Trump-backed Kari Lake wins Arizona Republican gubernatorial primary

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Kari Lake has won the Republican nomination for governor in Arizona's primary election, the Associated Press called Thursday evening.

For days, the hotly contested race between former TV news anchor Kari Lake and real estate developer and Arizona Board of Regents member Karrin Taylor Robson was too close to call as Lake's lead was fewer than 12,000 votes.  

As of Wednesday morning, Lake had 46.2% of the vote, and Taylor Robson had 44.5% in the Republican primary. Lake will now look to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Doug Ducey.

"Though the results took longer than they should have, Arizonans who have been forgotten by the establishment just delivered a political earthquake," Lake said after the results were announced. 

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Former President Trump embraces Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake at a rally on July 22, 2022, in Prescott Valley, Arizona. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

"This is more than an election — it is a beautiful movement by so many people across our beautiful state to finally put Arizona First. Our renewed Republican Party is now coming together to fight for a brighter and more prosperous future for every Arizonan," she added. "We will stop schools from indoctrinating our children and stop government bureaucrats from shutting down our businesses and livelihoods."

Lake concluded: "Starting tonight, we fight to defeat the radical, corrupt, incompetent Democrats and put our government back into the hands of the great people of Arizona!"

Former President Donald Trump commended Lake in a post on TRUTH Social.

"Kari Lake just declared WINNER of Republican Primary in Arizona. She will be a GREAT GOVERNOR!" he said.

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But the Democratic Governors Association blasted Lake, who's a strong supporter of Trump's unproven claims that his 2020 election loss to President Biden was due to "massive voter fraud."

"Kari Lake is a diehard MAGA extremist who has centered her campaign on far-right conspiracy theories and dangerous policies," DGA executive director Noah Lee charged. "Rather than addressing the real issues Arizonans care about, Lake is focused on peddling the Big Lie and its dangerous far-right talking points, banning abortion without exceptions for rape or incest, and pushing fringe views on gun safety." 

This combination of photos shows from left, Republican candidates for Arizona governor Karrin Taylor Robson and Kari Lake prior to an Arizona PBS televised Republican debate June 29, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

On Tuesday night, Lake predicted in a speech to supporters at a primary election night rally that she is "winning this 100%" and claimed that there's "no path to victory for my opponent. We won this race."

The primary showdown turned into a bit of a proxy war between Trump, who endorsed Lake last year, and former Vice President Mike Pence.

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Two weeks ago, Pence endorsed Taylor Robson, who is also backed by Ducey. 

Trump and Pence – who could potentially become rivals for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination – were both in Arizona on the same day recently, headlining competing campaign events.

Arizona Republican Governor candidate Karrin Taylor Robson speaks in Tucson, Arizona, July 1, 2022. (REUTERS/Rebecca Noble)

Lake will now face off in November with Democrat Katie Hobbs, who is currently the Secretary of State of Arizona. 

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Hobbs easily won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in the one-time red state that has become a top general election battleground between the two major parties.