Democrat Katie Hobbs takes lead in Arizona secretary of state race

PHOENIX – Democrat Katie Hobbs snatched the lead from Republican Steve Gaynor on Monday in the race for Arizona secretary of state.

After Pima County posted results, Hobbs leapfrogged Gaynor by more than 3,000 votes. When Maricopa County’s results from Monday came in that lead moved to more than 5,600.

Gaynor entered Monday leading by a few hundred votes with more than 220,000 remaining to be counted statewide.

He led by around 44,000 votes after Election Day, when the Associated Press called the race in his favor.

But post-election tabulations in Arizona have heavily favored Democrats, and Hobbs closed the gap and now has moved ahead.

Hobbs’ campaign foreshadowed the comeback in a statement on Tuesday that said she would challenge the call made by The Associated Press.

“The Associated Press has incorrectly called the secretary of state race in Arizona with a razor-thin margin and hundreds of thousands of ballots remaining to be counted,” campaign manager Niles Harris said in a statement.

“This decision by the Associated Press is head-scratching, but Katie Hobbs will not stop until every Arizona citizen’s vote has been counted.”

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