Democrat Ruben Gallego Wins Arizona Senate Seat
After a hard-fought campaign, Democrat Ruben Gallego emerged victorious in the open Senate seat race in Arizona, defeating GOP opponent Kari Lake. This victory marks the final Senate race call of the 2024 elections, with Republicans set to hold 53 seats and Democrats 47 when the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3, including two independents who caucus with Democrats.
Gallego, who currently serves in the House of Representatives, first elected in 2014, will now make the jump to the Senate. Known for his strong fundraising abilities, Gallego’s campaign focused on his personal story and military service, rather than his progressive voting record representing a safe seat in Phoenix.
On the other side, Lake, a former TV anchor and staunch supporter of Donald Trump, faced defeat for the second time in a row, following a narrow loss in the 2022 gubernatorial race. Despite Arizona being a battleground state, national Republican groups largely stayed out of the Senate race, giving Gallego and the Democrats a significant spending advantage.
The Senate seat was vacated by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who was initially elected as a Democrat but later switched to an independent in late 2022, completing her term under this new affiliation.
