Senate candidate Kari Lake reportedly called state legislators to urge them to lift Arizona’s abortion ban from the Civil War era, as disclosed by a Republican politician who mentioned getting a call from the candidate.
Following Tuesday’s decision by the state Supreme Court upholding the state’s 1864 nearly complete prohibition on abortion, the GOP-controlled Legislature is debating its next course of action. On Wednesday, the Arizona House will meet once more.
A request for comment regarding Lake‘s lobbying of state politicians was made on Thursday night, but the campaign did not immediately answer.
Despite having previously expressed support for the 19th century statute, several Republicans in Arizona, including Lake, have made a concerted effort to disassociate themselves from it. Lake has stated that she disagrees with the court’s decision. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat running for the Senate, has emphasized Lake’s prior remarks regarding the prohibition.
A special session would not be beneficial at this time because “the votes obviously are not there,” according to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs, who has encouraged the Legislature to repeal the law. Hobbs made this statement on Thursday.
Hobbs stated that she is in talks to lift the prohibition with Republican lawmakers and leadership, but she would not name them.
Arizona’s Republicans maintain small majorities in both houses, with a 31–28 edge in the House and a 16–14 advantage in Senate seats.
Republican leaders in the legislature issued a statement following the ruling by the state Supreme Court, indicating that they will assess the decision while it is not yet enforceable.
“It’s obvious that calling a special session right now, it would not be productive to get this done,” Hobbs stated.
In 2022, Hobbs defeated Lake in the gubernatorial race. On Thursday, Lake shared a video on X outlining her stance on abortion. Restrictive abortion laws were upheld by the state Supreme Court, but she said the ruling was “out of line with where the people of this state are.” She declared that she would oppose a federal ban on abortion if elected to the Senate.
“I chose life,” she stated in the video. “But I’m not every woman. I want to make sure that every woman who finds herself pregnant has more choices so that she can make that choice that I made.”
In the past, Lake has defended the 1864 statute, referring to it as “a great law.”
One day after former President Donald Trump declared that states should have the final say over abortion rights, the Texas Supreme Court made its decision. Strong Trump supporter Lake has stated that she concurs.
