Hobbs wins Arizona governor’s race

Arizona’s Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, D, is projected to be the state’s next governor, replacing Gov. Doug Ducey, R, who is term limited. This victory is a continuation of the extraordinary momentum Democrats have built over the last four years; they flipped both Senate seats in 2018 and 2020, and won the state’s 11 electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election for the first time since 1996.

Lake was Trump-endorsed and appeared with the former president at a rally. But Lake was also supported by mainstream Republicans, which brought significant fundraising advantages. She ran on a platform that she described as “common sense conservatism” — low taxes, limited regulation and individual liberties. Lake also focused on border security and said she would make an invasion declaration, construct more of the border wall and deploy the National Guard.

Lake also made her faith a central part of her campaign, saying God inspired many of the decisions she made, including her decision to run in the first place.

Hobbs is a social worker who served in the state legislature starting in 2011 and became secretary of state in 2018. She also supported enhancements to border security, saying she would coordinate with border communities and law enforcement to provide them with the resources they need to keep their communities safe.

Abortion was a central issue of the campaign. Hobbs said she would call the Legislature in for a special session to repeal an abortion law from 1901 that a judge allowed to take effect in September in the wake of the Dobbs decision. She said if the legislature failed to act, she would work to make it a ballot measure in a future election.

Lake is pro-life and expressed support for Arizona’s abortion ban by calling it “a great law that’s already on the books.”

Because Hobbs is secretary of state and has a duty to certify elections, there were calls for her to recuse herself. Two former secretaries, a Democrat and a Republican, said it would be best for her to step aside and let a deputy take over since she was a candidate. Hobb’s office said she would execute her duties faithfully and impartially with the highest ethical standards.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.