By Peggy Neely | Point of View
I’ve spent my career as a proud member of the Republican Party.
For 12 years, I proudly served on the Phoenix City Council, eventually working my way up to vice mayor. Throughout it all, I put our city and state above my partisan affiliation.
With the upcoming senate election in Arizona, I feel called upon to carry on that spirit because Kari Lake is simply too extreme for Arizona.
Freedom is at the heart of Arizona stands for and what Republicans used to stand for. Ruben Gallego embodies the value of freedom more than Kari Lake ever will.
He’s fought for our freedoms as a veteran of the Marine Corps and as a long-time public servant, he’s carried on that fight. His esteemed career of service for Arizona could not present any stronger contrast with Kari Lake and her extremism.
And let me be clear, Kari Lake is truly extreme. After losing the 2022 gubernatorial election, she refused to accept the results, declaring herself the rightful governor. Today, even as she runs for Senate, Kari is still trying to get herself placed as governor. She simply refuses to accept the will of Arizonans.
Her lack of trust in Arizonans is just as apparent in her extreme plan to ban abortion. Kari was open – gleeful, even – about her support for our state’s Civil War-era abortion ban without exceptions or rape or incest. Kari doesn’t trust Arizonan women to make deeply personal decisions about their own bodies.
Ruben could not present a stronger contrast to Kari Lake. He has championed women’s reproductive rights because he understands that these decisions are private, personal, and never easy. On issues across the board, Ruben has put Arizonans before himself. He’s worked to pass bipartisan legislation to improve our state’s infrastructure, bring jobs to Arizona, and secure the southern border.
I’ve known Ruben for decades. Although we may not agree in every policy area, I trust him to respect our rights and freedoms as Arizona’s next senator and to be a leader for all Arizonans open to opposing viewpoints. Kari Lake, meanwhile, has made clear that she’s only in it for herself – to gain the power to impose her worldview on the personal lives of Arizonans.
To my fellow Republicans in our great state: we do not have to accept this. This election is about more than just politics. Our freedoms are on the line, and protecting them is more important than falling in line for out-of-touch politicians. I refuse to sit idly by as our party is hijacked by extremists whose agendas fly in the face of conservative values.
If Kari Lake is elected to the Senate, she will drag Arizona women back decades — centuries, even. more.
This fall, join me in stopping Kari from getting anywhere close to elected office. With an esteemed career in public service, Ruben Gallego has always put our state first, and I look forward to seeing him elected as Arizona’s next Senator.
Editor’s Note: Ms. Neely is a registered Republican and former vice mayor of Phoenix
