Kari Lake to make a ‘splash’ in Idaho Falls
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IDAHO FALLS — Political firebrand Kari Lake will be touching down in Idaho Falls to give the keynote address for the Bonneville GOP’s eighth annual Lincoln Day Gala and fundraiser.
“Kari Lake is so dynamic as a speaker, and she’s trending all over the nation right now,” said Bonneville County Republican State Committeewoman Lisa Keller, who is organizing the event. “She’s making a splash! She’s great to listen to, and she knows her stuff.”
Lake was the GOP nominee for governor of Arizona in 2022 and is engaged in a closely watched U.S. Senate campaign against Democrat Congressman Ruben Gallego. She has been strongly endorsed by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump.
The event, hosted at 6 p.m. on April 20 at the Melaleuca Event Center, promises to bring in support from party leaders as well as grassroots supporters, Keller said.
“Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake is a rising star in the Republican Party and an outspoken advocate for conservative values on the national stage,” the local GOP party said in a news release.
The event provides an annual fundraiser for the party and is billed as “the largest gathering of Republicans in eastern Idaho and the premiere local political event of the year.”
Bonneville County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman Nick Contos estimates that 600 to 800 Republicans will attend — including Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon.
Lake rose to prominence as a staunch Trump supporter and was deemed an election denier by the Associated Press for refusing to concede the 2022 Arizona governor’s race, which she officially lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs.
But Keller disagreed with that portrayal of events.
“I don’t think as Republicans we buy into labeling people ‘election denier,’” she said. “People have their opinions, and we will listen to what she has to say about things.”
Contos said Republicans believe in election integrity and have the right to question the election process.
“We as Americans should be eager to show people the transparency, the trust in our electoral system. When we label people because they dare to ask a question, that’s just not right,” he said.
The visit is Lake’s second political rally in Idaho in less than a year after visiting Boise in July.
“Kari is running for Senate to secure America’s borders, restore energy independence, return safe streets, give our children a high-quality education, and push back against Joe Biden’s radical agenda,” according to the Bonneville GOP website.
Lake worked for FOX-10 in Arizona for 22 years before launching her political career.
“She is a very outspoken, very staunch conservative and had the career in media, … and then she has some experience in the political field too. So she’s able to bring a little bit of both of those,” Contos said.
VIP and individual tickets are available starting at $95. They can be purchased online at bonnevillegop.com/lincolnday.
The evening will include a dinner, dessert dash and silent auction.
“This is a big deal for us to get together with our fellow Republicans and fund our county (GOP party) for basically the whole year,” Keller said. “Everybody’s going to come away with more knowledge and more understanding of politics in our nation, and likely here locally.”
Contos said landing a big name like Lake for the Bonneville GOP’s Lincoln Day Gala shows the party’s current direction in Idaho.
Her name has been floated as a potential running mate to Trump.
“We’re looking for political candidates and leaders who will stand up and fight for us, you know, from the top of the Republican ticket on down,” Contos said. “When there’s a political figure out there who’s willing to be bold, stand up, lead and fight for the things we believe in, I think people are really hungry for that right now.”