The GOP had a lot to celebrate last week. But not everything is going their way.
And Republicans are blindsided by this election defeat that came out of nowhere.
In a closely watched Senate race, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) defeated Republican Kari Lake to succeed Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), who announced her departure from the seat.
The Associated Press called the race for Gallego at 11:49 p.m. EST on Monday. With 95% of the results in, Gallego held 50% of the vote to Lake’s 48%. His victory makes history as he becomes Arizona’s first Latino senator.
Gallego’s win is one piece of good news for Democrats in an otherwise challenging election cycle, as Republicans claimed control of the Senate, flipping seats in Ohio, Montana, and Pennsylvania to achieve a 53-seat majority.
At 44, Gallego brings a distinct background to the Senate. He is a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq, and he holds a degree in international relations from Harvard University.
Since 2015, he has represented Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House.
Upon hearing of his win, Gallego took to social media with a succinct message: “Gracias, Arizona!” he posted on X on Monday night.
https://x.com/RubenGallego/status/1856198238988317034
Lake, who was a former news anchor, has been known for her brash, Trump-aligned approach.
In her 2022 bid for Arizona governor, she refused to concede after losing, alleging election fraud and stirring divisions within the GOP.
Despite her appeal to the party’s base, there were concerns over her electability in the Senate race. Nevertheless, the Senate Republicans’ campaign arm endorsed Lake’s run in February, in line with former President Donald Trump.
Yet, her August primary win by 55% over underfunded Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb’s 39% indicated some underlying weaknesses.
In the closing weeks, Lake narrowed Gallego’s lead. Polls from six different organizations had shown Gallego leading Lake by an average of 50% to 43%, though the margin tightened in the final days.
Gallego, who announced his candidacy in early 2023, had been openly critical of Sinema’s record, arguing that it no longer aligned with Arizona’s voters.
Once a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Gallego ran as a “real progressive” in previous elections. However, he has since pivoted toward a more centrist stance, leaving the caucus.
Financially, Gallego’s campaign enjoyed a major advantage, raising nearly $54 million, according to federal election records.
Lake’s campaign, in comparison, raised just over $19 million, including funds transferred from other committees.
In the presidential race, Trump carried Arizona, winning 52.6% of the vote to Vice President Kamala Harris’s 46.4%, part of a larger sweep across all seven swing states.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
