Trump-endorsed Arizona senatorial candidate Kari Lake challenged her Democrat opponent, U.S. Representative Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), to a one-on-one debate on the issue of abortion. Lake’s political stand on the controversial issue has wavered. While running for governor in 2022, Lake voiced her support for reinstating a 1864 law, a near total abortion ban written before Arizona became a state; then in April, after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled the law would go into effect this year, Lake opposed the ruling.
Kari Lake will say anything to get elected but her actions are clear.
Kari Lake would ban medication abortion. pic.twitter.com/kNW8U5ghnQ
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) May 15, 2024
Gallego’s campaign spokesperson, Hannah Goss, rejected the idea of such a special topic debate. Note: While Gallego has won the Democratic nomination, Lake is among four Republicans running for Democrat-turned-Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema‘s seat. The GOP primary will be held on July 30.
Goss said of Lake’s offer to debate Gallego: “There’s nothing to debate. Kari Lake’s record is clear: She supports the 1864 ban with no exceptions for rape or incest and called on sheriffs to enforce it.”
Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who is challenging Lake for the Republican nomination, said Lake won’t debate him. Lamb’s campaign adviser Ed Morabito said: “Kari Lake has got herself over her skis on this one.” (The phrase means: to do something too early, or before you are ready or prepared.)
Morabito added of Lake: “She’s refused every request to debate Mark Lamb in the Republican primary. It’s a bit disappointing that she continues to refuse to admit she has a primary opponent. The vast majority of Republicans want a primary debate, and Sheriff Lamb is ready and willing to debate her at any time.”
The other two Republicans running are Elizabeth “Beth” Reye, who earned a PhD in neuroscience from Johns Hopkins and describes herself as a Reagan conservative, and write-in candidate Dustin Williams, the Pima County Superintendent of Schools.