In yet another setback for the Republicans in the U.S. mid-term elections, Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs has won the Arizona gubernatorial race.<\/p>\n
Multiple US media outlets have projected that Hobbs is set to defeat her GOP rival Kari Lake.<\/p>\n
With 97 percent of the votes counted, it was clear that Hobbs has secured an unassailable lead over Lake, reports say.<\/p>\n
In her victory speech, Hobbs said that she would work for everyone in Arizona “in this moment of division.”<\/p>\n
Hobbs, a former social worker who worked with victims of domestic violence, became Arizona’s Secretary of State in 2018.<\/p>\n
A former news anchor at Fox 10 in Phoenix, Lake had raised doubts about the results. She alleged that some votes for her had not been counted, and that the election officials were delaying the reporting of results.<\/p>\n
The outcome is seen as a stunning rebuke of former President Donald Trump, as Lake was one of the most prominent defenders of his false claim that he won the 2020 presidential election. <\/p>\n
Lake is the latest losing candidate in the state to join the ranks of high-profile Trump-backed election deniers, including Republican Senate nominee Blake Masters and secretary of state nominee Mark Finchem. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the battle for control of Congress is hanging in the balance. While the Democrats have ensured majority in the 100-member Senate by winning 50 seats, the Republican Party is on course to regain majority in the House of Representatives.<\/p>\n
Having won 215 seats in the 435-member House, Republicans are just 3 seats short of gaining simple majority of 218 seats.<\/p>\n
Democrats staged a tight fight and have so far won 205 seats. <\/p>\n