At least some Republicans refuse to join Kari Lake in the Great GOP Abortion Retreat

In the hours since the Arizona Supreme Court dragged us back into the 19th century, the Great Republican Retreat on abortion has been nothing short of astonishing.

There is Senate candidate Kari Lake, who just two years ago called abortion “the ultimate sin” and pronounced herself "incredibly thrilled" that the 1864 abortion ban, aka “a great law," remains on the books.

"Arizona will not be a state where abortions are happening," she declared.

Now she’s calling on Gov. Katie Hobbs and the Legislature to "come up with an immediate common sense solution that Arizonans can support.”

There is former Gov. Doug Ducey, who in 2022 signed a 15-week abortion ban that expressly left that 1864 law on the books to come roaring back to life should Roe v. Wade be overturned.

Now, he’s calling on the Legislature “to heed the will of the people and address this issue with a policy that is workable and reflective of our electorate.”

Surely, the “ultimate sin” should not be put to a public vote …

Not all Republicans are backtracking on abortion

And yet there is the very vulnerable Republican Rep. David Schweikert, who co-sponsored a bill declaring that the right to life begins at the moment of conception. Now, he’s denouncing Tuesday’s Supreme Court ruling that reinstates that 19th century ban on abortion and he's calling on the Legislature “to address this issue immediately.”

And there is Rep. Juan Ciscomani, who in 2022 hailed the demise of Roe v. Wade. On Tuesday, he called 1864 abortion ban "a disaster for women and providers."

There are Republican Sens. Shawnna Bolick, TJ Shope and a fair number of other pro-life legislators calling for a repeal of that 1864 abortion ban they intentionally left on the books -- backpedaling as if their political lives depend on it.

Possibly because they do.

Yet among the spinners and the backtrackers, the U-turners and the flip-floppers is heard a few lone voices, owning their decades of opposition to abortion.

I come now to praise Sen. Anthony Kern, the far right Glendale Republican now running for Congress, and other members of the hard right Arizona Freedom Caucus..

Yeah, I can't believe I said that either.

Kern and Freedom Caucus stick to their beliefs

You may recall Kern as the pouting legislator who stood and turned his back in January as Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in her State of the State speech urged the Legislature to repeal the 1864 law criminalizing abortion.

Maybe you saw the video on Monday of Kern leading a prayer circle on the Senate floor, wherein he and his fellow pro-life warriors spoke in tongues as they knelt around the state seal.

“Let it be so, Father God,” Kern prayed at one point, on the eve of the Supreme Court ruling.

And so it was.

Don't buy Kari Lake's concern: Over abortion ruling

And on Tuesday, as a startling number of pro-life Republicans were making tracks to flee their record and chuck their principles, there was Kern, consistent even now in his sincerely held view that abortion is wrong.

“Americans cannot expect our nation to be healed if we continue to kill our children,” Kern said on social media. “The 4-2 ruling today by the Arizona Supreme Court was the right one, and I support their decision. I will speak to the voters of CD08 and address their concerns. Make America Pray Again!”

Kern wasn’t the only one. Other members of the Arizona Freedom Caucus also held firm, saying “we will not compromise on the core value of cherishing and protecting life.”

“Sadly, it seems that some are choosing to reject the fundamental, core principle of protecting life,” the Freedom Caucus said in a statement. “Some have chosen instead to jump on the bandwagon to legalize unrestricted abortions for the first 15 weeks of pregnancy — a position that would permit 95% of all existing abortions to continue.”

They're fighting for more than their future

I may not agree with Kern and the Freedom Caucus — believing, as I do, that the intensely personal decision on whether to terminate a pregnancy should rest with a woman and her doctor.

And I certainly don’t understand “tongues,” being as I am an Episcopalian.

But I can appreciate a politician who possesses the courage of his convictions when the going gets rough, people who are willing to put their political careers on the line for that which they believe.

On Tuesday, we saw precious little of that as Republicans all over the state were diving for the bushes.

Credit to Kern and the Freedom Caucus for at least taking a stand for something other than their own political futures.

If their fellow Republicans truly believe that a fertilized egg is a baby, then their reaction -- bailing on the unborn -- is a stunner.

If they don't stand for this, their fundamental core belief, then really, what do they stand for?

Reach Roberts at [email protected]. Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRoberts.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona abortion ruling has many Republicans in full-scale retreat.