Kari Lake defends Donald Trump for refusing to debate? Hypocrisy much?

Donald Trump on Sunday announced he will be skipping the first Republican presidential primary debate on Wednesday — and all the rest, too.

Well, you can imagine how that went over with his No. 1 superfan, Kari Lake.

Lake rightly (and delightedly) roasted Katie Hobbs for refusing to meet her on the debate stage during last year’s governor’s race.

“Facing criticism and taking responsibility for your record in front of the voters is one of the most basic qualifications of leadership,” Lake said at the time. “Hobbs is failing at it spectacularly.”

On Sunday, Trump that announced he won’t be doing debates, given his dominance in public opinion polls.

Lake does a 180 on importance of debates

And Lake’s response?

“President @realDonaldTrump has moved on to the General Election & is focused on defeating Crooked @JoeBiden,” she announced on Sunday. “It's time for the rest of the @GOP to do the same.”

Apparently, facing criticism and taking responsibility for your record in front of the voters isn’t so much a thing anymore.

Apparently, Republican voters shouldn’t be given the opportunity to make a side-by-side comparison of Trump with the other Republican candidates — the ones who don’t stand charged with 91 felonies.

The ones who also have a vision for America.

Trump bails, serving only himself

I get why Trump doesn’t want to debate his fellow Republicans.

Debating is hard. It requires preparation, discipline and an actual plan, beyond his perpetual grievance about how he was robbed in 2020.

This is 2023. Republicans deserve better than to be disrespected by an egotist who believes it’s his right to be anointed rather than appointed.

Lake is wrong: Gov. Hobbs can't order a Trump indictment

Republicans’ No. 1 goal isn’t — or shouldn’t be — to nominate Donald Trump. It should be to nominate the Republican who has the best vision for America and the best chance of winning next November.

Shouldn’t it?

What does Lake's flip-flop say about her?

Yet there is Lake, who fancies herself a national figure, applauding Trump as he ducks the debates.

Applauding what amounts to either an astonishing level of arrogance or outright cowardice.

Lake was right in 2022.

A decision to run for public office, whether for governor or president, comes with an expectation that you will square off against your opponents. (And yes, I’m looking at you, too, Joe Biden.)

That you will lay out your policies and defend them. That you will show up and, in this case, show us all why you are the best candidate to govern a nation of 332 million souls for the next four years.

Once upon a time, Lake got it right.

“Facing criticism and taking responsibility for your record in front of the voters is one of the most basic qualifications of leadership,” Lake said not even a year ago.

My, how things change.

Reach Roberts at laurie.roberts@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @LaurieRoberts.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake defends Donald Trump for refusing to debate. Hypocrisy much?