{"id":2609703,"date":"2026-06-02T16:55:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T20:55:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/john-curtis-open-minded-as-swing-vote-for-kari-lake-nomination\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T16:55:57","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T20:55:57","slug":"john-curtis-open-minded-as-swing-vote-for-kari-lake-nomination","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/john-curtis-open-minded-as-swing-vote-for-kari-lake-nomination\/","title":{"rendered":"John Curtis \u2018open minded\u2019 as swing vote for Kari Lake nomination"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fjohn-curtis-open-minded-as-swing-vote-for-kari-lake-nomination%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2609703&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) says he\u2019s heading into a Wednesday meeting with Kari Lake about her nomination as U.S. ambassador to Jamaica \u201cwith an open mind,\u201d even though he has had previous concerns about her. Curtis said he expects to ask tough questions and described the meeting as an opportunity to judge her firsthand, noting that what\u2019s publicly said may not fully reflect the person.<\/p>\n<p>Curtis is an influential member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, so his decision could be decisive: if he votes against and Democrats join him, Lake\u2019s nomination would deadlock and effectively fail. He was also cited as having <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ukrainian-president-biden-handed-putin-a-real-weapon-by-waiving-sanctions-off-nord-stream-2-pipeline\/\" title=\"Ukrainian President: Biden Handed Putin \u2018A Real Weapon... By Waiving Sanctions Off Nord Stream 2 Pipeline\">previously acted<\/a> as a swing vote on nominees, including opposing a State Department pick over remarks about race and \u201cwhite identity,\u201d which later withdrew from consideration.<\/p>\n<p>Other republicans on the committee indicated thay would support Lake,including Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), who praised Lake for her frequent travel to Jamaica and claimed she has strong ties there. Lake\u2019s nomination is part of a broader set of ambassador selections that has drawn Republican skepticism, and the article notes Lake did not respond to a request for comment.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/john-curtis\/\">John Curtis<\/a> (R-UT) says he is going into a Wednesday meeting with <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kari-lake\/\">Kari Lake<\/a> with an \u201copen mind\u201d as he weighs whether to sink her nomination as ambassador to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jamaica\/page\/3\/\">Jamaica<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtis has <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >previously expressed reservations<\/a> about Lake, a GOP firebrand who embraced President Donald Trump\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/terry-mcauliffe-championed-stolen-election-conspiracy-theory-for-years\/\" title=\"Terry McAuliffe Championed Stolen Election Conspiracy Theory for Years\">stolen election claims<\/a> as a candidate for governor and then Senate in Arizona. She later led a crusade to shutter the Voice of America, a government-funded broadcaster, before a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/iranian-dissidents-slam-nominee-for-top-defense-post\/\" title=\"Iranian Dissidents Slam Nominee for Top Defense Post\">federal judge ruled<\/a> that the president improperly elevated her as its de facto leader.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4591618\/bill-pulte-intelligence-concerns\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Congress blindsided by Trump\u2019s Pulte pick and questions qualifications for intelligence chief<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4590984\/watch-live-markwayne-mullin-testimony-senate-budget-request\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>WATCH LIVE: Markwayne Mullin testifies before Senate on budget request<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4591221\/rubio-cory-booker-argue-iran-stronger-position\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Rubio and Booker spar at committee hearing over whether Iran is in stronger position: \u2018No one is begging\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m anxious to hear what she has to say,\u201d Curtis told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cI try to approach things with an open mind, and I think I\u2019ll have some hard questions about how she represents us over there, but I\u2019ll be open-minded.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtis is not the only Republican concerned about the ambassadorship. The <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>previously <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DISivak\/status\/2054606069419119077?s=20\">reported<\/a> that Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) plans to oppose Lake\u2019s nomination if it reaches the Senate floor. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But Curtis\u2019s role as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee gives him outsize sway. If he votes \u201cno\u201d and all Democrats join him, the vote deadlocks and her nomination effectively fails.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtis has also been willing to wield his influence as a swing vote on the committee. Back in February, he opposed <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/news\/2026\/03\/10\/trump-state-department-white-culture-00822112\">Jeremy Carl<\/a>, a nominee for the State Department, over his comments on race and \u201cwhite identity.\u201d Carl eventually dropped out of the running after a bruising confirmation hearing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Curtis would not point to a particular statement Lake has made that\u2019s given him pause, saying instead, \u201cIt\u2019s a body of work.\u201d But he described the purpose of the meeting, first reported by the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>, as a chance to give her the benefit of the doubt.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m the first to know that what\u2019s out there is not necessarily what represents somebody, so that\u2019s why I\u2019m meeting with her, to hear from her myself,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two other Republicans on the Foreign Relations Committee said they would support Lake\u2019s nomination. One of them, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), said that Lake has frequently traveled to Jamaica and has a \u201cgreat connection\u201d to the island country.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI talk to Kari all the time,\u201d said Lee, Curtis\u2019s Utah colleague. \u201cShe\u2019s terrific.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lake was nominated last month alongside Doug Mastriano, another Trump ally expected to draw Republican opposition. His nomination to be ambassador to the Slovak Republic is controversial due to his <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/newshour\/politics\/jan-6-committee-interview-cut-short-by-pennsylvanias-republican-nominee-for-governor\">VIP attendance<\/a> at a rally outside the Capitol before the Jan. 6 riot and efforts to help overturn the 2020 presidential election results. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4563872\/trump-kari-lake-jamaica-ambassador\/\"><strong>TRUMP TAPS KARI LAKE FOR JAMAICA AMBASSADORSHIP AFTER VOICE OF AMERICA TURMOIL<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mastriano previously mounted a failed run for Pennsylvania governor. As of now, Curtis said he has no meeting scheduled with him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lake did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sen. Curtis heads into Wednesday meeting with Kari Lake, \u201copen mind\u201d on sinking Jamaica bid<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2651,"featured_media":2609704,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-32rh8ztp8-1780429643060-e1780430407338.jpg?1780416026&amp;w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[32775,33066,9134,5894,80722],"class_list":["post-2609703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-john-curtis","tag-kari-lake","tag-nomination","tag-politics","tag-swing-vote"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/image-collage-32rh8ztp8-1780429643060-e1780430407338.jpg?1780416026&amp;w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2609703"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609703\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2609707,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2609703\/revisions\/2609707"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2609704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2609703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2609703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2609703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}