Kari Lake says Congress should have no role in writing abortion laws

U.S. Senate hopeful Kari Lake said Congress should have no role in writing abortion laws, and that her restrictive views on the issue have not changed since her gubernatorial run.

In an interview with ABC 15 published Wednesday, the Republican candidate said the roles of a senator and the governor are different, but her thinking on abortion rights, which has included enthusiastic support for Arizona’s territorial-era, near-total ban on abortion, remains the same.

Lake suggested that aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia contributes to abortions in the U.S. and said that women entering abortion clinics need to be informed of options other than abortion.

Lake’s extended comments spell out in more detail her thinking on a subject that remains one of the most polarizing in American politics and one that has been a political winner for Democrats across the country.

“Abortion laws should be written at the state level. This is why many people wanted the repeal of the unconstitutional Roe v. Wade,” Lake said. “The states should write the abortion laws, and then the executive should uphold the laws. That’s how it works. That’s how the system works.”

“As a senator,” Lake continued, “I won’t get to come into Arizona and tell them what to do. I believe each state should make that decision.”

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Lake is among those running for the Senate seat held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz. Sinema, who has supported abortion rights throughout her political career, hasn’t officially said whether she will seek another six-year term.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., also is running as a vocal supporter of abortion rights. Mark Lamb, the Pinal County sheriff who is also seeking the GOP nomination in the Senate race, has cast himself against abortion rights.

In her extended comments on the matter, Lake seemed to stake out the final position taken by Blake Masters, the 2022 Republican nominee whose rhetoric on the issue shifted several times head of his eventual loss to U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.

Masters’ views included support for a federal personhood law that some have wanted to shield abortions beginning at conception to supporting states’ rights to set their own limits.

From the outset, Lake maintained, “I haven’t changed, actually,” on the issue of abortion since her gubernatorial run, including her view on the territorial law.

As a gubernatorial candidate, Lake said she was “incredibly thrilled” about Arizona following its territorial-era law that “will prohibit abortion in Arizona except to save the life of a mother.”

An Arizona Court of Appeals ruling last year held that the state’s 2022 law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy is the proper statute on the matter, not the 1864 territorial ban.

That overturned a ruling by a Pima County Superior Court judge who sided with then-Attorney General Mark Brnovich to hold the 19^th Century law was in effect.

The matter remains on appeal to the Arizona Supreme Court.

Abortion-rights advocates are seeking to let Arizona voters decide on whether to ratify a state constitutional provision protecting access to abortions.

In exit polling last year, the Associated Press found that about two thirds of Arizona voters said that the U.S. Supreme Court ruling erasing federal abortion rights was an important factor in their vote. Those voters broke heavily for Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who narrowly defeated Lake, the AP found.

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In September, Lake told the Wall Street Journal she opposes abortion, supports Arizona’s current 15-week ban in most cases and would oppose a federal ban.

This week Lake continued to discuss abortion in economic and federal policy terms as well, as she did in her campaign kickoff last month.

“But what I really take issue with is the Democrats who say they’re pro-choice,” Lake said. “They have a real funny way with using words. I don’t really understand what choices they’re giving women when they’re only giving them one choice when they walk into an abortion clinic. And frankly it is the most tragic choice.

“I believe we need to give women real choices. Let them know there are options for financial help if you feel you can’t afford the baby,” Lake continued.

She suggested that women have chosen abortion because of financial considerations imposed on them because the U.S. has supplied tens of billions of aid to Ukraine in its war with Russia.

Lake cast herself as a proud mother and champion of children.

“I support women and babies. I’m from a family of eight girls and we’ve got lots of nieces and nephews,” she said. “I think motherhood is the greatest gift. I challenge you to find any mother out there who won’t tell you … it is the greatest gift, the greatest joy in her life, being a mother.

“I support trying to save as many babies as possible.”

In Scottsdale last month, Lake emphasized her opposition to abortion rights, but was vague about what she preferred to see.

She drew the same lines connecting abortion and aid to Ukraine and said Republicans need to be “helping women and saving babies,” though she didn’t spell out what that would mean.

Lake prefaced her campaign kickoff comments on abortion by acknowledging it has been a difficult subject for her party.

“There’s been a lot of talk about abortion,” she said then. Usually people don’t bring that up as a Republican. They try to steer away from it. Well, we’re going to talk about that.”

She has expressed support for the ongoing blockade on military promotions by Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., who opposes a Pentagon policy reimbursing travel costs for women in the military who are located in places where they cannot have an abortion.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kari Lake says no federal role for abortion-related laws