Kari Lake challenges Ruben Gallego to debate her on abortion. Here's what to know

Republicans have been on defense around the future of abortion rights in Arizona, but U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake tried Friday to go on the offensive by challenging her likely Democratic opponent Ruben Gallego to a debate on the topic.

Gallego, a five-term member of Congress, quickly rejected the offer, but Lake's Republican rival used the occasion to renew his calls for her to debate him.

The debate over debates unfolded a day after Gov. Katie Hobbs signed into law a bill to repeal Arizona's near-total ban on abortions that dates to 1864. Last month, the Arizona Supreme Court upheld the 19th-century law as the one that goes back into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court erased federal abortion rights in 2022.

Lake, the Republican front-runner, unambiguously supported the 19th-century measure during her 2022 gubernatorial campaign, but called for its repeal after the state court's ruling, a move that has brought her criticism from conservatives who expected her not to endorse abortions under any circumstances.

On Friday in Phoenix, Lake labeled herself “pro-family” as she called for a debate.

“I am officially challenging my opponent Ruben Gallego to a one-on-one debate on the issue of abortion. We owe it to the people of this state, not just to state our policy but to defend our policies. And I'm willing to do that,” Lake told reporters.

Hannah Goss, a Gallego campaign spokesperson, quickly rejected the idea of a special debate.

“There’s nothing to debate. Kari Lake’s record is clear: She supports the 1864 ban with no exceptions for rape or incest and called on sheriffs to enforce it,” Goss said in a written statement.

While Gallego declined Lake’s invitation to a debate, the campaign for Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who is challenging her for the Republican nomination, said Lake won’t debate him.

“Kari Lake has got herself over her skis on this one,” said Ed Morabito, senior adviser to the Lamb campaign. “She’s refused every request to debate Mark Lamb in the Republican primary. It’s a bit disappointing that she continues to refuse to admit she has a primary opponent. The vast majority of Republicans want a primary debate, and Sheriff Lamb is ready and willing to debate her at any time.”

Lamb recently told The Arizona's Republic's politics podcast "The Gaggle" that he supported the 1864 ban. “Obviously things have changed since 1864," he said, "but I also think that any law that defends life to the maximum is something I like. I do believe that they got it right when they took it out of the hands of the federal government.”

The debate issue comes as Lake has largely consolidated the support of official Senate Republicans, in addition to former President Donald Trump. Trump has called for President Joe Biden to debate him, but Lake has sidestepped Lamb's calls.

In her 2022 gubernatorial run, Lake called Hobbs, a Democrat, a “coward” for refusing to debate her.

In effect, Lake is seeking a reset on an issue that has reignited concerns on the right that abortion rights could pull down Republican candidates. Voters in several states, including Republican-leaning ones like Kansas and Ohio, have rejected efforts to impose greater restrictions on abortions since the federal rollback from the U.S. Supreme Court.

After Arizona's highest court reimposed the 1864 law, Lake said Arizona's territorial-era ban was “not where the people are” and she called for exceptions for rape and incest, in addition to saving the life of the mother. She later said it was "unfortunate" the law wouldn't be fully enforced and said it wouldn't matter because women could travel to another state for the procedure.

“My goal is simple. I want to save as many babies as possible and I want to help women. I want to help them so that they know there are other options available,” Lake said, repeating a stance she has often outlined since she entered the Senate race in October.

Her own words: Here's everything that Senate candidate Kari Lake has had to say about abortion rights

Lake said her preferred plan would look similar to that of Hungary’s. Lake said that the European country gives tax rebates called “baby bonuses” to its citizens for getting married, having a child, or to grandparents who are willing to raise their grandchildren.

“I will be the most pro-family U.S. senator in the country,” Lake said. ”I want to explore these options when I get to D.C. and I want to move on them when I get to D.C. So it's more than just talk, it's actions that help women, babies, family and children. I will put forth policies that help women. So they know there is financial help. I will let them know there's adoptive services available and true choices out there so they can make a better educated decision. We're going to push pro-family policies that make it easier for people to start families.”

Lake also said that as senator she would oppose federal funding of abortion and federal banning of abortion. Lake pointed to Gallego, saying that he voted to spend “hundreds of millions of federal tax dollars on abortion.”

“He has the most extreme abortion stance of any politician that is running in America and guess what guys, he has a voting record to prove it. He supports abortion up until the moment of birth. That's a fact,” Lake said.

Gallego has said he supports abortion rights reverting to what existed under the Roe v. Wade era that began in 1973 and ended with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2022.

Valerie Turley, a founder of America Pack, a conservative group that works to mobilize voters for what it calls an America-first agenda, said Lake participated in her organization’s 2022 gubernatorial debate but isn’t doing so this time.

“We did invite Ms. Lake to participate. Her team didn’t decline; they just didn’t respond,” Turley said Friday. “From her perspective, she thinks she’s won already, just like she thinks she's governor.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake wants to debate Ruben Gallego but not GOP rival Mark Lamb