Democratic Arizona gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs spoke on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, where she essentially suggested that she supports no restrictions on abortion.
Her Republican opponent Kari Lake has called Hobbs an “extremist” over her stance on abortion, as host, Major Garrett pointed out. He probed Hobbs on whether, if elected, she would attempt to increase Arizona’s current 15-week prohibition.
In response to Lake’s comments, Arizona Secretary of State Hobbs remarked that late-term abortions are “very rare” and that Lake had misunderstood her viewpoint.
“That something terribly wrong has occurred during the pregnancy is the only reason it is even being discussed. The decision to have an abortion late in pregnancy is not something that a doctor will undertake on a whim. Hobbs called the idea that Arizona women would be subjected to “government-mandated forced births that threaten women’s lives” “That is ludicrous,” Hobbs added, “a government led by Kari Lake.
When asked how many weeks a woman would have to be pregnant before being denied an abortion, Hobbs dodged the question by replying, “Abortion is a very personal matter that belongs between a woman and her doctor.”
Politicians and the government “don’t belong in that choice,” Hobbs added. “We need to allow doctors to provide the service for which they have been educated and taken an oath.”
If a voter in Arizona were to read your prior response and infer that you do not support a time limit on abortion, would he or she be correct in drawing that conclusion? That’s what Garrett was inquiring.
A second time, Hobbs stated, “I support keeping the decision between a woman and her doctor and leaving the government absolutely out of it.”
The Hobbs camp has been contacted by Fox News Digital for comment.
Late last month, a court in Tucson ruled that prosecutors can enforce a law from 1864 that outlaws abortion unless it is essential to preserve a woman’s life, and doctors in Arizona ceased conducting abortions. In addition, new legislation approved this year in Arizona prohibits abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy, leading to questions regarding the legality of the procedure before that point.
The ruling has given Democrats more ammunition in the run-up to next month’s midterm elections. A group of Democrats in the Arizona legislature wrote to Republican Governor Doug Ducey on Tuesday, urging him to convene a special session of the Legislature to overturn the state’s abortion ban, which dates back to 1864.
Lake has praised Arizona’s entire prohibition on abortion, calling it “a terrific statute that’s currently on the books.” She has declared that abortion is “the greatest sin,” that abortion drugs should be outlawed, and that she would support a bill to outlaw abortion when fetal heart activity is identified, which often occurs around six weeks of pregnancy before many women are even aware they are pregnant.