Midterm election: Democrat wins key Arizona governor's race

Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs defeated Republican Kari Lake in the Arizona gubernatorial election, according to results released late Monday. 

Hobbs is Arizona's secretary of state and will now succeed Republican Governor Doug Ducey. She will become the first Democrat to be elected governor in the state since 2006.

"Democracy is worth the wait. Thank you, Arizona. I am so honored and so proud to be your next Governor," Hobbs said in a tweet. 

The race in the state was considered to be one of the most significant, particularly due to its status as a battleground in presidential elections.

Lake, a former news anchor, made headlines for her views on the 2020 presidential election, which she falsely said was rigged against Donald Trump.

Shortly after news of her loss in the race for governor, Lake tweeted: "Arizonans know BS when they see it."  

Midterm election, 'a choice between sanity or chaos' — Hobbs 

Hobbs strongly defended the legitimacy of the last election and cautioned that the vote was "a choice between sanity or chaos."

Before embarking on a career in politics, Hobbs had worked as a social worker with homeless youth. She would go on to be elected in the Arizona State Legislature in 2010, serving a term in the state house and three terms in the state senate.

Hobbs managed to pull off a narrow win in 2018 as secretary of state.

President Joe Biden narrowly beat Donald Trump in 2020 in Arizona, which led to the state becoming central in unfounded claims of a rigged election by Trump and his supporters.

Hobbs appeared regularly on news stations, upholding the integrity of the vote, which also led to her rise in prominence.

Democracy and abortion rights were among the key areas of her campaign.

The victory pours cold water on Republican hopes of a "red wave" in the midterm vote. The Democrats have managed to retain control of the US Senate by holding onto seats in Arizona and Nevada. 

kb/wd (AP, Reuters)