PHX Reporter

Former local Phoenix FOX 10 anchor and Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake is scheduled to speak at an upcoming event with former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, but in the past has flip-flopped on whether or not she supports Trump.

As a "forensic audit" of ballots cast in the November 2020 election continues in Maricopa County, former President Trump is scheduled to attend a Sat., July 24 "Rally to Protect Our Elections" event, AZ Central reports. Lake is reportedly slated to speak at the event, as well. 

"I’m excited to speak at the Rally to Save our Elections with President Donald J. Trump this Saturday in downtown Phoenix," Lake wrote in a July 22 Twitter post. "Looking forward to seeing everyone there."

Although Lake has branded herself as the "MAGA" candidate, her views are questionable considering statements she made in the past.

In a July 7 interview with Dan Ball, Lake has called herself the only candidate running for governor in Arizona who is a "MAGA Candidate, Trump Republican.”

This statement seems to conflict with a statement she made in 2016 in regards to whether she supported then Presidential candidate Trump.

"I was looking through my Facebook posts and I had people who said, ‘Shame on you, how could you support Donald Trump?’ And what I guess I’m trying to get across on Facebook and on Twitter is that I’m not supporting either candidate," Lake said in a Sept. 1, 2016 Facebook Live newscast.

Even though she is scheduled to speak at an event to promote election security, Lake's views on the subject may not be completely in sync with Trump and other Republicans. In a previous Facebook Live discussion, in response to a question about where to drop off a ballot, she stated, "I'm still for voting on your phone.”

Michael Alvarez, Caltech professor of political and computation social science, explained in a YouTube video that voting by phone is problematic because it does not offer a paper trail and doesn't offer the security of in-person or mail-in voting.

Additionally, it would appear that Kari Lake's top campaign aides and advisers for her gubernatorial run are no fans of the former president or his policies. 

Lake’s top campaign aide, Tim Mooney, Arizona GOP political consultant, stated recently that "This President is showing himself unworthy of the office…” in an undated "guest editorial via Facebook" published by Arizona Progress & Gazette. Mooney recently held a Taco Truck Tuesday event with Kari Lake at his house, according to his June 18 Facebook post.

The July 24 "Rally to Protect Our Elections" event is hosted by Turning Point Action, a Phoenix-based affiliate of Turning Point USA.