Republican Kari Lake and Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego faced off in Arizona’s first and only Senate debate, exchanging sharp words over border security, tax policy, abortion, and more. Gallego accused Lake of election denialism and lack of honesty, while Lake criticized his progressive past and congressional record. The candidates targeted old-line Republicans and independents, with Gallego highlighting support from prominent Arizona Republicans and Lake banking on former President Trump’s endorsement.
The debate focused largely on immigration and border security, with Gallego emphasizing the importance of strong border control and Lake using the tragic case of Laken Riley to underscore the need for security measures. Lake positioned herself as a strong supporter of Trump’s border policies, while Gallego touted a bipartisan border security bill that Lake opposed.
Abortion was another key issue in the debate, with Gallego calling out Lake’s flip-flop on Arizona’s 1864 abortion ban and Lake emphasizing the need to protect in vitro fertilization. Both candidates tried to appeal to female voters by discussing reproductive rights.
After the debate, Lake’s campaign claimed victory, while Gallego criticized her as weak and accused her of being dishonest. The candidates have been emphasizing each other’s past records and statements throughout the campaign, with Lake focusing on Gallego’s progressive ties and Gallego highlighting Lake’s election denialism.
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