Trump-backed Kari Lake pulls endorsement for Oklahoma candidate over antisemitic comments

Kari Lake, the Trump-endorsed GOP nominee for Arizona governor, has pulled her endorsement of an Oklahoma state legislative candidate over antisemitism remarks he has made.

A spokesman for Lake’s campaign told the Arizona Mirror that Lake pulled the endorsement of Oklahoma GOP state Senate candidate Jarrin Jackson Monday after she had threatened to do so over the weekend.

Jackson was reported last month to have made offensive comments about Jews and people in the LGBTQ community.

“I looked at Jarrin’s resume as Combat Veteran in Afghanistan. It is impossible to dig into everything someone has said in their life,” Lake told Axios Phoenix in a statement on Saturday. “If his reported comments are true, I obviously rescind my endorsement.”

Jackson said in videos posted online that he is “not beholden to Jews or any other group,” saying: “I love Jews because Christ told me to, not because they deserve it.”

“All Jews will go to hell if they don’t believe the gospel of Jesus Christ … just like everybody else,” he added, according to The Oklahoman.

However, the candidate also seemed to characterize Jews as “evil” in a response he wrote to a documentary.

“Outline & detail the evil. Amen,” he wrote in February. “The Jews, Illuminati, Covid shots kill. Rothschilds. Communists. Woke pastors. Social gospel. Christ will chuck a bunch of stuff in the fire.”

Jackson also condemned the LGBTQ community, saying that same-sex sexual activity is “disgusting” and that “LGTBQ is the gateway to pedophilia.”

He described Pride Month as “fornication month” celebrating “all sorts of sexual depravity and the destruction of our society.”

“I respect Jarrin’s service to our Nation, but clearly denounce that kind of derogatory language,” Lake added in her statement. “Let me be clear: Our great movement welcomes anyone and everyone who wants to fight for a better future.”

Mark Finchem, the Trump-backed Republican nominee for secretary of state in Arizona, has also endorsed Jarrin, but has not spoken out about the candidate’s offensive comments, according to Axios.

The Hill has reached out to Lake and Finchem for further comment.

Updated 10:11 p.m.