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Molly Butler / Media Matters

Research/Study Research/Study

QAnon and white nationalist-linked media provide friendly platform for Arizona GOP gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake

Written by Justin Horowitz

Research contributions from Media Matters Staff

Published

QAnon and white nationalist-linked right-wing media have provided Arizona Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake a welcome platform to campaign for office. 

Lake’s connections to political extremists in the media are not new. A longtime local TV newscaster who is endorsed by former President Donald Trump, she has appeared with a Nazi-sympathizing YouTuber, QAnon activists, and once endorsed a far-right, antisemitic streamer running for Oklahoma state Senate. (Lake later rescinded her endorsement.) 

  • Here are some of the QAnon and white nationalist-linked programs that have platformed Kari Lake

  • Former Trump aide and alleged January 6 coup plotter Steve Bannon regularly hosts Lake on his War Room podcast. Bannon was instrumental in spreading white nationalist talking points while working as executive chairman at Breitbart News and his podcast has become a platform for QAnon.

  • Days before her August 2 GOP primary, Lake appeared on the QAnon program MatrixxxGrooove Show to fundraise and promote her campaign. Lake also took a photo with the show’s host.

  • Lake has appeared at least twice on white nationalist Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show. Carlson consistently hosts guests with ties to white supremacy and  QAnon, and he has repeatedly defended the conspiracy theory.

  • From the September 26, 2022, edition of Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight 

  • QAnon influencer Mel K has hosted Lake multiple times on her show.

  • During the August 8 edition of The Charlie Kirk Show, Lake appeared with neo-Nazi collaborator Jack Posobiec and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Posobiec has appeared alongside notorious white nationalists Richard Spencer, Scott Greer, and Baked Alaska, and has supported the white nationalist group Identity Evropa, among other white nationalist ties. Kirk has previously advocated for protecting “white demographics in America” and touted the white nationalist “replacement” theory. Turning Point USA also has a history of working alongside and promoting racists and white nationalists.

  • Right-wing radio host Sebastian Gorka has hosted Lake on his program multiple times. Gorka is reportedly a member of the Nazi Germany-linked group Vitézi Rend and he has been seen wearing an honorary medal of the group.

  • Lake appeared on conspiracy theorist and white nationalist Stew Peters’ show for an interview on November 18, 2021.

  • Conspiracy theorist and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has interviewed Lake on his LindellTV platform. Lindell and his business are linked to white nationalist media personalities including Laura Loomer and Vincent James Foxx. Lindell also has connections to the QAnon community.

  • On February 19, David Carlson of American Populist Union interviewed Lake. Carlson is aligned with white nationalist Nick Fuentes and his show has been described as “a livestream for teenage white nationalists.” Carlson previously interviewed Washington Republican House candidate Joe Kent, pushing Kent to explain why he disavowed Fuentes’ white nationalist movement.

  • From the February 19, 2022, edition of American Populist Union's podcast 

  • Lake has appeared in various interviews with Right Side Broadcasting Network, the far-right outlet that formerly hosted Fuentes’ show.

  • At one point, Fuentes claimed that Lake was planning to speak at his AFPAC white supremacy conference but had to pull out because of a “scheduling mix-up,” telling his followers, “We support her.”