'She's the world's problem now': Some Arizona Republicans relieved as Lake heads to Washington
She remains anticipated to be involved in Arizona politics.
TroibNews 
President-elect Donald Trump's selection of longtime loyalist Kari Lake to head Voice of America has brought a sense of relief to some Arizona Republicans.
Over the past two election cycles, Lake has been a prominent figure in Arizona Republican politics, having run—and lost—contests for both governor and Senate. These defeats have generated criticism from certain conservative factions within the state. As a result, some Arizona Republicans were already questioning her political prospects given her track record, even as her name surfaced in discussions about positions such as state Republican Party chair and Arizona secretary of state.
This recent decision effectively removes her from those discussions, allowing room for other Republicans to emerge, such as Karrin Taylor Robson. Robson, who finished second to Lake in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2022, is now poised to take center stage.
“When you're a two-time loser and you did worse the second time around, that's a clue that maybe the voters don't want you,” said Barrett Marson, a GOP strategist in Arizona. “I think it clears space for the conservative but normal wing of the Republican Party in Arizona.”
Robson has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the governor’s position, and uncertainty existed about whether Lake would seek a rematch.
“As the 2026 governor’s field on the Republican side comes into focus, the big question mark was, what’s Kari Lake going to do? … This at least partially answers that question and takes a pretty big potential name off the chessboard, at least for now,” a Republican strategist in Arizona said, speaking on condition of anonymity to address the dynamics candidly. “She’s certainly a name. She’s been the Republican nominee twice. It’s safe to say she would’ve been formidable. It’s a fairly big deal, I think, in terms of how that race is going to play out.”
Despite this shift, Lake, who enjoys a strong social media following among the MAGA supporters, is expected to remain influential within Arizona GOP politics. Several Republican operatives in the state indicated that had Lake pursued the Arizona Republican Party chair role, she would likely have emerged victorious.
Lake’s name was also mentioned as a candidate for U.S. ambassador to Mexico, a position eventually filled by Ronald Johnson, a former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador and Green Beret with extensive CIA experience.
As head of the federally funded broadcaster Voice of America, Lake will oversee a $267 million agency that broadcasts in over 40 languages and reaches a global audience exceeding 354 million. With over 30 years of experience in the broadcast news industry, including 22 years at the Fox affiliate in Phoenix, she brings significant expertise to the role.
The director of Voice of America is officially appointed by the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a position that requires Senate confirmation; Trump has not yet made this appointment. The VOA director must receive majority support from a seven-member advisory board comprised of presidential appointees, who also require Senate confirmation.
Michael Pack, Trump’s previous selection to lead the Agency for Global Media, faced allegations of using his role to amplify the Trump administration's narrative. A federal investigation released last year determined that Pack misused his authority to marginalize executives he deemed insufficiently supportive of Trump, engaging in serious mismanagement and violating laws in the process.
In a post on Truth Social, Lake expressed her "honor" in being asked by Trump to lead Voice of America, which she described as “a vital international media outlet dedicated to advancing the interests of the United States by engaging directly with people across the globe and promoting democracy and truth.”
“Under my leadership, the VOA will excel in its mission: chronicling America’s achievements worldwide,” Lake stated.
A close associate of Lake, who requested anonymity to discuss the appointment, mentioned that this position offers Lake “the perfect platform to share America’s story and keep delivering the truth to people across the world.”
“After a three-decades long career as a trusted journalist and news anchor, she courageously walked away from the mainstream media,” the individual noted. “Refusing to compromise her principles or push Fake News, Kari's decision inspired countless Americans to seek the truth in a world of increasing disinformation.”
Trump, via a post on Truth Social, asserted that Lake would work “to ensure that the American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, unlike the lies spread by the Fake News Media,” referring to her as a “beloved News Anchor in Arizona.”
Lake's experience reflects the challenges faced by candidates running on a “Make America Great Again” platform without Trump’s endorsement. MAGA-aligned gubernatorial candidates Doug Mastriano and Tudor Dixon also lost their gubernatorial races in Pennsylvania and Michigan in 2022.
Lake has made unfounded claims about the 2020 election being stolen and contested the results of her own defeat in 2022, although she did not challenge the outcomes of her 2024 loss, as Trump won in the state even as Democrat Ruben Gallego prevailed over her in the Senate contest.
“She’s no longer Arizona’s problem. Now, she’s the world’s problem,” Marson stated.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
Over the past two election cycles, Lake has been a prominent figure in Arizona Republican politics, having run—and lost—contests for both governor and Senate. These defeats have generated criticism from certain conservative factions within the state. As a result, some Arizona Republicans were already questioning her political prospects given her track record, even as her name surfaced in discussions about positions such as state Republican Party chair and Arizona secretary of state.
This recent decision effectively removes her from those discussions, allowing room for other Republicans to emerge, such as Karrin Taylor Robson. Robson, who finished second to Lake in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2022, is now poised to take center stage.
“When you're a two-time loser and you did worse the second time around, that's a clue that maybe the voters don't want you,” said Barrett Marson, a GOP strategist in Arizona. “I think it clears space for the conservative but normal wing of the Republican Party in Arizona.”
Robson has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the governor’s position, and uncertainty existed about whether Lake would seek a rematch.
“As the 2026 governor’s field on the Republican side comes into focus, the big question mark was, what’s Kari Lake going to do? … This at least partially answers that question and takes a pretty big potential name off the chessboard, at least for now,” a Republican strategist in Arizona said, speaking on condition of anonymity to address the dynamics candidly. “She’s certainly a name. She’s been the Republican nominee twice. It’s safe to say she would’ve been formidable. It’s a fairly big deal, I think, in terms of how that race is going to play out.”
Despite this shift, Lake, who enjoys a strong social media following among the MAGA supporters, is expected to remain influential within Arizona GOP politics. Several Republican operatives in the state indicated that had Lake pursued the Arizona Republican Party chair role, she would likely have emerged victorious.
Lake’s name was also mentioned as a candidate for U.S. ambassador to Mexico, a position eventually filled by Ronald Johnson, a former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador and Green Beret with extensive CIA experience.
As head of the federally funded broadcaster Voice of America, Lake will oversee a $267 million agency that broadcasts in over 40 languages and reaches a global audience exceeding 354 million. With over 30 years of experience in the broadcast news industry, including 22 years at the Fox affiliate in Phoenix, she brings significant expertise to the role.
The director of Voice of America is officially appointed by the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media, a position that requires Senate confirmation; Trump has not yet made this appointment. The VOA director must receive majority support from a seven-member advisory board comprised of presidential appointees, who also require Senate confirmation.
Michael Pack, Trump’s previous selection to lead the Agency for Global Media, faced allegations of using his role to amplify the Trump administration's narrative. A federal investigation released last year determined that Pack misused his authority to marginalize executives he deemed insufficiently supportive of Trump, engaging in serious mismanagement and violating laws in the process.
In a post on Truth Social, Lake expressed her "honor" in being asked by Trump to lead Voice of America, which she described as “a vital international media outlet dedicated to advancing the interests of the United States by engaging directly with people across the globe and promoting democracy and truth.”
“Under my leadership, the VOA will excel in its mission: chronicling America’s achievements worldwide,” Lake stated.
A close associate of Lake, who requested anonymity to discuss the appointment, mentioned that this position offers Lake “the perfect platform to share America’s story and keep delivering the truth to people across the world.”
“After a three-decades long career as a trusted journalist and news anchor, she courageously walked away from the mainstream media,” the individual noted. “Refusing to compromise her principles or push Fake News, Kari's decision inspired countless Americans to seek the truth in a world of increasing disinformation.”
Trump, via a post on Truth Social, asserted that Lake would work “to ensure that the American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, unlike the lies spread by the Fake News Media,” referring to her as a “beloved News Anchor in Arizona.”
Lake's experience reflects the challenges faced by candidates running on a “Make America Great Again” platform without Trump’s endorsement. MAGA-aligned gubernatorial candidates Doug Mastriano and Tudor Dixon also lost their gubernatorial races in Pennsylvania and Michigan in 2022.
Lake has made unfounded claims about the 2020 election being stolen and contested the results of her own defeat in 2022, although she did not challenge the outcomes of her 2024 loss, as Trump won in the state even as Democrat Ruben Gallego prevailed over her in the Senate contest.
“She’s no longer Arizona’s problem. Now, she’s the world’s problem,” Marson stated.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
