EXCLUSIVE

2022 ELECTION

Kari Lake was booted from Arizona town hall audience before Hobbs took the stage

The scene, which took place at a forum that has yet to air, is emblematic of the contrasting styles of the two candidates in Arizona's tight race for governor.

Oct. 8, 2022, 5:01 PM EDT
By Marc Caputo

Democrat Katie Hobbs won’t debate her opponent in Arizona’s race for governor, yet Republican Kari Lake tried to make it happen at a candidate town hall that organizers say she disrupted.

Under the agreed-upon rules for the pre-recorded event, which was taped Monday and airs at 7 p.m. Saturday Arizona time, the candidates were not supposed to be onstage at the same time and Hobbs was supposed to go first.

But a problem arose before Hobbs even took the stage: Lake was sitting in the front row, in the direct line of sight of where her opponent would sit.

As a crowd of more than 200 watched, organizers said Lake was supposed to be in a holding room under the rules, a copy of which they refused to provide to NBC News. Lake protested, saying she was unaware of that rule and said Hobbs should come out and debate her. Hobbs didn’t. ... After several minutes, Lake complied, leaving behind her campaign surrogate, Mexican telenovela star Eduardo Verástegui.

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