TL/DR –
U.S. Senate candidate Ruben Gallego has accused his Republican rival, Kari Lake, of lying about her views on abortion rights. This follows the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to uphold a law from 1864 that bans nearly all abortions, a decision Lake initially supported but has since urged the Legislature to repeal. The issue of abortion rights is set to be a central focus in the upcoming Senate race, with Democrats believing that recent court rulings have clarified the stakes of the election and handed them a popular public issue.
Senate Candidate Ruben Gallego Accuses Kari Lake of Misrepresenting Abortion Views
Senate candidate Ruben Gallego accused his Republican rival Kari Lake of misleading voters about her stance on abortion rights. The allegation underscores the Democrats’ intention to focus on this issue during the elections.
Gallego criticized Lake’s recent video discussing her position on abortion rights following the Arizona Supreme Court’s decision to uphold an 1864 law that essentially bans most abortions. Lake, who previously supported the law during her 2022 gubernatorial campaign, now urges the Legislature to repeal the measure.
Gallego labeled Lake “a political opportunist” during a Phoenix news conference. He added, “voters know that you are lying Kari and they’re not going to trust you. … Arizona voters are not going to fall for this.”
Learn More About Ruben Gallego:Discover the Democratic candidate in Arizona’s Senate race
Both Gallego and Lake are vying for the Senate seat of retiring U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, another GOP nominee, has yet to publicize his view on the abortion ruling.
On the same day, Vice President Kamala Harris visited Tucson to attribute the disruption of abortion rights across the country to ex-President Donald Trump. She highlighted Arizona’s 1864 law as proof of the reality millions of women face post the U.S. Supreme Court’s annulment of federal abortion rights.
This visit, coupled with Gallego’s critique, reflects Democrats’ conviction that the courts have clarified the stakes of the impending election and provided them with an issue that resonates with the public.
Gallego attended Harris’s Tucson event and missed eight votes in Washington, including one to renew a contentious U.S. spy program. The Republican-majority Legislature failed to agree on a legislative response to the controversial ruling, leaving the issue to simmer.
Trump criticized the Arizona court’s Abortion Ruling, calling the 1864 law inappropriate and urging the Governor and the Arizona Legislature to act with heart and common sense.
Alex Nicoll, a Lake campaign spokesman, labeled Gallego a hypocrite for positioning himself as a champion of women and alluded to his 2017 divorce from now-Mayor Kate Gallego.
For Lake, the ruling has reignited discussion about her previous statements on the 1864 law and abortion rights. Since joining the Senate race, Lake has stated she would oppose a federal ban on abortions, a point she reiterated in her recent video.
Gallego has stated his support for federal legislation that would uphold the legal protections previously provided by Roe v. Wade and expressed his willingness to bypass the legislative filibuster to do so.
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