Kris Mayes, the Democratic candidate for Arizona's Attorney General, joined Cheddar News to discuss what's at stake in the midterm elections.

Arizona AG Candidate Discusses Midterms, Abortion, and Election Deniers

chris Mays, Democratic candidate for the Attorney general of Arizona is now joining us. So chris, thank you so much for joining us. We've been talking about some of the key issues in the midterms which include inflation, abortion and more. So how are these issues coming into play into your race or are there other concerns that are dominating the conversation? Hi Michelle, thanks. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. All of those issues are playing out here in Arizona. But as you know, abortion is a huge issue here in my state where um the republicans have been pushing for an 18 60 for abortion ban. That would require that doctors nurses, pharmacists, even Patel, eventually women be put in jail for up to five years for abortion care. Obviously this is an insane law. It's not something that, you know, the majority of Arizonans want to see happen. And so, you know, what I've said is attorney general is we will never prosecute a doctor or a nurse or a woman for abortion care. Um, and that's because our constitution out here in Ariz and it has an express right to privacy. You know, other issues are playing out as well uh in my race and in all of the races in Arizona including protecting our democracy. We believe, I believe american democracy runs through the state of Arizona. We have the top three republicans running for statewide office, including my opponent, our election deniers. They have all said they would not have certified the 2020 election in my state and all three were endorsed by Donald Trump, you know, and because there's a reason for that, Donald Trump wants these guys in place in 2020 for well, I want to point out something. Speaking of Donald Trump, you were Republican until you switch parties in 2019. What made you want to make that switch and then pursue office in your home state? Well, I tell you, you know, I was I was a Republican for for for most of my adult life for 30 years. I was a Republican here in Arizona, but the Republican party just has left moderates like me. And that's it's a really sad thing to see. It's um you know, I think terrible for the Republican party, it's terrible for our our republic for our democracy. We need a two party system where both parties are healthy but the republican party isn't healthy anymore. This is a Party that is controlled almost entirely by Donald Trump and in my state it is nominating and electing in nominating and electing in primaries, election deniers, people who believe that the 2020 election was rigged um and people who I think would be willing to engage in another coup attempt in our country and that's why the attorney general race here in Arizona is so so critical, we have to have an A g who will take these guys to court in in 2024 if they try to do in Arizona what they tried to do in 2020 by sending a fake set of electors to, to, to Congress. Um, we can't let that happen. And the people of Arizona are not going to let it happen on november 8th. Now, I want to talk to you about a heated conversation which is the abortion battle. It's been front and center in Arizona. How would you work to protect women's reproductive rights as attorney general of Arizona? Absolutely. It is a topic of conversation and great concern amongst women. Doctors, nurses. Um, I have heard from doctors and nurses all across the state of Arizona who are really in a state of chaos because our republican ally elected officials are trying to jam this 18 64 ban um, down our throats and jam it on on to the state of Arizona, which of course is crazy. Um, and what I've said is I've got 12 point plan to protect reproductive rights, including the fact that we will not prosecute under this ban anyone doctor, nurse, pharmacist, a midwife, a woman. Um, I've also said we're going to not participate in the extradition of a woman to another state that might want to prosecute her or extradite a woman back to Arizona for a prosecution. I said, I'm going to issue guidance on how women need to take care of their digital privacy. So, you know, the advising folks on things like Turn off your cell phones when you're going to a to a clinic or a hospital or a doctor's office or a pharmacy. I mean, it's really crazy that we're even having to talk about these kinds of things that we are, we are in a situation in which Republicans are trying to take us back to 1864. This is 2020, it's not 1864 and that's where we find ourselves in some states like Arizona. So this is top of mind for Arizona women, it is really going to be an issue. I think that both women and men carry with them into the ballot into the ballot booth. I think you're right that it's top of mind for voters everywhere. So thank you to chris May, she's the Democratic candidate for Arizona Attorney general.