Ruben Gallego Claims Victory Over Kari Lake in Arizona’s U.S. Senate Showdown

U.S. Congressman Ruben Gallego has emerged victorious in Arizona’s senate race, with the Associated Press declaring him the winner on Monday night.

With over 93% of the votes counted, Gallego, a Marine veteran and Democrat, leads his opponent Kari Lake, a Trump-endorsed Republican, by 2.2 percentage points, translating to a margin of 72,626 votes.

“Growing up poor, being here is something that was literally a dream,” Gallego expressed during a celebratory press conference. His supporters applauded as he made history as Arizona’s first Latino senator.

Gallego vowed to fight as hard for Arizona in Washington, D.C., as he did in the Marines. He emphasized the urgent need to address issues like the broken immigration system and rising costs of living.

As the race was called for Gallego, Lake remained silent and did not concede.

Before running for the Senate, Lake had persistently challenged the outcomes of the 2022 gubernatorial race, which she lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs by over 17,000 votes. Her final appeal was dismissed by the Arizona Supreme Court just days before the Senate election.

Throughout the week, as votes were tallied, Gallego’s lead grew, particularly after substantial results from Maricopa County, home to 60% of Arizona’s voters, where he won by about 5 percentage points.

On Sunday and Monday, Gallego’s lead expanded significantly; by Saturday, he was ahead by only 1.5 percentage points.

By Monday night, Arizona had counted over 3.2 million ballots, with approximately 179,000 remaining.

Lake’s campaign actively recruited volunteers to assist voters in resolving ballot issues. Nevertheless, the Arizona Supreme Court declined a request for an extension to allow more time for voters to cure their ballots.

Despite claims of potential irregularities from some of Lake’s followers, no factual evidence has supported these assertions. Similar accusations arose following both the 2022 governor’s election and the 2020 presidential election.

Gallego, who has served Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District since 2015, campaigned on a platform focused on affordability for working families, abortion rights, and strategic enhancements in border security.

In stark contrast, Lake adhered to a hardline stance, advocating for Trump’s border policies and mass deportations.

Looking ahead, Lake may face unspecified damages in a defamation case after conceding to Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer regarding her unsubstantiated claims about the 2022 election.