Prior to the 2022 midterm elections, Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake was being talked about as someone with a bright political future, with her name even mentioned as a potential vice presidential pick for Donald Trump, should he win the Republican nomination again- to the point where, in October, Lake had to vow to serve a full four-year term should she win the election.

A former news anchor, Kari Lake was thought to have a unique appeal to the conservative base.

“Why Kari Lake is the next Republican Star,” a Politico headline screamed in October, for a column by longtime National Review editor Rich Lowry.

“Lake has been a surprise. At the same time, she’s a reminder of the oldest of conventional political adages — candidate quality matters,” Lowry wrote.