Local columnist tells election denier Kari Lake to ‘grow up’ as Republican blasts ‘banana republic’ Arizona

Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake, in a neck-and-neck race – although currently losing against Democratic nominee Katie Hobbs – is blasting the state she wants to run, calling it a “banana republic,” because not all votes have been counted yet. “Banana republic” is a racist, derogatory term.

One local columnist thinks GOP candidates complaining need to “grow up.”

“This is just an embarrassment. People of Arizona are just sick and tired of elections being run like some banana republic,” Lake, a Trump-endorsed ultra MAGA election denier who fully supports his “Big Lie,” said to Newsmax on Thursday.

“We won’t have it anymore,” she insisted, not explaining to her supporters that Republicans are literally the reason why votes in Arizona take so long to count.

“We’re going to win this, everybody in this state news we’re going to win it – I was running against a basement candidate who didn’t even campaign,” Lake claimed falsely.

Lake said Hobbs, “didn’t debate, and the people didn’t vote for her; there was zero excitement.”

“This is ridiculous.”

On MSNBC Wednesday night Vaughn Hilliard reported that since she began her campaign she has been alleging fraud, but refused to name any names or report anyone to authorities. On Tuesday Hilliard almost scolded her for suggesting there had been irregularities in the voting process.

And back in August Hilliard had a heated interview with Lake, challenging her to provide proof of her claims of fraud, which she did not.

At Arizona Republic, columnist Laurie Roberts wrote, “Oh, grow up, candidates. There’s a reason Arizona election results are taking forever.”

“Kari Lake was vowing to call the Arizona Legislature into a special session because she didn’t get a balloon drop on election night,” Roberts added. “Do you need a timeout? That’s what I used to ask my toddler sons when they’d throw themselves onto the floor, kicking and screaming, because they didn’t get their way.”

Roberts also mocked Lake, seemingly suggesting she does not know how the government of the state she wants to run works.

“Kari Lake was on Fox, complaining about ‘shoddy elections that are run by imbeciles’ and vowing a special session of the Legislature – though I’m not sure why a special session would be needed given that the Legislature will convene just seven days after our new governor takes office.”

“Oh, grow up,” Roberts repeated, standing up for elections workers who are “following the law.”

“For the adults in the room,” she explains, “what’s happening now with the delay in counting was entirely expected. It’s the product of close races and an early ballot system created by Republicans and run by Republicans.”

“A process that was made difficult because of the very Republicans who are now pitching a fit.”