IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25th, 2022
Contact: JBerry@AZDem.org
Two Sides of the Same Coin
Karrin Taylor Robson and Kari Lake Battle to Prove Who’s More Extreme on Abortion 

PHOENIX– Arizona is just over a week out from the August 2nd primary and Karrin Taylor Robson is desperately blitzing the airwaves, spending millions of her own wealth in an attempt to differentiate herself from Kari Lake. But when it comes to key issues, like the freedom to have an abortion, Taylor Robson and Kari Lake share the same extreme views. In the month following the Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade, Karrin Taylor Robson and Kari Lake have been eagerly battling it out to prove which one of them will take away the freedom to abortion as the most radical, anti-choice candidate.

“Kari Lake and Karrin Taylor Robson’s shared extremist views on abortion are going to be disastrous and life-threatening for Arizonans,” said Josselyn Berry, spokesperson for the Arizona Democratic Party. “Their frenzied desire to ban abortion in all almost all cases flies in the face of the majority of Arizonans who want abortion to remain legal and accessible. We need to take them at their word, and realize ­­­if they get to the governor’s office, they will absolutely eliminate access to abortion care for Arizonans.”

Lake Has Made Her Stance on Abortion Clear–In a June interview on Fox News, Kari Lake made it clear she supports banning abortion pills.  It’s well-established that medication abortion — also called the abortion pill — is a safe and effective way to end an early pregnancy.  Lake responded to the SCOTUS decision by saying she supports the 1901 Arizona law that would require a minimum of two years of prison for abortion providers and doesn’t include exceptions for rape or incest. Lake has previously called abortion the “ultimate sin” and pledged to sign a “carbon copy” of the Texas ban on abortion, that does NOT include exceptions for rape or incest.
Taylor Robson Opposes  Exceptions for Rape and Incest– Laurie Roberts at the Arizona Republic pointed out how Taylor Robson has said she supports both the Texas ban on abortion, and the 15-week Arizona ban on abortion–Both laws have no exceptions for rape or incest.
Agreeing to Ban Abortion Pills–During the first and only GOP gubernatorial debate, both Kari Lake and Karrin Taylor Robson said they support and would enforce Arizona’s 1901 ban on abortion, which would prohibit the procedure in nearly all cases, at all stages and would criminalize and imprison doctors who perform it. Then they both took it a step further and said they’d also ban abortion pills.
Downplaying Rape– During an interview the day SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade, Karrin Taylor Robson shrugged off the need for exceptions for rape and incest. When asked by KTAR if she would support an exception for abortion in the case of a 14-year-old being raped and impregnated by her step-father, Robson said, “the instance of pregnancies occurring in violent situations are extremely rare. In fact, it’s estimated about, you know, [in] less than two percent of those situations do a pregnancy occur.” During the interview, Taylor Robson also called the overturning of Roe “a victory” and suggested abortions could be punishable with prison time by equating them to murder.

More Background on the Candidate’s Extreme Stances on Abortion:

• Karrin Taylor Robson says “Roe v Wade should be overturned” – During a Center for Arizona Policy forum Taylor Robson said, “Absolutely, Roe v Wade should be overturned. Arizona is already the most pro-life state in the nation, and when I’m Governor, I will work to make sure the culture of life continues and strengthens to protect those among us who are most vulnerable.”
• Karrin Taylor Robson: Abortion bans are “a victory for life” – In a statement, Karrin Taylor Robson celebrated Texas’s abortion ban as a  “Victory for Life” and “a huge step forward in protecting women and children from the horrors of abortion.”
• Kari Lake would put abortion providers in jail – Arizona’s 1901 law, which Lake  thinks is “a great law” would require a minimum of two years of prison for abortion providers.
• Kari Lake on overturning Roe V Wade – “Personally Am 100% Pro-Life. I Can’t Even Fathom The Thought Of Taking The Life Of The Most Innocent in the mother’s womb. But each state will decide, each state should decide.” [Newsmax TV: Rob Schmitt Tonight, 5/4/22]
• Kari Lake Said She Would Sign a “Carbon Copy” of the Texas Abortion Ban “In A Heartbeat” – According to the State Press, “Lake also talked about Texas’ recent abortion bill, a law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, and said the Arizona Legislature should pass a ‘carbon copy’ as soon as possible. Lake explained she is ‘unapologetically pro-life.’” The Texas law does NOT include exceptions for rape or incest.