Immigration, abortion dominate debate between Democrat Kelly, Republican Masters in Arizona Senate race: recap

Correction & clarification: A previous version of this story misquoted Mark Kelly. His full quote is: “My opponent Blake Masters, he doesn’t want to work with anybody. He doesn’t even want to work with Republicans. He calls Democrats psychopaths and that they’re evil. That’s not been the spirit of how Arizona senators work to the benefit of our state.”

Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly faced off against Republican challenger Blake Masters in a debate Thursday night hosted by Arizona PBS.

Immigration on the southern border, limits on abortion access and election integrity dominated the hourlong debate that was mostly civil but had bursts of acrimony and accusation.

Kelly, a freshman senator, is running for a full six-year term after serving only two years for winning a special election back in 2020. Masters, a venture capitalist has the backing of former President Donald Trump.

The race is one of a handful nationwide that will decide whether Republicans can reclaim the majority in the Senate. Libertarian Marc Victor is also participating in the debate.

More: With control of Senate at stake, Sen. Mark Kelly debates Blake Masters, Marc Victor

Kelly warns voters of Masters in closing statement

In his closing statement, Kelly made the election more about Masters, warning Arizona voters of the perils awaiting if his GOP challenger wins in November.

“My opponent wants a national abortion ban taking away your rights,” Kelly said. “I’m going to protect abortion. I’m going to protect your constitutional rights.”

“I served in the United States Navy for 25 years, I love our military,” Kelly alluded to Master’s earlier comments where he said there was “rot” in the military. “He said some pretty insulting things about our military.”

He closed with his own service in the U.S. Navy, telling voters his senatorship and life “has been all about service.”

- Ken Tran

Arizonans deserve better, Masters argues in closing

“We’ve been going in the wrong direction,” Masters said in his final statements, referring to the last two years Kelly has served as Arizona senator.

Masters promised voters a more secure border, increased safety and greater ability to afford their homes.

“He’s got a bunch of excuses,” he said on Kelly’s response to the issues, such as immigration and inflation, that the Republican highlighted.

Masters once again called Kelly out for what he says is a pattern of the senator consistently siding with President Biden on policy.

- Savannah Kuchar

Masters blames election controversy on "big tech" and media

When asked about the 2020 election, Masters affirmed that he believes Joe Biden is the “legitimate president.”

“Unfortunately for all of us," he quipped. “Everything is on fire and it’s Joe Biden’s fault”

Masters argued that doubts on election integrity are the fault of the media who he said lied to the public leading up to the election by not sharing information that reflected poorly on Biden.

“I suspect that changed a lot of people’s votes,” Masters said on what he believes was censorship by “big tech and big media” as well as the FBI.

Victor said Biden legitimately won the election but ... “I wish they both could’ve lost,” he said.

- Savannah Kuchar

Masters defends himself on abortion

Masters, who scrubbed his campaign site of anti-abortion language that called him “100% pro-life,” defended himself against Kelly’s attacks.

“I’m pro-life, I believe in limits,” said Masters, referring to a 15-week abortion ban recently passed in Arizona, arguing it’s a benchmark that Arizonan voters support.

“That’s where Arizonans find a reasonable place to draw the line,” Masters said.

He also said he would support a similar 15-week ban on the federal level, expressing support for a nationwide abortion ban proposed by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.

- Ken Tran

Kelly attacks Masters on abortion

Like his Democratic colleagues across the country, Kelly attacked Masters for his anti-abortion views, counting on abortion-minded voters tuning in to tonight’s debate.

“Arizona women have totally lost the right to make a decision about abortion. It’s devastating, it’s wrong.” Kelly then pointed to Masters. “It’s exactly what my opponent Blake Masters wants.”

Masters has backtracked on his language and support for abortion restrictions after winning his Republican primary back in August. Kelly blasted him for his previous views.

“Blake Masters has called abortion demonic, a religious sacrifice, he’s even said he wants to punish the doctors,” said Kelly.

Masters said he supports legislation that would ban abortions beyond 15 weeks of pregnancy

- Ken Tran

Masters can't work with others, says Kelly

The current senator argued for bipartisanship and working across the aisle, invoking the late Sen. John McCain.

In response, Masters said he would be able to work with “Democrats like Kristin Sinema,” but not “Democrats like Bernie Sanders, Chuck Schumer” due to disagreements on platform beliefs.

In his allotted time, Victor said he believes working together is necessary.

"We need to get back to civility. We shouldn't be calling each other names. And arguing across the aisle," he said. "I agree with what Senator Kelly said here. We need to work together."

- Savannah Kuchar 

Masters says 'It's carnage' at the southern border

Masters has been counting on border immigration as a hot-button issue in his election bid and it showed in his remarks.

“It’s a humanitarian disaster,” Masters said, referring to the southern border. “The women and children are raped, the men are indentured servants sold into some kind of slavery.”

“Mark Kelly and Joe Biden have not done a single thing to stop it. It’s carnage.” Masters called to finish former President Trump’s border wall and to invest in more border patrol agents.

- Ken Tran

Kelly has left the Arizona border “wide open,” Masters charges

During debate, Masters called out Kelly for voting in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act which would reduce the amount of money sent to border patrol, he said.

Kelly in response said he has "been focused on the border since day one of this job.”

In what he described as “crisis after crisis” at the border, Kelly said in his two-year term he has worked to bring on more border control agents and increase their salaries.

- Savannah Kuchar 

Inflation, on the top of voters minds, is posed to candidates

Inflation was posed first to the candidates, with Kelly immediately distancing himself from President Joe Biden.

“When the Biden administration refused to increase gas and oil production I told him he was wrong.” said Kelly, pointing to his support for increased energy production to help lower fuel costs.

Masters attributed high inflation to spending legislation Democrats passed and pointed out Phoenix’s inflation rate of 13% over the past 12 months, the highest in any city in the country.

“Joe Biden’s policies caused this and those are policies that Mark Kelly in Washington has supported every single time,” Masters said.

- Ken Tran

There is more work to be done, Kelly says in bid for another term

Elected two years ago to the Senate to finish Republican John McCain’s term, Kelly said he has worked “to cut through the red tape.”

Along with promising to bring manufacturing back to America, the more moderate Democratic candidate Kelly said he sticks up for his state by calling Democrats out when they are "wrong" on issues like border security.

Kelly called Masters dangerous for Arizona, including for his support of the proposed nationwide abortion ban.

- Savannah Kuchar 

Masters delivers opening statement

In his opening statement, Masters opened by criticizing Kelly for the record number of migrants crossing the southern border, a key issue he has staked his campaign on.

“Mark Kelly has messed everything up. Our border is in chaos,” said Masters. “We’ve got drugs and illegal aliens just pouring in. Crime is up.”

“It wasn’t like this two years ago,” Masters said.

- Ken Tran

Debate is underway

It’s 6:00 p.m. in Arizona and the debate is underway on Arizona PBS.

The three candidates, Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, Republican Blake Masters and Libertarian Marc Victor have taken their podiums for first questions and opening statements.

-  Ken Tran

Debate details

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly and challenger Blake Masters are set to meet Thursday night for an hourlong debate on Arizona PBS.

Kelly, a Democrat, was elected in 2020 to serve out the term of the late Sen. John McCain. Kelly is seeking his first full six-year term. Masters is a Republican and protege of entrepreneur and political megadonor Peter Thiel.

More: Who is Blake Masters? Here's what you need to know about the Arizona GOP Senate candidate

The election is Nov. 8, and early voting begins Oct. 12.

The debate will begin at 6 p.m. and also includes Libertarian Marc Victor. It will air statewide on Arizona PBS, other television and radio outlets and online at azpbs.org and azcentral.com. The debate will be moderated by "Arizona Horizon" host Ted Simons.

- Arizona Republic

Tens of millions already poured into race

Arizona's U.S. Senate race is seen as one of the most important in the country, one that will help decide who runs Congress' upper chamber.

The chamber is split 50-50 but Democrats hold the majority by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harris' authority to cast tie-breaking vote. (The vice president also serves as president of the Senate).

Outside groups already have spent tens of millions in the race in an effort to define the candidates on TV and cellphone screens. That makes it harder for a debate to truly surprise viewers or define those taking part.

"Kelly is the more professional politician at this stage, having been in the Senate for a while, and also his previous work with the (gun-control advocacy group) Giffords organization. He's probably more polished and less likely to make mistakes," said Barbara Norrander, a political science professor at the University of Arizona.

- Ronald J. Hansen, Arizona Republic

Border talk in a border state

Expect to hear a lot of talk about the border in Thursday night's debate. 65% of voters in the Grand Canyon State said that immigration will be a "very important" issue in considering their vote, according to a CBS News and YouGov poll.

If there's an issue that Kelly has separated himself from his Democratic colleagues, it's immigration.

Kelly has distanced himself from President Joe Biden's immigration policies, criticizing them and calling for more resources to be spent on the southern border such as hiring more border patrol agents.

In the border state of Arizona, immigration-minded voters are key to winning any statewide election.

Masters prior to winning his nomination bid in August, has promoted a version of "the great replacement" theory, a racist conspiracy theory that suggests Democrats are flooding the country with immigrants to influence elections and dilute the power of whites.

-- Ken Tran

Analyst: Masters must seize opportunity

The pressure is on the Republican challenger, said Jessica Taylor, Senate editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report in Washington, D.C.

"I think it's critical for Masters because he's less well known with voters than Kelly is, and he's got to convince independents and Republicans to stay in his camp," she said. "This is a crucial time for him to make either a good first impression with voters or reintroduce himself to them."

That may be complicated by the recent decision by a Pima County judge to reinstate the state's Civil War-era ban on nearly all abortions. It brings attention to an issue seen as problematic for Masters and away from rising gas prices and an uncertain economy more broadly, two issues that Republicans see as more favorable for them.

While issues can move around in importance throughout an election, debates don't usually settle the matter, Taylor said.

"They only matter if there's a major misstep," she said.

- Ronald J. Hansen, Arizona Republic

Suffolk poll: Kelly leading Masters by seven points thanks partly to abortion

Incumbent Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly (49%) leads Republican challenger Blake Masters (42%) in a Suffolk University poll released last week.

Libertarian Marc Victor is pulling 2%, according to Suffolk, while another 7% say they are undecided.

Kelly’s seven-point lead over Masters is driven by women (55%-35%) and independents (51%-36%), the poll found, while Masters leads 50%-42% among men.

“The importance of abortion rights in Arizona shouldn’t be underestimated,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. “In fact, independent women are voting on this issue with almost the same intensity as Democratic men.”

When voters were asked to assign on a 1-10 scale how much their views on abortion will impact which candidates they will select in November, 49% of independent women gave it the highest rating, compared to 50% of Democratic men. Just 26% of independent men gave it a rating of “10,” while 72% of Democratic women gave it the highest rating.

- Ledyard King

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Recap: Kelly and Masters clash in Arizona Senate debate