Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, Cropped by Resist the Mainstream

US Senate candidate and ally of Donald Trump Kari Lake has reversed her stance on Arizona's strict abortion ban, which she previously supported.

In a video posted on X, Lake stated, “This total ban on abortion the Arizona supreme court just ruled on is out of line with where the people of this state are. I agree with President Trump—this is such a personal and private issue.”

The Arizona Supreme Court recently enforced a civil war-era law that bans abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest, allowing abortions only if the mother's life is at risk.

Trump commented on the ruling, saying, “That’ll be straightened out, and as you know, it’s all about states’ rights.”

Lake's shift in position highlights the division within the Republican Party over abortion, an issue expected to be crucial in the 2024 race.

She previously expressed support for the law after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, stating in a 2022 interview, “I’m incredibly thrilled that we are going to have a great law that’s already on the books.” An adviser to Lake claimed she was referring to a different law, despite her citing the number of the 1864 code.

The near-total ban on abortion has become a political challenge for Republicans, as some believe it may drive moderate voters towards Democrats and mobilize young voters and voters of color. Former Republican Governor Doug Ducey, who appointed the conservative justices that ruled the ban enforceable, said the court went too far. Support for abortion in the US remains strong, with 69% of Americans believing it should generally be legal in the first three months of pregnancy.

Lake has distanced herself from her past comments and called for lawmakers to find a “commonsense solution” that Arizonans can support.

She personally opposes abortion but supports exceptions for rape and incest. She reiterated her support for overturning Roe and stated that if elected to the Senate, she would oppose federal funding for abortion and a federal ban on abortion, emphasizing that she would focus on securing borders, strengthening families, and helping Trump “make America great again.”