Monday, July 29th, 2024

ARIZONA -– With just one day left until the Arizona GOP Senate primary, today the Arizona Democratic Party will be setting the record straight on Kari Lake’s dangerous record on abortion. 

Lake’s longstanding, well-documented position on abortion deeply out of touch with what Arizonans want: from calling for the overturning Roe v. Wade in 2021 to asking sheriffs to enforce the draconian 1864 abortion ban in 2024, Arizonans know Kari Lake will do or say anything to gain power, even when it means restricting fundamental rights.   

Lake repeatedly said that Roe v. Wade should be overturned:

• “Obviously, I think Roe v. Wade should be overturned.” [2/5/22]

• “And just this week the US Supreme Court heard oral arguments on an important abortion case called Dobbs V. Jackson. Legal scholars have noted that there is a potential conservative majority on the court in large part thanks to President Trump that could reverse or limit the unprecedented and wildly inappropriate court ruling of Roe v Wade.” [12/9/21]

• “I joined Congressman Gosar in praying for God’s guidance to the Supreme Court and an end to this national disgrace created under Roe v Wade.” [12/9/21]

• “Well, I think we’re on the verge of maybe some big news coming out of the Supreme Court. And I hope that that happens with the overturning of Roe versus Wade and that will change everything.” [1/26/22]

• “And I’m so glad that we’re on the precipice of possibly seeing the law Roe versus Wade struck down.” [1/26/22]

After the U.S. Supreme Court issued the Dobbs decision, Lake said:

• “Oh, absolutely. This is such a momentous day, James T. I woke up to the news and I you know, nothing can wipe the smile off my face today. I’m just so happy … And we’ve been able to correct a 50 year old wrong, a 50 year old mistake. And we’re finally going to have a truly pro life state in Arizona and I couldn’t be more thrilled.” [6/24/22]

• “I am 100% pro-life. I think the Supreme Court did a very smart thing. They righted a 50 year wrong, they corrected a 50 year wrong… It never should have been granted as a right. It is not in the Constitution as a right. And it was wrong that they did that, they set it up that way. So thankfully, we got that fixed. And Arizona will not be a state where we’re taking the lives of our unborn.” [7/19/22]

Lake said she was “thrilled” about Arizona’s 1864 ban on abortion without exceptions for rape or incest:

• “I’m incredibly thrilled that we are going to have a great law that’s already on the books, I believe it’s ARS 13-3603. So it will prohibit abortion in Arizona except to save the life of a mother. And I think we’re going to be setting the, paving the way and setting course for other states to follow.” [6/24/22]

• “I think the Supreme Court, I have a good feeling that they’re going to do the right thing this time and again. I’ll echo what Steve just said. We have a great law on the books right now. If that happens, we will be a state where we will not be taking the lives of our unborn anymore.” [2/5/22]

When the Arizona Supreme Court ruled to put the 1864 ban back into effect, Lake said it was unfortunate the law wasn’t being enforced and called on sheriffs to begin enforcing the ban:

• “And I think there’s a lot of people who want to say, ‘Oh, that law is on the books, and we have that law.’ No, we don’t have that law. She’s not enforcing the law, so we don’t have that law. The only people who can enforce that law are sheriffs, and we need to start asking if the sheriffs are going to enforce that.” [4/13/24]

•  “And this law passed. The Arizona Supreme Court said this is the law of Arizona. But unfortunately, the people running our state have said we’re not going to enforce it. So it’s really political theater, we don’t have that law as much as many of us wish we did.” [4/20/24]

Kari Lake has used extreme language to talk about her support for banning abortion:

• “And I believe that taking the life of an unborn child is murder.” [12/7/21] 

• “ It is the execution of our most innocent in the mother’s womb. And that is what it is, pure and simple.” [ 5/7/22]

• “It is the killing. It is the sacrifice. It is the execution of a baby in the mother’s womb.” [5/5/22] 

• “I believe that abortion is the ultimate sin.” [5/11/2022]

Kari Lake has claimed abortion isn’t health care:

• “I am pro-life and I am 100% pro-life […] We got mothers taking the life of the baby in their womb, and we’ve convinced them that that’s health care. That’s not health care.” [12/3/21]

• “Each and every one of us deserves life. And it’s not a choice that somebody gets to make to take that life. That’s not a medical choice.” [7/20/22]

Read more about Lake’s  “clear record on” abortion: KJZZ: Lake: It’s ‘unfortunate’ AZ officials won’t enforce the state’s near-total abortion ban, CNN: Kari Lake bemoans fact that Arizona’s 1864 abortion ban is not being enforced, in another apparent shift, NewsMax: Kari Lake Flips, Now Favors Arizona Abortion Ban, Jezebel: Kari Lake Flip-Flops—Again!—on Civil War-Era Abortion Ban, RawStory: Kari Lake flips yet again as she hits opponents of Civil War era abortion law,KYMA/KECY: Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake says she is upset her state’s century-old abortion ban is not being enforced, NBC News: Kari Lake says ‘unfortunately’ Arizona isn’t enforcing 1864 abortion ban, flipping again, Arizona Republic Opinion: Kari Lake doubles down on her support for Arizona’s 1864 abortion ban, Copper Courier: Kari Lake calls on Arizona county sheriffs to make arrests over 1864 abortion ban, Rolling Stone: Kari Lake Wants Arizona Sheriffs to Enforce 1864 Abortion Ban, The Hill: Kari Lake flips on Arizona abortion ban, says ‘unfortunately’ it’s not being enforced, Arizona Republic: Kari Lake downplays 1864 abortion law, says Arizonans can travel ‘3 hours’ for procedure, Arizona Republic Opinion: Don’t Buy Kari Lake’s Fake Concern Over An Arizona Supreme Court Abortion Ruling