Both Hobbs, Lake join ‘Face the Nation’ to talk top topics

PHOENIX — Both gubernatorial nominees in Arizona appeared on “Face the Nation” Sunday morning to discuss top topics in the state.

Republican nominee for governor Kari Lake and Democratic nominee Katie Hobbs appeared in a one-on-one interview with CBS News’ Major Garrett where they were asked about leading issues in the state, according to polling.

Those issues included border security, immigration and abortion.

Garrett asked Lake about the compact she called for which would be a group of states that would carry out their own border security, separate from the federal government, and would include arrest and detention.

“If you know the Constitution, you know that Article 4, Section 4 calls for the federal government to protect us from invasion, and under Joe Biden’s lack of leadership, we just aren’t seeing that,” Lake said.

She added that she believes the cartels and Narco terrorist groups have operation control, smuggling people and trafficking children and fentanyl.

“And so we’re going to invoke our Article One, Section 10, basically, authority to take care of our own border and protect our own border. It’s right there in black and white in the Constitution. And we meet all three criteria, we have an invasion, our people are in imminent danger, and time is of the essence. There’s no time for delay,” Lake said.

With or without the assistance of other states, the Republican nominee said the state would push forward to prevent an ongoing crisis at the border.

“I’ve already talked to some other governors and they’re- they’re vowing to help us out wherever they can, because they realize that what comes into Arizona, fentanyl, people coming here illegally, children being trafficked, doesn’t stay in Arizona, it goes to all 50 states … We’re losing more people to fentanyl in Arizona, since Joe Biden took office than we lost in 9/11 or during COVID,” Lake said.

Opponent Hobbs, adamant on not facing Lake on the debate stage, said Arizona has borne the brunt of decades of inaction from both parties in Washington.

Hobbs added: “Biden does need to step up immigration and border security. Absolutely. Arizona is bearing the brunt of- of illegal drug trafficking, gun trafficking and smuggling. And we do need more border security.”

She also said more comprehensive immigration reform should be done as “both parties in Congress have been dragging their feet to get this done.”

CBS News polling suggested abortion was another leading topic in the state, and Lake walked back a recent comment on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show that abortion should be rare and legal.

“We need to draw the line. We need to draw the line somewhere. I am going to be the executive of the state, the chief executive officer, and I will follow the law. The law right now as it stands is Governor Ducey’s law at 15 weeks, so we’ll follow the law,” Lake said.

She added that though she is in favor of women’s health care, she doesn’t believe women are being given choices.

“I’m for giving women true choices. And when they walk into an abortion center, they’re only given one choice,” Lake explained. “And they’re not told that you have the choice to keep your baby, and we can help and here’s how. Or we can help you find a loving family who will adopt your baby. I want to give women true choices.”

The Democratic candidate said she believes the decision shouldn’t be in the hands of government and politicians and should be made between a woman and her doctor.

“We need to let doctors perform the care that they are trained and take an oath to perform,” Hobbs said.

With Hobbs saying she won’t debate her opponent, Lake will be interviewed on Wednesday by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission at 5 p.m.

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