Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego defeated far-right firebrand Kari Lake in Arizona’s Senate race, becoming the first Latino to represent the state in the state’s U.S. Senate.
Gallego is a Democratic-turned-independent senator who has consistently stood in the way of party priorities in the Senate, even as he ran as a centrist and charted a path for Democrats to win statewide elections in a right-leaning state. He will replace Kyrsten Sinema, who has moved on. She did not seek re-election.
The presidential race was a close one throughout the campaign, but Gallego held a several-point lead over Lake throughout the campaign, an unlikely position for a progressive lawmaker aiming to win in a battleground state. Gallego also outraised Lake in fundraising, increasing local airtime and mailbox presence.
In the end, Trump won 50% of the vote and Lake 48%, giving Trump an easy victory over Harris in the state.
“Gracias, Arizona!” Gallego wrote on social platform X. He was scheduled to speak to supporters at a news conference Monday night.
Gallego’s victory leaves Democrats with 47 seats and Republicans with 53 in the 100-member Senate, eradicating the Democratic majority.
Republicans flipped Democratic-held Senate seats in West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Montana. In the latter three, defeated Sens. Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, and Jon Tester all out-voted Ms. Harris, but they were unable to overcome the Republican leanings of their states.
Mr. Lake struggled to attract the support of moderate Republicans and independents needed to deliver a victory. Her attacks on the late Sen. John McCain caused a stir, and the so-called McCain Republican Party was split in support of her.
Lake ran for governor in 2022, but lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs. Mr. Lake has not yet accepted the election results.
The Republican effort focused on Trump’s efforts to return states to the red flag after his narrow 2020 national victory. Lake was not included on a sign sponsored by the Arizona Republican Party that boasted of “team unity.” Instead, Trump was pictured alongside out-of-state figures such as J.D. Vance, Elon Musk, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Vivek Ramaswamy and Tulsi Gabbard.
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Arizona has had six senators in just over a decade, leading to endless high-stakes elections for coveted seats. Republicans here have moved to the right of the district, creating an opening for Democrats to appeal to new residents and suburbanites who are shifting to the left.
Mr. Gallego was able to frequently tell his personal story on the campaign trail. He was the son of Mexican and Colombian immigrants and was raised by his mother, who worked odd jobs at meat plants and pizza parlors to earn extra money for his family. He then graduated from Harvard University, joined the Marines, and was deployed to Iraq as part of the war’s deadliest unit.
For decades, Lake anchored the local Fox affiliate in Phoenix, reporting the news and making daily visits to Arizonans’ homes. Raised in Iowa, she describes herself as the youngest of nine children and calls herself “Mama Bear.” She welcomed Trump and the MAGA movement, happily saying, “You can call me Trump any time I wear a dress.”
Lauren Gambino contributed reporting
