In the wake of an Arizona Supreme Court decision upholding a long-standing ban on abortions, the political landscape in the key state has been shaken during the 2024 election season. Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake, staunchly identifying as “100% pro-life,” has responded to the ruling with a comprehensive statement outlining her position on abortion access.
In a video published on Thursday, Lake, a former TV news anchor, expressed her opposition to the near-total abortion ban in the state. She emphasized that this ban, which has been in effect since 1864 and only allows exceptions to save the life of the pregnant woman, does not align with the desires of the people in her state. Furthermore, she made it clear that she would not support a federal ban on abortion if she were to be elected to the Senate.
Lake, in her video, expresses her disagreement with the recent ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court on the total ban on abortion. She believes that this ban does not align with the views of the people in the state. Throughout the video, accompanied by gentle orchestra music, Lake shares her perspective, highlighting images of women and pregnancy tests.
“The focus should be on the preservation of innocent lives rather than the prohibition of abortion,” she emphasized. “As Americans, we may not always see eye to eye on every issue. However, when it comes to the public sentiment, a complete ban on abortion does not align with the majority.”
Lake’s political career has seen a shift in rhetoric, which is now being highlighted by Democratic rival Ruben Gallego. Gallego plans to emphasize this change at an event on Friday, where Lake is attacked for being a leftist.
In a recent interview with a conservative podcast host in 2022, Lake expressed his excitement about an existing law from the 19th century. He stated, “I am thrilled that we have this fantastic law already in place. It is known as ARS 13-3603.”
According to a recent social media post by her aide, Lake was referring to a more recent 15-week ban.
During her 2022 gubernatorial campaign, Lake made it a point to steer clear of delving into hypothetical scenarios regarding her potential stance on certain legislation. She emphasized her focus on addressing tangible issues rather than engaging in speculative discussions.
During a forum in October 2022, she expressed her support for a law that aims to protect the lives of as many babies as possible while also providing assistance and support to women in need.
She consistently emphasizes her stance on being “100% pro-life” and advocates for the preservation of as many babies as possible.
In the video on Thursday, she emphasized her agreement with former President Donald Trump on the issue of abortion access. She firmly believes that the decision regarding abortion should be made by individual states. However, she also emphasized the importance of including exceptions for cases of rape, incest, and situations where the life of the mother is at risk.
Lake’s new statement did not mention her stance on a specific threshold for abortion bans, such as a certain number of weeks into pregnancy. She also did not provide details on how the three categories of exceptions should be implemented.
However, she did not specifically address the possibility of a ballot initiative that could determine the outcome in her state if it goes to a vote in November.
When asked about her stance on the initiative, Lake responded by affirming her support for the pro-life movement.
In a video released on Thursday, Lake acknowledged the challenging phase the country is currently experiencing in addressing the issue at hand. She expressed empathy for the intense emotions being felt by the people, including anger and sadness. Lake emphasized that politics is not meant to be easy, and she is prepared to face the difficulties head-on.
“I will actively oppose federal funding for abortion and any attempts to ban it,” stated the senator. She firmly believes that her role in Washington, D.C. is not to enforce federal restrictions on a matter that has already been delegated to the states. In her view, the push by “abortion extremists” to use this issue as a means to destabilize our nation is unacceptable.”
“The reinstatement of Arizona’s pro-life law will provide protection for over 11,000 babies each year. This victory in court is a testament to the compassion of the pro-life movement,” she expressed.
Former Governor Doug Ducey expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision on social media, stating that it was not his preferred outcome. He called on elected leaders to come up with a policy that is both practical and representative of the electorate. It is worth noting that Ducey had appointed the four justices who sided with the majority opinion of the court.
“I signed the 15-week law as Governor because it is a well-thought-out policy that provides a balanced approach to this sensitive issue, which the people of Arizona can actually find common ground on,” expressed Ducey on X. “Although today’s ruling is not the outcome I would have preferred, I urge our elected officials to respect the voice of the people and devise a practical and representative policy to address this matter.”
The ban has been temporarily suspended for a period of 14 days. Individuals who are found to be in violation of the ban, once it is enforced, will be subjected to a prison sentence ranging from two to five years.
Dr. Jill Gibson expressed her concern about the legal confusion among patients during an interview with Rachel Scott from ABC News. The conversation took place at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Arizona on Wednesday.
According to Gibson, patients are expressing their desire to explore alternative methods of obtaining abortions.
Arizona’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, has urged state legislators to repeal the ban on controversial grounds. In response to Trump’s suggestion that she and other state officials must resolve the issue, Hobbs has expressed her disagreement.
During an appearance on “GMA3” on Thursday, Hobbs expressed her weariness with the task of rectifying the chaos left behind by Donald Trump. She referred to the actions of certain politicians as mere political opportunism, stating that they are now reaping the outcomes they desired. Hobbs highlighted that Donald Trump had previously boasted about overturning Roe v. Wade, and the repercussions of that stance are now becoming evident.
The Arizona Legislature blocked a Democratic-led repeal effort on Wednesday, stating that more time was needed to gather public input. Lawmakers are set to return next week.
Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, in a statement to ABC News, emphasized the importance of carefully considering appropriate actions in response to the Court’s 47-page ruling, which was released recently. Toma expressed the need to listen to constituents and engage in a larger discussion, rather than hastily passing legislation on such a significant matter.
