PHOENIX, Ariz. (KGUN) — Ruben Gallego, who leads in the Senate race as of 11:30 p.m., addressed his supporters, recounting his experiences as a military veteran and a college student facing financial struggles, and spoke of his aspirations for Arizona’s future.
Kari Lake, the Republican Senate candidate and former TV news anchor, chose not to hold a traditional election night watch party on Tuesday.
Lake’s initial vote counts trailed not only Gallego’s but also those of her ally, former President Donald Trump, who emerged from the night leading Arizona’s presidential race.
While results are still coming in, Maricopa County, the state’s largest, reported a more seamless Election Day compared to recent cycles.
Election officials noted a smoother process following a $9 million investment by the county’s Board of Supervisors to upgrade voting equipment, addressing issues that arose in the 2022 and 2020 elections, including printer malfunctions and misread ballots.
“We didn’t have breakdowns or misread ballots, any of the things we had in 2022,” said Maricopa County Communications Director Fields Moseley. “We have more voting booths, more check-in stations, and more opportunities for people to get into these election centers, because we knew there were gonna be a lot of people excited about the election that wanted to vote.”
However, the large voter turnout did result in long lines at several locations, with vote counting expected to continue for over a week due to state laws governing Maricopa County’s election procedures. Despite her current deficit, Lake has not yet conceded the race to Gallego.
At the Arizona Democratic Party’s election night event, excitement was palpable as various candidates rallied with supporters.
Ruben Gallego, who leads in the Senate race, addressed his supporters, recounting his experiences as a military veteran and a college student facing financial struggles, and spoke of his aspirations for Arizona’s future.
Governor Katie Hobbs, Senator Mark Kelly, and former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords also took the stage. Kelly expressed optimism that Democrats could flip the House and retain control of the Senate.
State Senator Priya Sundareshan of Tucson’s Legislative District 18 shared her hope that a win for Kamala Harris in the vice-presidential race could aid her efforts to address abortion rights, water resources, and climate issues in Tucson.
