GOP candidatesâ staff-turned-clean-up-crew forced to split with their candidatesâ own toxic records
Spokespeople walk back candidatesâ hardline support for abortion bans in cases of rape and incest
PHOENIXÂ â Republican candidates for governor and their campaign teams just canât figure out whether a 14-year-old girl raped by a family member should be forced to carry her attackerâs baby to term.
Karrin Taylor Robson, an out-of-touch candidate whose âwillingness to spend millions of her own moneyâ for governor and is still losing to Kari Lake, brushed off pregnant victims of rape and incest by saying:
âI believe that life begins at conception and, quite frankly, the instance of pregnancies occurring in violent situations are extremely rare. In fact, itâs estimated that in less than 2% of those situations did pregnancy occur. I would go back to making sure that every woman, regardless of their age or circumstance, knows that there are non-violent choices available to them.â
Robson opposes exceptions to rape and incest
Robson has repeatedly indicated that she has no empathy toward the 3 million women in the U.S. who will experience a rape-related pregnancy in their lifetime and has supported Arizonaâs 15-week ban as well as the Texas abortion ban, neither of which include exceptions for rape or incest:
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Asked if she supported exceptions for abortion, Robson said, there âcould be,â but failed to say if she would advocate for or require any exceptions.
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In support of Texasâ bounty hunter-style abortion ban which does not provide for an exception for rape or incest, Robson said, it was âa huge step forward in protecting women and children from the horrors of abortionâ
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In support of imprisoning women as murderers, Robson said, âWe have a situation in America now where a woman can walk into a clinic, murder her unborn child, and leave thinking itâs OK. Itâs not OK.â First and second degree murder in Arizona carry a minimum of 10 years in prison.
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Touting an extreme plan for Arizona, Robson said, she would âkeep Arizona one of the most pro-life states in the nationâ and didnât âwant a guy telling women they have to abort their babies for their career advancement.â
Robsonâs spokesman walks back candidateâs comments
But this week, Robsonâs spokesman Matt Benson had to walk back Robsonâs hugely unpopular clear opposition to an exception for rape or incest and told the Arizona Republic:
âKarrinâs position is that abortion must be outlawed except when the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest or the motherâs life is in danger.â
Lake opposes exceptions to rape and incest
Meanwhile, GOP frontrunner Lake said she opposes exceptions to abortion:
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Lake said, âIâve never heard anybody make a good case for killing a baby. And so therefore I am pro-life 100%. Iâm against abortion.â
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Voicing support for Arizonaâs 1901 pre-Roe ban which criminalizes abortion, Lake said in February, âWe have a great law on the books right now.â
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In support of Texasâ bounty hunter-style abortion ban which does not provide for an exception for rape or incest, Lake said, âI call on the Arizona legislature to put a carbon copy of Texas S.B. 8 on the Governorâs desk. If my predecessor refuses to sign it, I will do so in a heartbeat.â
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Suggesting women who have an abortion may go to hell, Lake said, âI believe that abortion is the ultimate sinâ and âthatâs my personal belief.â
Lakeâs campaign walks back candidateâs comments
Lake is willing to take the most far-flung, out-of-touch positions on everything from letting people own rocket launchers to putting cameras in classrooms, but her opposition to exceptions was even a step too far for her spokesperson.
After Fridayâs Supreme Court decision, the campaign told The Arizona Republic that âKari is pro-life but supports exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.â
Hobbs unequivocal on abortion
Arizona women deserve to know whether out-of-touch Republican candidates for governor think they should be forced to give birth after being raped, and they need to hear it directly from the candidatesâ mouths, not from their spokespeople who are worried about the blowback they will receive in November.
Meanwhile, Katie Hobbs minces no words over her stance on abortion:
âGovernors are now the final line of defense to protect access to safe and legal abortion, and itâs never been more urgent to vote for pro-choice champions at the state level. As governor, I will use my veto pen to block any legislation that compromises the right to choose, and I will do everything in my power to secure womenâs rights for the next generation.â