Reinette LeJeune
With the midterm elections just around the corner, candidates are solidifying their stances and preparing for what will ultimately decide the direction Arizona heads towards in the coming years. With the Supreme Court draft opinion leak months ago, all eyes are anxiously keeping watch over what could be the next step towards a future where abortion rights are poised to be struck down. Republican candidates all across the ballot have campaigned on severe punishment for those seeking abortion services, but let’s do a little run down on the most important seats opening this coming November. .
U.S. Senate: Mark Kelly/Democrat:
The incumbent, Mark Kelly won a special election in 2020 to serve the final two years of the late Sen. John McCain’s term in office. Painted as an extremist by GOP candidates – Kelly is more an earth-bound realist who believes that abortion should be accessible to any who requires the service. He voted in favor of advancing the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would have protected the right to access abortion care throughout the state by writing into law the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. The legislation was not passed after a 49-51 vote in the Senate.
U.S. Senate: Mark Brnovich/Republican:
Arizona’s attorney general has spent much of his campaign courting former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, entertaining and officially investigating conspiracies of election fraud and a debunked report to the Arizona Senate’s so-called audit, regardless that investigations done on the subject have reported no signs of election tampering from Democrats. When it comes to abortion rights, Mark Brnovich believes in government having absolute control over pregnant bodies, and hopes to put any medical official who performs abortion services to be thrown in prison.
U.S. Senate: Jim Lamon/Republican:
A largely self-funded candidate, Jim Lamon has burst into the lead for the GOP nomination to the U.S. Senate in recent months thanks in large part to his wealth — he reportedly spent $3.8 million on advertisements so far ahead of Arizona’s Aug. 2 primary. Jim Lamon has stated that if he is elected to office he will fight to pass legislation that stops taxpayer funding for abortion, promotes adoption, eliminates (as he puts it) the economic drivers that push people to seek abortion, and to provide support to expecting parents. His views, however, conflict with Arizona’s history of treating life after birth as personal problems.
U.S. Senate: Blake Masters/Republican:
The Peter Thiel acolyte may be running behind in most polls, but he appears to be No. 1 for the races’ most coveted endorsement — that of Donald Trump. After the draft of the Supreme Court hearings was leaked, Masters commented that the original decision of Roe v. Wade was “absolutely horrible,” citing that the constitution does not mention abortion. He has been outspoken about supporting anti-abortion legislation should he take office, and although he believes the matter should be left to the states, he has equally said that he doesn’t think an outright ban is enough and that we should go further. He hopes to push a federal personhood law through office that would deem fertilized eggs, zygotes, embryos, and fetuses as persons and give them full constitutional protections, while anyone seeking or providing abortions will be severely punished as murderers.
AZ Gubernatorial: Katie Hobbs/Democrat:
Arizona Secretary of State, Katie Hobbs, has been a long-time supporter of accessible and safe abortion rights. Recently, she released her “Bans Off Arizona” plan that aims to protect and expand access to reproductive health care in anticipation of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. “I will fearlessly work to increase access to abortion services and reproductive care, use my veto pen to oppose any restrictive and extreme measures coming from the legislature, and make sure that women and families have the resources they need to thrive right here in Arizona.”
AZ Gubernatorial: Marco Lopez/Democrat:
A former mayor of Nogales while in his 20s, Marco López has also led the Arizona-Mexico Commission and worked in the Arizona Department of Commerce under former Gov. Janet Napolitano. He has been a strong supporter of abortion rights, stating regularly, “Anyone should have the right to safely access abortion services. Period. This underscores how important it is that our next governor and state legislature work together to enshrine this right into our state constitution so that all Arizonans are able to safely access abortions.”
AZ Gubernatorial: Kari Lake/Republican:
Kari Lake is a local TV news anchor of 22 years for FOX10, now gunning for the GOP bid for governor. Echoing the sentiments of Donald Trumps’ campaigns, she is running with a “Arizona First” slogan – equally pushing false narratives of 2020 election conspiracies. She believes that abortion is “the ultimate sin,” promising for the pushing of extreme anti-abortion legislation, without giving any specifics about how extreme she plans to be. She also believes that the birth of an infant takes priority over the mother’s life. She is currently the front-runner for the GOP nomination after receiving Donald Trumps’ endorsement for office.
AZ Gubernatorial: Scott Neely/Republican:
A small business owner and laborer who started his career working for his family’s building materials, concrete equipment and supplies company, Neely states that he is running in order to serve “everyone” in Arizona. A pro-life defendent, Neely has stated that abortion is murder, and plans to outright ban abortion services should he take office. He believes that life begins at conception and thus pregnant people should be forced to give birth in order to preserve the “sanctity of life,” regardless of the dangers that birth could pose on the mother.
