Democrat Ruben Gallego wins Arizona US Senate race against Republican Kari Lake
Democrat Ruben Gallego has been elected Arizona’s first Latino U.S. senator
By JONATHAN J. COOPER
Published - Nov 12, 2024, 01:19 AM ET
Last Updated - Dec 16, 2024, 05:30 PM EST
PHOENIX (AP) — Democrat Ruben Gallego has been elected Arizona’s first Latino U.S. senator, defeating Republican Kari Lake and preventing Republicans from further padding their Senate majority.
Gallego’s victory continues a string of Democratic successes for the Senate in a state that was reliably Republican for those seats until Donald Trump was elected president in 2016. Arizona voters had rejected Trump-endorsed candidates in every election since, but the president-elect won Arizona this year over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Gracias, Arizona!” Gallego wrote on the social platform X.
With Gallego’s win, the GOP will have 53 seats in the 100-member Senate.