Far-right Arizona State Senator Anthony Kern lashed out at "god-haters" on X, formerly Twitter, amid criticism of his decision to lead a group of anti-abortion activists who prayed and spoke in tongues on the state Senate floor just as a new Arizona Supreme Court ruling almost completely banned abortion in the state.
After liberal activist Jeanne Casteen posted a video shared earlier by TikToker Tony Cani showing the Christian nationalists on the Senate floor, Kern criticized her as well as the Arizona Democratic Party and Pima County Democrats.
He wrote:
"Looks like our prayer team stirred up some god-haters ... Not to worry, though...prayer over our state at the State Senate is way more powerful."
You can see his post below.
Kern was swiftly criticized and many pointed out that his move was a blatant violation of the separation between church and state.
Kern has vigorously defended the Court's validation of an 1864 law criminalizing almost all abortions, which would override the state's existing 15-week abortion ban.
He later launched another attack against his critics, saying that "Americans cannot expect our nation to be healed if we continue to kill our children." He said the ruling "was the right one, and I support their decision."
Pledging to speak to voters and "address their concerns," he concluded:
"Make America Pray Again!"
You can see his post below.
The ruling has ignited widespread debate about reproductive rights and women's healthcare access. It was put on hold temporarily pending further legal arguments.
It is expected to have far-reaching implications for the state and potentially influence the upcoming November election. While several polls show former President Donald Trump currently a few points ahead of President Joe Biden in the state, he and Republicans have faced significant electoral losses since Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022.
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