Senate candidate Kari Lake has called on state lawmakers to end the Civil War era in Arizona. abortion banaccording to a Republican lawmaker who spoke about receiving a call from him.
The GOP-controlled Legislature is considering its next steps after the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the state’s 1864 ban on abortion was nearly complete. executable. The Arizona House reconvenes on Wednesday.
Lake’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday evening about lobbying state lawmakers.
Lake is among the Arizona Republicans who say they oppose the court’s decision they scrambled to get away Despite the charter dating back to the 19th century sounded beforeed support for. Democratic Senate candidate Ruben Gallego emphasized Lake’s previous comments on the ban.
Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who has urged the Legislature to repeal the law, said Thursday that calling a special session would not be helpful now because “the votes are clearly not there.”
Hobbs said he has been in discussions with Republican lawmakers and leadership to overturn the ban, but declined to name any lawmakers.
Arizona Republicans hold slim majorities in both houses – 31-28 in the House and 16-14 in the Senate.
In a statement after the state Supreme Court’s ruling, Republican House leaders said they would evaluate the ruling during the time it takes for it to take effect.
“Obviously it’s not going to be productive to call a special session right now, to do that,” Hobbs said.
Lake, who lost to Hobbs in the 2022 gubernatorial election, posted a video Thursday X explains his position on abortion in detail. He said the state Supreme Court’s ruling on a restrictive abortion law “doesn’t fit where the people of this state are.” He said he would oppose a federal ban on abortion if elected senator.
“I chose life,” he said in the video. “But I’m not every woman. I want to make sure every woman who finds herself pregnant has more options so she can make the choice I did.”
Lake had previously spoken in favor of the 1864 law, calling it a “great law.”
The state Supreme Court’s ruling came a day after former President Donald Trump announced his position that states should leave abortion decisions up to the states. Lake, who is a strong ally of Trump, agreed with this.