WASHINGTON — Democrat Ruben Gallego won the Arizona Senate race on Monday, returning the seat to the Democratic column two years after retiring independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema left the party. He defeated Republican Kari Lake, a former newscaster and staunch Donald Trump ally who refused to acknowledge she lost the 2022 gubernatorial race even while campaigning for Senate. Gallego, who built a progressive record in Congress, emphasized his military service and up-by-the-bootstraps background to court independent and moderate Republican voters who did not embrace Lake's populist right policies. Gallego’s win marks the fourth consecutive Democratic Senate victory in Arizona, going back to 2018. The Associated Press declared Gallego the winner at 11:49 p.m. EST.

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