Lake is a former TV news anchor and affiliated with a fundamentalist faction of the Republican party. Gallego, a Democratic congressman with a military background who represents Latino neighborhoods of Phoenix, has often favored progressive policies.

The debate will air at 9 p.m. EDT, allowing Lake to reinvent her image after her 2022 lost bid for governor. Gallego – ahead in the polls- will defend his position as the favored candidate.

Here’s what to know:

Lake is a supporter of Donald Trump and aligns her political ideologies with his. Thus far, her focal points have been largely centered around abortion, the border wall and claims of fraud in the 2020 election.She rose to fame as a political candidate during the 2022 election cycle, supporting the platform of former President Trump. She lost the gubernatorial bid and has claimed election fraud ever since.She discussed these and other issues during her recent PBS interview at ASU’s Downtown Phoenix Campus.

Gallego was elected as a representative of the 3rd district of Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014.His candidacy has focused on his background as an immigrant and a military veteran. His policies and passed measures include emphasis on environmental stewardship, inclusion of tribal nations and national security.

Their platforms: 

Lake’s “Mama Bear Initiative” includes eight points that are “fierce for our families, relentless for our future.”It includes giving parents more control over curriculum choices ,vouchers for homeschool or charter education, fighting inflation, tougher measures on violent crimes, medical freedom and healthcare choices, “traditional” family values and securing the border.

Gallego’s platform is a comprehensive list of choices and bills he has co-sponsored or stood behind.It includes points about reproductive freedom and abortion rights, LGBTQ+ protections, health care and support of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Their stances on major Arizona issues:

Abortion:

Notably absent from her medical freedom and healthcare choices is reproductive freedom. In 2022, Lake went on the record calling abortion “the ultimate sin” and threw her support behind the 160-year-old abortion ban.

Gallego’s platform continues to support abortion rights as “https://gallegoforarizona.com/issue/protecting-the-right-to-choose/backed by half a century of legal precedent and supported by the vast majority of Arizonans.” He co-sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act and the My Body, My Data Act which protect health care providers and sensitive medical data.

Border Security:

Lake expressed the desire to continue building the border wall and enacting harsh prosecution laws for refugees or immigrants coming across the border. She has likened immigrants to criminals, citing drug and human trafficking. Her ten-point plan criticizes President Biden’s handling of the border.

Gallego has supported laws that criminalize fentanyl crossing and has prioritized giving aid to border communities during the “border crisis.” His policy reflects the need for resources versus prosecutions for those seeking asylum but includes strict penalties for fentanyl and other drug border-crossing. 

Education:

Lake’s plan has expressed the need to focus on public schooling on a local level, cutting out federal bureaucracy, and offering tax breaks for parents who disagree with curricula and move their children to charter or homeschooling. She has also expressed that her educational goals are not to eliminate DEI curricula. Gallego’s educational platform brings attention to the teacher shortage issues Arizona is experiencing  and recommends putting resources and funding into public education. He introduced the Teachers LEAD Act, a grant program intended to support teachers and improve teacher retention.

The debate is expected to be a tense one with Lake on the offensive, criticizing President Biden’s and Gallego’s border policy and abortion stances. Gallego will likely highlight his veteran status and background as an immigrant to appeal to a wider swath of lower and middle-class America.