Washington — Arizona gubernatorial candidates Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, and Kari Lake, a Republican, mentioned Sunday on "Face the Nation" the highest points going through voters within the state one month forward of Election Day, making their pitch for why they need to function Arizona's chief govt in one of the crucial intently watched races this cycle.
A CBS Information ballot of seemingly voters printed Wednesday discovered Hobbs and Lake deadlocked at 49%. Amongst registered voters in Arizona, Lake, nonetheless, trails Hobbs by 9 factors on how she handles herself personally.
Hobbs, who serves as Arizona's secretary of state, declined an invite to debate Lake, who has embraced former President Donald Trump's false claims the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
Hobbs instructed "Face the Nation" throughout an interview Sunday she has "no need to be part of the spectacle" surrounding her Republican gubernatorial opponent and accused Lake of making a "circus" that doesn't profit Arizona voters.
"At this level within the race with 30 days to go, our schedule when it comes to boards is just about set. And I am actually pleased with the place we're within the plans we've got to proceed speaking on to the voters of Arizona," she mentioned.
However Lake, who will take part in a one-on-one interview Wednesday, mentioned she has agreed to take part in "any and all" debates with Hobbs.
"I might find it irresistible if she would present up as a result of I feel there's lots of vital points that the folks of Arizona want to listen to about," she mentioned.
Each Lake and Hobbs appeared on "Face the Nation" for back-to-back interviews, throughout which they mentioned the highest points going through voters. Here is what they needed to say.
- Transcript: Kari Lake, Arizona gubernatorial candidate, on "Face the Nation"
- Transcript: Katie Hobbs, Arizona gubernatorial candidate, on "Face the Nation"
Immigration
Lake has proposed Arizona be part of a compact with different like-minded states to hold out immigration enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border and mentioned that she has spoken with different governors who've pledged to assist Arizona.
"Article 4, Part 4 requires the federal authorities to guard us from invasion, and below Joe Biden's lack of management, we simply aren't seeing that," she instructed "Face the Nation." "And we've got an invasion at our border, the cartels, these narco-terrorist teams have operational management. And so they're utilizing Arizona to smuggle folks, to site visitors kids and to site visitors probably the most harmful drug we have ever seen, fentanyl. And so we will invoke our Article One, Part 10, principally, authority to deal with our personal border and shield our personal border."
Lake instructed "Face the Nation" that a failure of immigration coverage by the Biden administration has led to a surge of fentanyl coming throughout the southern border, impacting not solely folks in Arizona however throughout the nation because the medicine circulate to different states.
"We're not going to again down and let our folks be overrun with medicine, watch our youngsters die," she mentioned. "We will not hold having this occur. We're dropping our younger technology. So I hope that Joe Biden does not combat us as a result of then it could actually appear to be he's on the facet of the cartels. And I do not assume he desires the folks to assume that."
Hobbs, in the meantime, mentioned Arizona has born the brunt of the failures of U.S. immigration insurance policies, however she instructed "Face the Nation" that there was "unhealthy" immigration coverage for many years.
"Trump has centered his entire immigration coverage round ending the wall and it isn't performed. However Biden does must step up immigration and border safety. Completely," she mentioned. "Arizona is bearing the brunt of unlawful drug trafficking, gun trafficking and smuggling. And we do want extra border safety. It isn't going to get performed by declaring an invasion on the border or dismantling the F.B.I., which is one other factor that my opponent has referred to as for."
Hobbs criticized Lake's plan, saying her positions are "empty rhetoric."
"She's not providing actual options. When she talked about invoking the constitutional authority of the state, she's speaking about declaring an invasion at our southern border," she mentioned. "That might do completely nothing to extend border safety, however it could deliver untold ranges of chaos into our state. It isn't an actual answer."
Abortion
The CBS Information ballot discovered the 60% of Arizona voters imagine abortion must be authorized in all or most circumstances, and abortion is a prime concern for Democratic voters within the state, although it doesn't rank as excessive amongst all voters when in comparison with the financial system, inflation or immigration.
Lake instructed "Face the Nation" that she would "comply with the regulation" on limits to abortion in Arizona, which at present prohibits the process after 15 weeks of being pregnant.
"We have to draw the road someplace. I'm going to be the chief of the state, the chief govt officer, and I'll comply with the regulation," she mentioned. "The regulation proper now because it stands is Gov. Ducey's regulation at 15 weeks, so we'll comply with the regulation."
Lake mentioned helps giving ladies decisions when confronted with an unplanned being pregnant and argued that when ladies go to abortion clinics, "they're solely given one selection."
"I'll uphold the regulation, no matter that regulation is. And I wish to see to it that we have save extra lives," she mentioned.
Hobs mentioned on "Face the Nation" that she doesn't help Arizona's 15-week abortion ban and accused Lake of "totally misconstruing" her place on abortion.
"Beneath a Kari Lake administration, we might have government-mandated compelled births that threat ladies's lives. And her place is the one which's excessive," Hobbs mentioned. "It is out of contact with the place nearly all of Arizonans are who help entry to secure and authorized abortion. And below her administration, ladies wouldn't be secure."
Hobbs mentioned abortion is a "very private determination that belongs between a girl and her physician."
"The federal government and politicians do not belong in that call, we have to let medical doctors carry out the care that they're educated and take an oath to- to carry out," she mentioned.
The financial system
The financial system and inflation are prime points for seemingly voters in Arizona, in accordance with the CBS Information ballot, and voters most involved about immigration and the financial system favor the Republican candidate.
Hobbs mentioned she and her husband know acutely the struggles Arizona households face amid excessive shopper costs, having raised their household "by monetary ups and downs."
"We've a complete plan to deal with the rising prices that Arizonans are going through proper now that can put a refund of their pockets," she mentioned. "We lower taxes on every kind of on a regular basis gadgets like over-the-counter treatment, faculty provides, diapers, female hygiene merchandise, we offer a state stage youngster tax credit score, and tax credit for individuals who wish to return to work in larger paying jobs to get profession and technical training."
Election denialism
Arizona was among the many states key to President Biden's 2020 presidential win, and he turned the primary Democrat to win the state since 1996. The outcomes of the presidential election in Arizona have been licensed, and reaffirmed by a hand recount and assessment commissioned by Republicans within the state.
Lake, who has repeated Trump's baseless claims the 2020 election was rife with voter fraud, mentioned Sunday that there are "main issues" with the state's election system.
"We will not communicate out towards our personal elections," she mentioned. "All I am asking for is the flexibility to talk out when our authorities does one thing unsuitable. We should always have the ability to communicate out towards it."
Lake mentioned there must be "honesty" restored in elections.
Unsupported claims concerning the integrity of elections has led to threats towards election employees, and final week, a 64-year-old Iowa man was arrested after he was accused of threatening to kill Maricopa County Supervisor Clint Hickman.
Requested whether or not she helps federal and state prosecution of people that threaten election employees, Lake mentioned "anybody who threatens anybody's life must be detained and questioned."
"I feel we have to get again to the place we've got free speech and we should not be threatening folks, and I hope that they arrest that man and detain him," she mentioned.