Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has won the closely watched Senate race in Arizona, defeating former newscaster Kari Lake. As of 9:52 p.m. on Nov. 11, Gallego had 50% of the vote, leading Lake by 72,626 votes, with 95% of the vote counted. Gallego celebrated the result with a tweet: “Gracias, Arizona!” Lake has not publicly commented on the outcome yet.
The race marks a significant moment for Lake, who lost the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race to Katie Hobbs and has been vocal about alleged election fraud, though she lost multiple legal challenges. Gallego, a Harvard graduate and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has represented Arizona in Congress since 2014.
The race became especially contentious over issues like immigration and abortion. Lake criticized a Senate bipartisan immigration bill, claiming it would lead to more illegal crossings, while Gallego defended the bill, citing its potential to equip border agents with needed technology. Polling throughout the campaign showed Gallego with a slight lead, including a final RealClearPolitics average showing him ahead by 4 points.
The seat was vacated by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who left the Democratic Party and opted not to seek re-election.
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