Caroline Wren appeared on Monday’s WarRoom to speak as a special advisor to US Senate candidate Kari Lake for Arizona. Wren heavily criticized Mitch McConnell’s Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) for mismanaging funds and neglecting key Republican candidates like Lake. Wren claims SLF’s political motives and reliance on flawed internal polling hurt GOP chances, focusing instead on candidates who align with McConnell’s interests, especially in funding the Ukraine war.
Senate Leadership Fund Under Fire
Caroline Wren didn’t hold back when discussing the Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), the super PAC controlled by Mitch McConnell. "SLF has been a kiss of death for Republican candidates,” Wren stated, pointing out that the group has failed in multiple election cycles. SLF, according to Wren, raised approximately $400 million this cycle, only to spend it poorly.
Wren highlighted the super PAC’s dismal record: "Look at the races they’ve lost—Adam Laxalt in Nevada, Don Bolduc in New Hampshire, and Martha McSally twice in Arizona.” In contrast, she noted that candidates in races where SLF didn’t invest, like Senator Ron Johnson and Senator Ted Cruz, went on to win. This, according to her, demonstrates SLF’s inefficacy and the broken consultant culture surrounding it.
Why is SLF Ignoring Kari Lake?
Kari Lake, a key candidate in the Arizona Senate race, is receiving no support from SLF, despite being in a competitive position. Wren pointed to SLF’s internal polling, which she said shows Lake performing better than other candidates the fund is supporting. "Why is SLF spending millions on Larry Hogan, who’s polling far worse than Kari Lake?” Wren asked.
She claimed that the reason lies in Lake’s stance on Ukraine. "Kari Lake has made it clear she won’t support continued funding for the Ukraine war, and that’s why Mitch McConnell’s not backing her.” Similarly, Wren noted that SLF isn’t supporting Ted Cruz either, because he shares Lake’s views on Ukraine.
Internal Polling Memo: A Red Flag?
A leaked internal polling memo, Wren said, revealed bizarre data. "The polls were all over the place,” she remarked, with SLF showing Ted Cruz only up by one point and Lake down by five. Wren questioned the credibility of these numbers, attributing them to Axis Research, a polling group linked to past failed campaigns like Jeb Bush and Liz Cheney. "Axis Research doesn’t exactly have a record of success,” Wren noted.
She questioned why, if the polling was being used to guide SLF’s funding, they were pouring money into races where candidates were performing worse than Lake. "Why invest in Michigan for Mike Rogers, who’s down eight, and not a penny in Arizona?”
McConnell’s Real Agenda?
Wren believes that McConnell’s SLF is playing political games, supporting candidates who align with McConnell’s priorities rather than the GOP’s best chances of winning. "They’re dictating funding based on who will keep funding the Ukraine war,” Wren said. Candidates like Lake and Cruz are seen as threats to McConnell’s control, and that, Wren argued, is why SLF is withholding support.
She linked the situation to past efforts by McConnell to undercut conservative candidates, recalling the 2017 Alabama Senate race where McConnell opposed Judge Roy Moore. Wren asserted that McConnell’s goal is to control the narrative within the Republican Party and stop America First candidates from rising.
The Path Forward for Kari Lake
Despite SLF’s refusal to back Kari Lake, Wren remains optimistic. She sees Lake’s candidacy as a major threat to the GOP establishment. "Kari Lake is a danger to them because she’ll go to Washington and answer to the people, not the GOP leadership,” Wren said. She believes Lake will win without SLF’s help, thanks to grassroots support and Donald Trump’s popularity in swing states like Arizona.
Wren closed by calling on Republicans to stop relying on SLF’s "ridiculous polling” and wasted spending. Instead, she urged them to focus on strong candidates like Kari Lake, who represents the future of the GOP.
For more context from Wren, watch the full segment from Monday’s WarRoom:
