK, but you can never have great weather unless the election is fair.’”

Over the past year Lake has appeared with Trump at rallies and spotted at Mar-a-lago events. She is a favorite guest on conservative shows, although she appeared on Fox News only once during primetime hours. There has been so much buzz around Lake that it has led to speculation in her circles and among her right-wing fans that she could be on Trump’s short list for a potential running mate, should she ultimately become governor and he run again for president. Those familiar with Trump’s thinking say they’re unfamiliar with any such talk and speculation is painfully premature.