Trump-Backed Ariz. Candidate Kari Lake Pledges Full Term Amid VP Talk

Trump-Backed Ariz. Candidate Kari Lake Pledges Full Term Amid VP Talk

Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake pledges 'to serve eight years as governor' if elected after speculation mounts that she'd be a potential Trump VP running mate

Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake. AP Photo/Matt York

• Republican Kari Lake said she'd serve as Arizona's governor for "eight years" if elected to office.
• During an ABC interview, Lake dismissed chatter that she'd consider joining a 2024 White House ticket.
• Lake's name has circulated among Republicans as a potential running mate for Trump should he run in 2024.

Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake on Sunday said that she would "serve eight years" if elected in November, tamping down speculation that she could be former President Donald Trump's 2024 running mate if the ex-president pursues another bid for the White House.

During an interview on ABC's "This Week" with host Jonathan Karl, Lake expressed confidence that she would win next month's election and a potential reelection bid.

"I'm going to serve eight years as governor of Arizona," Lake said in response to Karl's inquiry about whether she'd serve out a full term in office.

He responded: "Is that a commitment that you will finish your team?"

Lake answered: "Yeah. I'm going to serve eight years."

When Karl pressed Lake further about what she'd do if Trump asked her to be his No. 2, she said she'd have "to laugh at this question."

"I'm hearing this a lot on the campaign trail and what I think is happening, Jonathan, is the media is trying to scare the public I'm going to leave," she said. "I am devoted and dedicated to saving Arizona."

Lake is locked in a competitive race with Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs in a contest that has largely been driven by the Republican nominee's debunked claims about the 2020 presidential election.

President Joe Biden won Arizona over Trump in 2020, but Lake continues to insist that there was voter fraud in the state, despite multiple probes that have failed to show any sort of widespread malfeasance.

Hobbs has so far declined to participate in a debate with Lake.

Earlier this month, Hobbs campaign manager Nicole DeMont in a statement explained why the Democratic gubernatorial nominee would not be sharing a stage with Lake.

"Debating a conspiracy theorist like Kari Lake — whose entire campaign platform is to cause enormous chaos and make Arizona the subject of national ridicule — would only lead to constant interruptions, pointless distractions, and childish name-calling," DeMont said at the time.

Lake had previously accused Hobbs of trying to "run out the clock on the people of Arizona."

The winner of the gubernatorial election will succeed GOP Gov. Doug Ducey, who is term limited.