Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego is expected to beat Republican agitator Kari Lake in the race to become Arizona’s next U.S. senator after Lake appeared to struggle to win over moderate and independent voters.

Gallego, a member of Congress since 2015, succeeds Senator Kyrsten Sinema, a former Democrat who became an independent and then chose not to run for office.

Lake’s loss marks the second time the former news anchor has failed to land a statewide position in Arizona after failing in the 2022 gubernatorial race. Technically, she never conceded to Democrat Katie Hobbs two years ago and, following the Trump playbook, tried unsuccessfully to contest his loss in court.

“She will do anything and say anything to gain power, including lying,” Gallego said during their debate last month.

Gallego and Lake tried to modulate in the middle to defeat Arizona. large contingent of unaffiliated voters. Gallego, a military veteran who left the House Progressive Caucus as he ramped up his campaign, weighed in on border security — a difficult issue for him. Democrats. During their only scheduled debate, Lake blamed him for the dysfunction at the U.S.-Mexico border and accused him of carrying out an “extreme transformation” of his progressive record.

Gallego also angered progressives when he wrote to the Justice Department opposing the proposed federal takeover of the Phoenix Police Department following the Arizona Police Association’s endorsement of his campaign in August.

Lake launched his campaign with a MAGA Reviewpromising to welcome voters from all sides into his coalition and to renounce divisive rhetoric. It was short-lived. Blasted lake “fake news” at the Republican convention this summer and falsely claimed that Gallego “voted to allow the millions of people who flooded into our country illegally to vote in the upcoming election. »

Arizona presidential and senatorial polls had shown Lake trailing Trump in the state — which also meant Gallego ahead of Harris. It’s unclear why so many voters decided to split their tickets in this race, but the state and its politicians are known for their independence.

The late Sen. John McCain (a Trump critic whom Lake and Trump derided) voted in 2017 to break the tie to protect the Affordable Care Act.

Arizona is home to one of the nation’s most expensive US Senate competition, with the two candidates and their allies spending a total of $92 million.

See complete Arizona Senate election results here.

Correction: A previous headline of this article incorrectly described Kari Lake’s former profession.