Republican Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake faces criticisms from both sides of the abortion debate after a visit to the University of Arizona on Thursday, NBC News reported.
Lake faced criticisms about her changing position on Arizona’s strict Civil War-era abortion law, as she navigates the political arena ahead of the 2024 elections. Hosted by the College Republicans, the event grew heated as attendees pressed Lake on her inconsistent stance, according to NBC News. Initially, Lake praised abortion law in 2022, calling it a “great law.” However, after the state Supreme Court upheld the ban, she reversed her stance and began advocating for its repeal.
Lake was quickly challenged by a student on her significant shift in abortion rhetoric. Former President Donald Trump‘s recent description of abortion as a states’ rights issue failed to calm the controversy, leaving Lake, who calls herself “Trump in heels,” to confront criticism from both local and national sources, the outlet stated.
In response, Lake defended her pro-life stance but emphasized the practical political implications of the law. “First of all, I am pro-life and I love — I want to save as many babies as possible. But you do realize that that law is not going to survive November?” Lake asked, NBC News stated. “There’s a ballot, on the November ballot, that is written by Planned Parenthood that will eventually lead to abortion up to nine months.”
“I want to save every baby. I can’t imagine any circumstance that I would choose an abortion. But I’m not standing in the shoes of a woman who’s been beaten by … her pimp. I’m not standing in her shoes, and neither are you,” Lake continued. “If you read a story about what happened here tonight, just know how the media operates.”
“We thought when you said you supported the 1864 ban, you meant it,” a man told Lake at the event, NBC News reported. “When the Supreme Court came out and delivered that miracle to this country and freed us from evil, you changed your mind. I want to know what you say to people who trusted you and believed in you and believe that you are as much in love with babies in this world as them, and that Arizona has undergone a miracle.” (RELATED: Red State Judge Throws Out Three Laws Restricting Abortion)
Adding to the pressure, Lake’s opponents are using her past statements to challenge her credibility. Democratic Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego posted her previous endorsements of the abortion ban on Twitter.
I’ll save you the listen.
Here’s Kari Lake in her own words citing this abortion ban, calling it a “great law” and encouraging other states to follow.
Not amount of backpedaling will make us forget. https://t.co/Qno2UFiS9O pic.twitter.com/mrGBFO8lBZ
— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) April 11, 2024
“I’ll save you the listen. Here’s Kari Lake in her own words citing this abortion ban, calling it a ‘great law’ and encouraging other states to follow. Not amount of backpedaling will make us forget,” Gallego wrote on Twitter.