Kari Lake, a former television news anchor, transitioned into politics after working at Phoenix television station KSAZ-TV for approximately two decades. She announced her candidacy for the Arizona governor election on June 1, 2021, following her departure from the news anchor role in 2021. The Republican nominee, she competed against Katie Hobbs in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election held on November 8.
Kari Lake’s first husband is Tracy Finnegan, an electrical engineer who has kept a low profile throughout his life. Although their marriage details remain undisclosed, they were married for a while before parting ways, with the reason for their split remaining private.
Tracy attended West Chicago High School, Elgin Community College, and Northern Illinois University, graduating in 1992 with a degree in chemistry and a minor in business. His current status, whether active in his engineering career or retired, remains undisclosed.
Following her separation from Tracy, Kari Lake married Jeff Halperin in August 1998, and their marriage has endured for more than a decade. Jeff is a videographer and owner of Zen HD, a company specializing in various video broadcasts, from corporate to documentary.
He previously worked in the local news industry, including roles as a videographer at KPNX-TV, photojournalist at NBC, and news photographer at WNYT-TV.
Jeff played a role in Kari’s election campaign, also contributing to the documentary “Enes Kanter: Enemy of the State,” for which he and the production team received Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Sports Journalism category in 2020.
Kari Lake’s family background includes her parents, Larry A. Lake and Sheila A. Lake. Born in 1969 in Rock Island, Illinois, she is the youngest of eight siblings. Her father, Larry, was a teacher and coach, while her mother worked as a nurse.
Kari spent her childhood in Iowa, attending North Scott Senior High School before pursuing further studies at the University of Iowa, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and journalism. Currently, Kari Lake has her own family, which includes her husband, Jeff Halperin, and children.
Kari Lake and her husband, Jeff, are proud parents to a son and a daughter. Their eldest child, Ruby Halperin, was born on March 30, 2003, making her 19 years old this year, with the zodiac sign Aries.
The couple’s second-born, Leo Halperin, entered the world on October 10, 2008, and recently celebrated his 14th birthday in October, under the zodiac sign Libra. Kari and Jeff actively engage with their children, taking them to various places and sharing glimpses of their family life on social media.
Kari Lake commenced her career while studying at the University of Iowa, starting as an intern at KWQC-TV in Davenport in May 1991. Progressing from an intern to a production assistant, she later became a regular reporter and weekend weathercaster at WHBF-TV in Rock in 1992. Joining KPNX in 1994, she worked as a weekend weather anchor before becoming an evening anchor at both KPNX and KSAZ-TV.
Throughout her career, she interviewed prominent figures like President Barack Obama and President Donald Trump. Kari announced her departure from KSAZ in 2021 and later revealed her candidacy for the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election.
Originally affiliated with the Republican Party, Kari briefly became an Independent before rejoining the Republican Party on January 31, 2012, following a stint as a Democrat on January 4, 2008. She has shown support for candidates such as John Kerry and Barack Obama and made donations to Democratic presidential candidates.
Currently running for the position of Governor of Arizona in the 2022 election, recent polls indicate Kari Lake securing approximately 49.2% of the votes, with the counting still in progress.