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Meet the Democrat who beat MAGA Republican Kari Lake to replace bi lawmaker Kyrsten Sinema in the U.S. Senate

REBECCA NOBLE/AFP via Getty Images

He eked out a victory in a state that Donald Trump won.

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In a victory for progressives in Arizona politics, U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego has defeated former local television news personality Kari Lake, a MAGA-aligned hardliner, to secure the U.S. Senate seat previously held by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. The Democrat won in a state where Republican President-elect Donald Trump claimed victory during the same election. Sinema, the first out bisexual member of the Senate, left the Democratic Party in 2022 to become an independent, citing a commitment to bipartisanship. Her departure and decision not to seek re-election opened the door to a high-stakes race that added Arizona’s first Latino senator to its legacy.

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Gallego, a five-term congressman and former Marine, ran a campaign that celebrated his working-class background and military service. This race went beyond policy — it became a referendum on Arizona’s future, contrasting Gallego’s pragmatic progressivism with Lake’s divisive far-right rhetoric. Lake’s ardent loyalty to Trump, her embrace of election conspiracies, and her hardline stance on abortion ultimately alienated the voters she needed to win.

Gallego’s win is not just personal; it’s historic. Raised in a working-class Latine family by a single immigrant mother, Gallego’s story seemed to resonate in the state, where Latinos make up nearly a third of the population. As Arizona’s first Latine senator, Gallego represents a decisive step forward for representation in a state that has increasingly rejected right-wing extremism. Gallego often shared memories of sleeping on the floor as a child and working to support his family.

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“For the kids sleeping on the floor, dreaming about a better, better America and a better, better future, this victory is for you,” he said during a press conference late Monday night, The New York Timesreports.

His message seems to have particularly resonated with Latino men, a demographic in which he consistently outperformed compared to other Democratic candidates, according toWashington Post exit polling.

Lake, an unyielding Trump ally and election denier, struggled to attract the broader support she needed. Her stance on near-total abortion bans, including support for a Civil War-era law restricting abortion, turned off many voters at a time when Arizona passed a constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights. Her campaign, steeped in election denialism and Trump-style rhetoric, didn’t gain the traction she expected in a state where voters have consistently rejected extreme MAGA candidates since 2016.

In a move that backfired, Lake attacked Gallego’s family and upbringing, attempting to weaponize his father’s estranged criminal past. However, her tactics only highlighted the stark contrast between the two candidates, with Gallego positioning himself as a representative focused on Arizona’s working families rather than sensationalism. Lake lost the state's gubernatorial election in 2022.

Gallego has long championed LGBTQ+ rights and fought against discriminatory legislation. He is a cosponsor of the Equality Act.

With Republicans regaining control of the Senate, Gallego’s role will be vital in advocating for policies that protect vulnerable communities, from LGBTQ+ rights to immigrant protections.