Kari Lake has appeared to soften her stance on abortion on Saturday, walking back past praise for aggressive restrictions in a move that reflected how much of a poisoned arrow the issue has become for the Republican Party. Lake, a Trump-aligned ArizonaSenate candidate who in 2021 advocated for a 6-week abortion ban, told NBC News this week that she thinks Arizona’s current 15-week abortion limit is “a good law.” She also reversed her previous support for Arizona’s territorial rule, which is a near-total abortion ban under court review, and said the federal government should let the states decide how to treat abortion access. The issue is a focal point in elections across the country this year, and Lake has already lost one contest over her restrictive stance when she ran for governor in 2022. Her opponent, Democrat Ruben Gallego, warned voters against her new statements. “Kari Lake will say anything to get elected, but her actions are clear,” a spokesperson for his campaign said. “Arizonans won’t be fooled by her attempts to erase her record.”
