PHOENIX – The last hesitant race for governor came even closer on Sunday as Democrat Katie Hobbs’ lead diminished against Republican Kari Lake in the Arizona lead race, but it was too early to call.
Hobbs led 26,000 votes, with a 1-point margin, less than 10,000 votes the day before.
Lake has never led the race but insists on taking the lead as early ballots are added to polling stations. She won the majority of the 99,000 votes reported in Maricopa County on Sunday, but it is unclear whether she can reduce the gap from the approximately 160,000 remaining count across the state.
The Associated Press has yet to announce the race as there are still too many votes left to consider Hobbs’ lead as unbeatable.
The Democrats have won the races for the US Senate and Arizona secretary of state, but Lake is doing better than the Republicans. Former TV presenter Lake is well known in most of the state and has attracted ardent supporters among the supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Lake is one of the most famous election deniers running for office this year. Its supporters have been very critical of Arizona’s protracted vote, but this is nothing new in a state where the overwhelming majority of people vote for the ballots they receive by mail. Maricopa County officials said a record number of early ballot papers had been dropped at the polling station on election day, delaying the count while officials confirmed they were legal.
Republican David Schweikert took the lead for the first time, but he was less than 900 votes ahead of Democrat Jevin Hodge in the suburb of Phoenix House, which Democrats hoped could help them defy expectations and win a majority in the House.
In southern Arizona, Republican Juan Ciscomani maintained a narrow lead over Democrat Kirsten Engel in his seat in the Open House.
Both races were too early to call.
