'Arm yourselves': Mark Kelly slammed for ripping into Kari Lake’s ‘strap on a Glock’ advice to supporters

PHOENIX, ARIZONA: The Arizona Senate race just got more interesting after Democratic incumbent Senator Mark Kelly issued a stern warning against the rhetoric of his Republican counterpart, Kari Lake.

Kelly's cautionary words follow Lake's controversial remarks urging voters to "strap on a Glock" in preparation for the upcoming 2024 election.

Kelly's concerns over Lake's 'dangerous' rhetoric

Senator Kelly, speaking with NBC News 'Meet the Press' host Kristen Welker, expressed grave concerns over Lake's rhetoric, labeling it as "dangerous" and potentially inciting violence.

"Kari Lake's never been elected to anything," Kelly said. "I don't expect her ever to be elected to anything but when you're a candidate for the United States Senate you need to be careful with your words. We’ve seen this throughout history. So I hope people reject that. I think they should consider their language and try to do better going forward."

Kelly, who is no stranger to the devastating impact of political violence, drew from personal experience, recounting the 2011 assassination attempt on his wife, former Representative Gabby Giffords. The harrowing incident left Giffords severely injured and claimed the lives of six individuals.

"She was shot in the head while meeting with her constituents. Six people died. Another 18, including her, were injured. It was a horrific act of political violence," Kelly told Welker.

"We need people in elected office that want to take this country in a better direction where we accept the outcome of elections, where we don’t use language to try to incite our supporters. We don’t need folks in the United States Senate that they’re comfortable using language like that," he added.

Lake's controversial remarks

The controversy erupted following Lake's remarks at a Republican dinner in Mohave County, where she urged attendees to gear up for a "crazy run" leading up to the November elections.

"They're going to come after us with everything. That's why the next six months is going to be intense," Lake said.

"What do we want to strap on? We're going to strap on our seatbelt. We're going to put on our helmet or your Kari Lake ball cap. We're going to put on the armor of God. Then maybe strap on a Glock on the side just in case. You can put one here and one in the back or one in the front, whatever you guys decide," she continued, pointing to her hip.

"We're not going to be the victims of crime. We're not going to have our Second Amendment taken away. We're certainly not going to have our First Amendment taken away by these tyrants," Lake added.

Internet reacts to Kelly slamming Lake

That said, Kelly faced quite a backlash on social media from the right after slamming Lake's advice to "strap on a Glock."

"Well, of course, people who want to take guns away would whine about this," one posted on X.

"What was his reaction to the summer of love in 2020?" another asked.

"Kelly needs to go," a comment read.

"The people need to protect themselves from the radical leftists that will become violent if/when Trump wins. Absolutely arm yourselves," another insisted.

Kelly has thrown his support behind Rep Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) as the potential future representative of Arizona in the US Senate, alongside him. The choice for Arizona's Senate seat is anticipated to come down to either Lake or Gallego.

In the upcoming 2024 elections, Arizona emerges as a crucial battleground state, pivotal not only for the presidential contest but also for the Senate race. In the 2020 presidential election, President Biden secured a narrow victory over Trump in Arizona, garnering just over 10,000 more votes. However, in 2016, Trump emerged victorious in the swing state.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.