Three Arizona Republican candidates are under fire after endorsing an Oklahoma candidate with a recent history of antisemitic, homophobic, and racist comments.
On his campaign website, Oklahoma State Senate candidate Jarrin Jackson boasts the endorsements of Arizona Republicans Kari Lake, Mark Finchem, and Wendy Rogers.
Monday afternoon, after days of backlash, a spokesperson for gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake's campaign said the endorsement has been 'rescinded.'
ABC15 asked repeatedly for a statement explaining the decision. The Lake campaign never responded. Also, at the time of publication, Lake had still not tweeted about the controversy and Jackson still had the endorsement up on both his website and Twitter.
The about-face comes days after Lake's endorsement was first announced on Jackson's social media.
The endorsement though came weeks after 'The Oklahoman' first exposed Jackson's antisemitic, homophobic, and racist comments on Telegram.
In dozens of posts, over the course of months, Jackson made disparaging and offensive comments about 'Jews,' 'gays,' and people of color.
ABC15 is choosing not to share them in detail here.
"His words are antisemitic, they're racist, and homophobic, they're bigoted," said Paul Rockower, Executive Director of the Phoenix Jewish Community Relations Council. "There's really no place for those who want to be leaders of our state to cozy up to such a tremendous anti-Semite."
Rockower told ABC15 all the candidates are responsible for who they endorse.
"You're judged by your relations in the company you keep," said Rockower. "And frankly, if you're putting your name on these candidates, you're owning their sentiments and their ideas."
Rogers has her own history with problematic posts.
This year alone she has made threats of violence against political opponents, implied a racially motivated mass shooting was a possible federal conspiracy, and posted a meme of a dead rhino with the Star of David on the animal.
In recent months Rogers has also been censured and investigated by her Senate colleagues.
Lake and Finchem are among her closest political allies.
ABC15 reached out to Finchem and Rogers for comment. Neither has responded.
The Republican Governor's Association and Governor Ducey's office also did not provide comment by time of publication. Both are backing Lake in the upcoming November election.
The Jewish Community Relations Council released the following statement on Lake's "renunciation:"
"Kari Lake's tepid renunciation is wholly insufficient. Lake cannot be bothered to speak, or even tweet, even the slightest denunciation of Jackson, let alone his racism, homophobia and antisemitism. For someone who wants to be the head of our state government, Lake seems remarkably afraid to show any leadership."
