PHOENIX — U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego maintained a lead over Republican Kari Lake in the closely watched Arizona U.S. Senate race as of Wednesday evening. Initial results from the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office on Tuesday night showed Gallego ahead by 5.4 percentage points. As additional votes were counted, Lake narrowed the gap to a 2.5-point difference, with Gallego holding 50.2% to Lake’s 47.7%. Green Party candidate Eduardo Quintana held 2% of the vote, with over 2.45 million ballots reported.
The winner of this race will replace independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who chose not to seek reelection. If Gallego wins, it would mark the fourth consecutive Democratic victory in Arizona’s U.S. Senate races.
About the Candidates: Ruben Gallego and Kari Lake
Gallego represents Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District, which includes much of Phoenix. A Marine Corps veteran, he has served five terms in the U.S. House. Gallego announced his Senate bid in January 2023 and ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Kari Lake, a high-profile Republican and former Phoenix television anchor, is well-known for her vocal support of Donald Trump and promotion of election fraud claims. Lake, who narrowly lost the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial race to Democrat Katie Hobbs, remains a polarizing figure with a strong GOP following.
Implications of the Race
Regardless of the outcome in Arizona, Republicans are projected to gain a Senate majority, potentially advancing Donald Trump’s policy agenda as he returns to the White House.
