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Lake Confronts Gallego: Border Crisis, Divorce, and a Pledge to Defend Abortion Rights in Senate Showdown

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In Arizona’s Senate race, the primary candidates faced off in a debate organized by the Arizona Clean Elections Commission on Wednesday. Kari Lake and Ruben Gallego engaged in a spirited exchange, primarily focusing on immigration and border policies.

Throughout the nearly hour-long debate, Lake and Gallego also touched on critical issues like the economy, abortion, energy, and water. Notably, Lake reiterated her belief that she won the 2022 gubernatorial election, a claim that continues to be a point of contention.

Lake’s approach during the debate involved frequently interrupting Gallego and the moderators. Gallego characterized her comments as “personal attacks,” highlighting his divorce and alleged workplace grievances as examples.

Post-debate, Caroline Wren, a senior advisor for Lake, proclaimed the event a “decisive victory.” Meanwhile, Gallego critiqued Lake unequivocally, stating, “I think we all saw who Kari Lake is, which is someone who will lie.”

Gallego opened with a personal narrative, discussing his upbringing and military service. He contrasted his background with Lake’s stance on issues like immigration, asserting that her claims portrayed Arizona as unsafe, mainly due to illegal immigration. Lake, for her part, criticized what she termed the failings of “career politicians.”

The debate delved into the contentious topic of border security. Moderators initiated the discussion by asking Gallego about the necessity of a border wall. He expressed that while the wall is part of a broader security strategy, it must be supported by resources in personnel and technology. Lake countered, pointing to Gallego’s previous dismissive comments regarding border walls, emphasizing her commitment to completing former President Trump’s border initiatives.

Shifting focus, the candidates debated immigration policies and resource allocations for border communities. Lake accused Gallego of expending funds on non-governmental organizations, which she argued diverts resources from local communities and encourages deeper immigrant settlement. Gallego challenged Lake’s engagement with these communities, suggesting she prioritized events at Mar-A-Lago over actual border visits.

In the abortion discussion, Gallego affirmed his intention to codify Roe v. Wade protections into law. He criticized Lake’s previous comments on abortion legislation and her support for bans, claiming she celebrated the demise of Roe. Lake maintained that abortion decisions should be left to state jurisdictions, reiterating her opposition to a national ban.

The debate escalated with Lake’s insinuations of Gallego’s alleged harassment incidents, alongside personal details of his divorce from Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego. Gallego responded, dismissing her attacks and stating, “I’m not going to go through it point by point.” Lake, undeterred, expressed her willingness to engage on those topics further.

On economic matters, Lake linked financial issues to border security, while Gallego touted his efforts to reduce prescription drug prices and opposed corporate mergers he believes would hurt consumers. Discussions about energy and water revealed diverging views: Lake advocated for increased drilling, whereas Gallego proposed nuclear energy and progressive water reclamation initiatives. Gallego accused Lake of climate change denial, pushing her for clarity on her election loss.

Following the debate, Gallego answered questions from the media, refusing to clarify his political identity as a progressive. He criticized Lake for failing to directly address whether she won or lost the last gubernatorial election. Lake did not speak to reporters after the event, delegating comments to proxies including Wren.

Wren noted that Lake would hold a press conference in Scottsdale the following day to discuss the debate’s implications and to represent her views directly.