Democratic candidate for Governor of Arizona Katie Hobbs reacts at the 2022 US midterm election night party in Phoenix, Arizona, November 8, 2022.
Jim Urquhart | Reuters
Democrat Katie Hobbs has won the race for governor of Arizona, NBC News predicts.
Hobbs, Arizona’s secretary of state, defeated Republican candidate Kari Lake, a former television news anchor.
Hobbs waged a light-hearted campaign against Lake, who spearheaded the denial of the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election results.
Hobbs declined to argue Lake, saying she doesn’t want to give the GOP nominee the chance to spread conspiracy theories. She accused Lake of being “only interested in making the scene”, while Lake called Hobbs a “coward” for not arguing.
Arizona is a key battleground state in the 2020 election. Former President Donald Trumpsupporter of Lake’s candidacy, lost state and nation voting for President Joe Biden.
Hobbs defended Arizona’s election system against efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn results there.
Lake in an interview with CNN last month repeatedly refused to say she will accept the results of the gubernatorial election if she loses.
