Republican Kari Lake and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) pushed their muscles into the full upright position during a flight that the senatorial candidates happened to share on Thursday.
The early front-runners for the 2024 Arizona race battled over the Mexican border wall after it was announced that the Biden administration is allowing construction of a roughly 20-mile-long wall in South Texas to resume – and waiving federal law to do so.
The Trump-worshipping Lake linked to the news on Invasion.”
Noticing that the two were on the same plane from Washington, DC to Phoenix, Gallego tweeted, “Hey @KariLake, we’re on the same plane! Just come back to the coach from first class and we can talk. I look forward to walking you through all of my legislative work to provide critical resources to Arizona’s border communities.”
Lake replied, “Feel free to say hello, Ruben. I can help you with your homesickness. I know it must be difficult for you to leave your full-time residence in DC and visit the people you claim to represent.”
When they reached their destination, the exchange continued at the airport, where it was captured on video as Lake reportedly wore a lapel microphone. according to The New York Times. Lake used her media skills as a former news anchor to play for the camera as the conversation shifted from collegial to confrontational.
“I won’t work with you,” Lake told her rival. “I will beat you.”
Lake, who contested her loss in the 2022 gubernatorial election, had been considered a possible candidate for Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential run, but this week officially became a candidate for senator.
Lake and Gallego are considered party favorites to fill the seat held by former Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, who became an independent. Sinema has not yet announced whether she is running.