Democrat Ruben Gallego projected to beat Kari Lake, become Arizona’s next US senator

PHOENIX — Democrat Ruben Gallego was projected to defeat Republican Kari Lake and become Arizona’s next U.S. senator on Monday night.

The Associated Press called the race for Gallego at 9:50 p.m. with the representative for Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District leading by 2.2% (72,626 votes) and the number of uncounted ballots dwindling.

“As hard as I’ve fought to get out of poverty, as hard as I fight now for my family, as hard as I fought in the Marines, I will fight for Arizona in Washington, D.C.,” Gallego said in a speech after the race was called.

The race came to an end six days after the election and gave Arizona two Democratic senators once again. Kyrsten Sinema, whose seat Gallego is taking, was elected as a Democrat but switched to become an independent in December 2023.

Gracias, Arizona! pic.twitter.com/fWQ3AetOsy

— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) November 12, 2024

Arizona hasn’t elected a Republican U.S. senator since John McCain in 2016.

The loss for Lake marked her second in a statewide race in as many election cycles after she was defeated by Democrat Katie Hobbs for governor in 2022.

Gallego will become Arizona’s first Latino U.S. senator.

Despite Gallego’s win, Republicans won control of the Senate, giving a boost to Donald Trump’s agenda as he returns to the White House after defeating Kamala Harris.

The GOP will have 53 seats in the 100-member Senate.

Gallego ran ahead of Harris, suggesting a substantial number of voters supported Trump at the top of the ticket and the Democrat for Senate, a pattern seen in Sinema’s victory and both of Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly’s wins in 2020 and 2022.

How did Ruben Gallego defeat Kari Lake?

Gallego led comfortably after the first results were released on election night, but his lead narrowed as more ballots were counted. Arizona is notorious for a drawn-out count because most people vote by mail — which takes longer to verify and process — including many who drop off ballots on Election Day.

Gallego portrayed Lake as a liar who will do and say anything to gain power. He downplayed his progressive voting record in Congress and leaned on his personal story and his military service to build an image as a pragmatic moderate.

Lake is a well-known former television news anchor who became a star on the populist right with her 2022 campaign for Arizona governor.

She has never acknowledged losing that race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book. She continued her unsuccessful fight in court to overturn it even after beginning her Senate campaign.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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