Democrat Ruben Gallego Wins Arizona Senate Seat, Beating Kari Lake

The U.S. House member was running against the former gubernatorial candidate and Trump ally.

Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is projected to beat Republican rabble-rouser Kari Lake in the race to become Arizona’s next U.S. senator after Lake seemed to struggle to win over moderate and independent voters.

Gallego, a congressman since 2015, succeeds Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a former Democrat who became an independent and then opted not to run for reelection.

Lake’s loss marks the second time the former newscaster failed to clinch a statewide office in Arizona after she fell short in the 2022 governor’s race. She technically never conceded to Democrat Katie Hobbs two years ago and, following Trump’s playbook, tried unsuccessfully to challenge her loss in court.

“She will do anything and say anything to gain power, including lying,” Gallego said during their debate last month.

Both Gallego and Lake tried to modulate to the middle to win over Arizona’s sizable contingent of unaffiliated voters. Gallego, a military veteran who left the House Progressive Caucus as he ramped up his campaign, leaned into border security — a tough issue for Democrats. At their only scheduled debate, Lake blamed him for the dysfunction at the U.S.-Mexico border and accused him of conducting an “extreme makeover” of his progressive record.