Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego and Republican challenger Kari Lake engaged in a heated debate on Wednesday night, focusing on key issues such as illegal immigration and abortion.
Lake, trailing behind Gallego in the polls, took a more aggressive stance during the debate, while Gallego, a five-term congressman, appeared confident in his lead.
The candidates sparred over border security, with Lake endorsing a House GOP bill for tighter security, while Gallego highlighted his support for a failed bipartisan border bill negotiated earlier this year.
Gallego accused Lake of advocating for the deportation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, while Lake criticized Gallego for not wanting to deport illegal immigrants who entered the country in the past three and a half years.
During the debate, Lake emphasized the need to address the influx of unvetted individuals into the country and advocated for their deportation, excluding Dreamers from her stance. Gallego expressed support for proper deportation proceedings but emphasized protecting Dreamers.
The debate also touched on national issues such as reducing inflation and the federalization of Roe v. Wade. Gallego criticized Lake for her alleged close ties to Trump, while Lake positioned herself as a Trump ally who would restore a strong economy.
On the topic of abortion, Lake opposed a federal ban, while Gallego highlighted her support for Arizona's near-total ban. Gallego emphasized the importance of codifying Roe v. Wade to protect women's rights.
The debate coincided with the start of early voting in Arizona, with the Senate race being closely watched as a highly contested seat in this election cycle.
