After days of counting ballots and enough political drama to fill a decade, we finally got a clear answer on who won Arizona senate race. Ruben Gallego, the Democratic Congressman and Iraq War veteran, pulled off a victory over Republican Kari Lake. It wasn't just a simple win, though. It was a 2.41 percentage point gap that tells a much bigger story about where Arizona is heading.
Gallego ended up with 1,676,335 votes, which is roughly 50.06% of the total. Kari Lake trailed behind with 1,595,761 votes, or about 47.65%. If you’re looking at the raw numbers, that’s a difference of over 80,000 people. In a state that has become the ultimate "purple" battleground, those 80,000 votes are a massive deal.
Honestly, the most interesting part isn't just that he won. It’s how he won. Arizona went for Donald Trump on the presidential side of the ticket, yet it chose a Democrat for the Senate. That kind of "ticket-splitting" is supposed to be a dying art in American politics, but Arizonans clearly had their own ideas.
The Man Who Won Arizona Senate Race: Ruben Gallego’s Path
Ruben Gallego didn't just stumble into this seat. He's been representing parts of Phoenix and Glendale in the House since 2014. He filled the spot left by Kyrsten Sinema, the former Democrat turned Independent who decided not to run again once it became clear her path to victory was pretty much non-existent.
Gallego is now Arizona’s first Latino U.S. Senator. That’s a historic milestone for a state where about a third of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino. He leaned hard into his personal story during the campaign—son of immigrants, raised by a single mother, Harvard grad, and a Marine who saw some of the toughest fighting in Iraq.
He didn't run as a typical "far-left" candidate, even though his House record was pretty progressive. Instead, he spent months courting the "middle." He talked about veterans' rights, reproductive freedom, and his time in the military. It worked. He managed to snag about 60% of the Latino vote, according to exit polls, which was significantly higher than the 54% Kamala Harris received in the state.
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Why Kari Lake Fell Short
Kari Lake is a name you can't escape if you live in the Southwest. The former TV news anchor turned MAGA firebrand has a massive, loyal following, but she also has a way of alienating the exact people she needs to win.
This was her second high-profile loss in two years after she narrowly lost the 2022 governor’s race. One of her biggest hurdles? The "McCain Republicans." Arizona is still the home of the late Senator John McCain, and Lake famously told McCain supporters to "get the hell out" during her previous run.
While she tried to soften her tone during the Senate race, voters have long memories. She also faced a massive fundraising disadvantage. Gallego’s campaign was a juggernaut, outspending her significantly on TV ads and mailers. While Lake focused on border security and "open borders" rhetoric, Gallego hammered her on her past support for a 160-year-old Arizona abortion ban.
Breaking Down the Numbers: A Tale of Two Tickets
You’ve gotta look at the "drop-off" to understand the 2024 results. Donald Trump won Arizona comfortably, but Kari Lake couldn't ride his coattails.
In fact, Lake received 174,481 fewer votes than Trump did in the state. On the flip side, Gallego received 93,475 more votes than Harris. That is a wild swing. Basically, tens of thousands of people walked into a voting booth, checked the box for Trump, and then moved down the ballot and checked the box for Gallego.
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Why? It likely comes down to "candidate quality." Even many conservative-leaning voters in the Phoenix suburbs seemed weary of Lake’s focus on 2020 election grievances, whereas Gallego’s "pragmatic veteran" persona felt safer to them.
Voter Turnout and Demographics
Arizona is notorious for its slow count because of the sheer volume of mail-in ballots. By the time the dust settled, voter turnout for 2024 hit approximately 78.49%. That’s incredibly high, though slightly lower than the record-breaking 2020 turnout of 79.9%.
- Maricopa County: As usual, this is where the race was won or lost. Gallego performed well in the Phoenix suburbs, which have been trending blue for several cycles.
- Pima County: The Tucson area remains a Democratic stronghold and provided a solid cushion for Gallego.
- Rural Counties: Lake won big in the more rural parts of the state, but there simply weren't enough votes there to overcome the urban and suburban deficit.
What This Means for the Senate
With Gallego’s win, the final makeup of the U.S. Senate for the 2026 session was set at 53 Republicans and 47 Democrats (including independents who caucus with them).
Republicans still won the majority by flipping seats in West Virginia, Ohio, Montana, and Pennsylvania. But Arizona was the one bright spot for Democrats in the Senate map. It proved that in the Sun Belt, a specific kind of Democratic candidate—one with a military background and a focus on middle-class issues—can still win even when the top of the ticket loses.
Gallego’s victory means the GOP didn't get the "super-majority" padding they were hoping for. He’s already signaled that his priorities will be immigration reform (from a centrist perspective) and protecting reproductive rights.
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How to Stay Informed on Arizona Politics
If you’re following who won Arizona senate race, you’re probably interested in what happens next. The political landscape in the 48th state is constantly shifting. Here are a few ways to keep tabs on what Gallego does in D.C. and how it affects you:
- Watch the Committee Assignments: As a freshman Senator, Gallego’s power will depend on which committees he lands. Keep an eye out for Veterans' Affairs or Armed Services, given his background.
- Follow the State Legislation: Arizona’s state legislature is still narrowly controlled by Republicans. The tension between a Democratic Governor (Katie Hobbs), two Democratic Senators (Gallego and Mark Kelly), and a GOP-led statehouse will be where the real sparks fly.
- Check the 2026 Projections: It never stops, right? Arizona will likely be a top target again in the next cycle.
The 2024 race was a marathon, not a sprint. It took nearly a week after Election Day for the major networks to call it for Gallego, largely due to Arizona's meticulous (and slow) signature verification process for mail-in ballots. But in the end, the result was clear: Arizona chose a new path with its first Latino Senator.
For the most up-to-date legislative updates, you can always check the official Arizona Secretary of State website for certified results or follow the Senate's official roll call once the new session is fully underway. Keep an eye on local outlets like the Arizona Republic as well, since they tend to catch the nuance that national news misses.
Actionable Insight: If you're an Arizona resident, now is the time to reach out to Senator-elect Gallego’s office to express your priorities for the upcoming term. Whether it’s water rights, housing costs, or border security, newly elected officials are often most responsive during their first 100 days in office. Check his official congressional page for contact details.