Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake is urging state lawmakers to overturn a 160-year-old law that bans abortion in almost all cases, a significant shift from her previous support of the law. She is advocating for the repeal of the law while maintaining restrictions on abortion to within the first 15 weeks of a pregnancy, as outlined in legislation signed by Republican Governor Doug Ducey in 2022. Lake has contacted state legislators offering her assistance in overturning the existing law and reverting to the 15-week restriction.
Lake’s change in stance on the abortion law reflects Republican concerns about the issue in a crucial battleground state. As a gubernatorial candidate in 2022, Lake had praised the 1864 law and indicated that she would support the court’s decision regarding its implementation. However, following the Arizona Supreme Court ruling, Lake called for a common-sense solution from the state’s Democratic governor and GOP-controlled Legislature that would have broad support among Arizonans. Her shift aligns her with former President Donald Trump’s changing position on abortion.
Trump, who had previously advocated for states to determine abortion access, distanced himself from the Arizona Supreme Court ruling and suggested that the law would be “straightened out.” However, Arizona Republican lawmakers thwarted an attempt to vote on repealing the state’s law, causing Democrats in the state House to protest. Republican strategist Marcus Dell’Artino expressed skepticism that hard-line anti-abortion lawmakers in the state Legislature would be swayed by lobbying efforts from Lake or Trump, questioning how they could gain enough votes to reverse their position.
The Arizona Supreme Court ruling on abortion has heightened the stakes in the state’s ongoing battle over abortion access with significant political implications. Arizona is a key battleground this year in the fight for control of the Senate and the White House, with Democrats emphasizing that the ruling was made possible by the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, a move supported by Trump. The outcome of the abortion debate in Arizona could have far-reaching consequences for the political landscape in the state and beyond.
