(TargetLiberty.org) – Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake has been actively lobbying state GOP legislators to repeal an antiquated 1864 abortion law, which could impact her electoral prospects in November, according to a Politico report. Following a ruling by the Arizona Supreme Court that the state could prosecute women who undergo abortions, unless the mother’s life is at risk, Lake began actively engaging with members of the GOP-dominated Arizona House and Senate to garner support for overturning the law.
State Representative David Cook commented on the outdated nature of the law to Politico, noting that it dates back to a time when Arizona wasn’t even a state, and practices like hanging for theft were common. He emphasized the need to update the law to reflect modern values and medical knowledge.
The importance of this issue is underscored by Lake’s competition against Democratic Representative Ruben Gallego for the Arizona Senate seat currently held by independent Kyrsten Sinema. This race is crucial as it is one of the key contests that could determine which party will control the Senate after the November elections.
Despite Lake’s current opposition to the complete ban on abortion, as shown in a video she released, there are contradictions in her stance given her previous support for the 1864 law. In a 2022 interview, Lake praised the ban as a “great law” and affirmed her belief that “life begins at conception.”
A GOP strategist pointed out to Politico the challenges of defending a mid-19th century law, noting that it not only casts a poor light on Arizona but also distracts from other issues that could be more advantageous for Republicans.
Former President Donald Trump also commented on the issue, suggesting that the court’s decision was excessive but expressing confidence that it would be resolved soon.
Despite these efforts, Politico noted that only a few Republican legislators are open to repealing the law. An attempt by Republican state Representative Matt Gress to initiate a repeal was quickly rejected by his colleagues.
Meanwhile, pro-choice advocates are mobilizing to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to protect the right to an abortion up to 24 weeks, indicating the ongoing contentious debate around this issue in Arizona.
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