PHOENIX — Democrat Ruben Gallego has been projected to defeat Republican Kari Lake in Arizona’s U.S. Senate race, securing his place as the next senator from Arizona. The Associated Press called the race for Gallego on Monday night at 9:50 p.m., with Gallego leading by a 2.2% margin, or 72,626 votes, as the remaining ballots dwindled.
“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 victory speech.
Gallego’s win ends an intense six-day count after Election Day, positioning him to take over the seat previously held by Kyrsten Sinema. Sinema, elected as a Democrat, switched her affiliation to independent in 2023, marking her departure from the Democratic party. The victory also marks Arizona’s return to two Democratic senators since the election of John McCain in 2016, as Republicans have not won a U.S. Senate seat in Arizona since then.
The loss is Lake’s second in a statewide race after she was defeated by Democrat Katie Hobbs in the 2022 gubernatorial election. Throughout his campaign, Gallego portrayed Lake as overly ambitious and accused her of prioritizing power over truth, contrasting it with his own moderate, military-grounded image. Known for her populist appeal on the right, Lake never acknowledged her gubernatorial loss, referring to herself as the “lawful governor” and challenging her 2022 defeat in court even as she launched her Senate campaign.
While Gallego’s victory secured Arizona’s Senate seat, Republicans are projected to gain control of the U.S. Senate with 53 seats, boosting President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda as he prepares to re-enter the White House after defeating Kamala Harris. Gallego notably ran ahead of Harris in Arizona, underscoring a trend of bipartisan support for certain candidates.
