In an election that has been closely watched across the nation, Democrat Ruben Gallego has clinched the Arizona U.S. Senate seat, marking a significant victory for the Democrats in the traditionally Republican stronghold. According toAP News, Gallego defeated Republican Kari Lake, thereby securing Arizona’s progressive streak which has been ongoing since Donald Trump’s 2016 defeat in the state.
Gallego’s win is historically notable as it makes him the first Latino senator representing Arizona in its 112-year statehood. With a lead of 79,000 votes over Lake, Gallego clinched 51.1% of the vote to Lake’s 47.7%, as reported by12 News. Despite the Republican hopes to pad their majority in the Senate, Gallego’s victory put a stop to these aspirations and maintained the GOP count at 53 seats in the 100-member Senate.
During his victory declaration, Gallego emphasized his readiness to serve all Arizonans, vowing to be as much of an advocate for those who didn’t cast their vote for him as for those who did. Crediting his single mother for his success, he also pledged to tackle issues such as the broken immigration system, veterans’ welfare, and women’s reproductive rights. While Lake’s campaign remained silent following the results, Gallego expressed a forward-looking stance in a statement obtained by12 News: “This election is over. It’s time to focus on Arizonans and not past elections.”
Gallego’s campaign strategy, which notably engaged Latino men through creative outreach efforts such as boxing watch parties and Loteria games, was highlighted for its innovation. In an interview cited by 12 News, he shared insight into his approach: “You have to start talking to them early and often…You have to talk to them not necessarily just about immigration, the border, but you should also be talking about the future.” It was these methods, along with his broader appeal, that helped him run ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris in the state, indicating that some voters picked Trump at the top of the ticket but went with the Democrat for Senate,12 News report.
Gallego’s life story, as an Iraq War veteran and the son of Mexican and Colombian immigrants, resonated with voters and was central to his campaign. Despite attacks from Lake on his personal life and her efforts to label him as supporting “open borders,” Gallego stayed focused on his policy priorities and his image as a pragmatic moderate. Lake s campaign struggled with inconsistent positions on key issues and her strong support for Trump s election fraud claims, according toAP News.
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