Both Arizona Senate candidates announced their opposition Tuesday to a state Supreme Court ruling that upheld one of the nation’s strictest abortion bans.
The court’s decision enforced an 1864 law that prohibited access to abortion in all cases except to save the mother’s life. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Republican candidate Kari Lake each said the ruling should be overturned.
Mr. Lake was in the past. called the 1864 law “wonderful” and showed Support for strict abortion banssaid Congress should decide on an abortion rights bill instead. The comments came a day after former President Trump said the issue should be left to the states.
“I understand the fear and anxiety of pregnancy and the joy of becoming a mother. I wholeheartedly agree with President Trump. This is a very personal issue and should be decided by each state and its people. “We should,” she said in a statement. “I oppose today’s ruling and call for the following. [Gov.] We’re calling on Katie Hobbs and the state Legislature to quickly come up with common-sense solutions that Arizonans can support. ”
Meanwhile, Gallego further strengthened his support for abortion rights.
“Today’s verdict is devastating for Arizona women and their families,” he said. Said. “This is not what Arizonans want.”
“This decision strips women of their right to make their own health care decisions alongside their doctors,” he continued. “We promise to fight this together. And with your help, we will win.”
Gallego too Shared Lake’s previous comment Hours after the verdict, she used the 1864 bill as an attack on her record.
“I’m not going to let Kali Lake skew the record,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “She called it a ‘great law,’ even though it bans almost all abortions, including cases of rape and incest.”
Abortion rights are one of the key issues in the 2024 election, and similar statewide abortion rights issues are already gaining attention in Florida and other key states. Arizona is expected to be one of the closest races in both the Senate and presidential elections.
A constitutional amendment on abortion rights is also likely to be on the Arizona ballot in November after a petition group announced last week that it had collected enough signatures to put it on the ballot.
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022, the fight over abortion rights has generally been in favor of Democrats nationwide, with moderates leaning toward the Democratic Party and women and young people voting. rate is increasing. The Biden campaign hopes to jump on board with the issue and capitalize on the divisive topic.
Biden himself warned in a statement Tuesday that the state’s decision could be a sign of what’s to come at the national level.
“Millions of Arizonans will soon be living under even more extreme and dangerous abortion bans that put women’s health at risk and cause horrific incidents such as rape and incest,” Biden said. Even if something were to happen, women would not be protected.”
“This cruel ban was first enacted in 1864, more than 150 years ago, before Arizona became a state, and long before women had the right to vote,” the president continued. “This ruling is the result of the extreme aims of Republican elected officials who are committed to taking away women’s freedoms.”
In response to the court’s ruling, the White House announced that Vice President Harris will also visit Arizona on Friday to speak about abortion rights.
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