Kari Lake news – live: Republican vows ‘I won’t back down’ with moody election result protest video

Kari Lake is showing no signs of conceding more than two days after the Arizona governor race was called in favour of her Democratic rival Katie Hobbs.

The Trump-endorsed Republican took to Twitter on Wednesday night to share a video with Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” over various clips of herself on the campaign trail.

It marked the latest sign that Ms Lake will challenge the election results, which saw Ms Hobbs declared winner on Monday night with 50.4 per cent of the vote count to her opponent’s 49.6 per cent.

Ms Lake immediately denied her projected loss in one of the country’s most closely-watched midterm races, calling the results “BS” and “botched”.

As she rallied supporters to join her challenge to the race call, fewer than 20 protesters turned out for a demonstration outside Arizona’s state capitol on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Ms Hobbs concluded that voters chose “solving our problems over conspiracy theories” and “sanity over chaos”.

Arizona governor’s race

• Katie Hobbs defeats far-right Republican Kari Lake in Arizona governor’s race

• Kari Lake campaign accuses Arizona election officials of running a ‘third world election'

• Katie Hobbs: 'Arizonans chose solving our problems over conspiracy theories’

• Kari Lake calls election results ‘BS'

• Liz Cheney’s message to Kari Lake: ‘You’re welcome’

Election denier running for attorney general is trailing by only 711 votes

15:30 , Alex Woodward

Democratic candidate Kris Mayes is leading by only 711 votes in the race for Arizona attorney general, with Republican Abe Hamadeh hoping to eke out a victory after sweeping statewide GOP losses.

If elected, Mr Hamadeh – a Trump loyalist who has refused to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, and was allied with conspiracy theorists Kari Lake and Mark Finchem – would be among only a handful of statewide Republicans in Arizona who won their races this year.

His loss – along with Ms Lake’s and Mr Finchem’s - would be significant blow to Trump’s false stolen election narrative that fuelled races across the US.

Roughly 25,000 ballots remained uncounted statewide as of Wednesday evening, according to the Secretary of State’s Office estimates.

Election complaints flood Maricopa County hearing

14:51 , Alex Woodward

Kari Lake and her campaign and allies urged people to attend a Maricopa County Board of Supervisors hearing on Wednesday night, where a round of public comments accused the board of being a cancer, issued threats and warnings, and demanded resignations.

The verbal attacks against the board and chair Bill Gates largely focused on printing issues that required county voters to place their ballots in a secure Box 3 that was designed exactly for those scenarios.

But it has been the subject of widespread disinformation and allegations of malfeasance – including from the state Republican party’s own chair and other Lake allies – despite repeated attempts from elections officials to debunk them and ensure that their ballots counted.

ICYMI: Trump makes rare admission on the GOP’s lacklustre midterm performance

13:00 , Alex Woodward

The twice-impeached former president who fuelled an attack on the US Capitol to overturn the 2020 election appeared to admit on Tuesday night that the party enraptured by his false claims of election fraud did not do so well in midterm elections.

Nearly every candidate he endorsed at the state level in battleground states he lost and then challenged were defeated.

His endorsed Senate candidates in battleground states Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania also failed.

“Much criticism is being placed on the fact that the Republican Party should have done better and frankly, much of this blame is correct,” he said. “But the citizens of our country have not yet realised the full extent and gravity of the pain our nation is going through and the total effect of the suffering is just starting to take hold.”

Trump makes rare admission on the GOP’s lacklustre midterm performance

Kari Lake vows ‘I won’t back down’ in moody video

12:25 , Megan Sheets

Kari Lake has dropped another hint that she will challenge her election loss to Katie Hobbs.

During her campaign, the Trump-backed Republican repeatedly refused to say if she would accept results that did not declare her Arizona governor.

In the three days since the race was called for Democrat Ms Hobbs, Ms Lake has shown no signs of intent to concede as she branded the results “BS” and “botched”.

On Wednesday evening, she took to Twitter to share a new video suggesting an official legal battle over the outcome.

The video features the Tom Petty classic “I Won’t Back Down” over slow-motion clips of her on the campaign trail.

ICYMI: Supreme Court rejects Arizona GOP chair’s attempt to block phone records from Jan 6 committee

12:00 , Alex Woodward

Arizona GOP chair Kelli Ward, whose party tanked in statewide elections, is likely to have her phone records in the hands of the House select committee investigating the attack on the US Capitol.

She was among so-called “alternate electors” in a scheme to falsely declare Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 presidential election. The plot relied on a bogus legal theory involving a slate of fraudulent certificates from key states that falsely asserted Mr Trump’s electoral college votes.

On Monday, the US Supreme Court gave the committee the greenlight to access those records.

Republican officials in Arizona are demanding that Ms Ward resign after the party lost races for governor, attorney general and US Senate.

Jan 6 committee can access Arizona GOP chair’s phone records, Supreme Court rules

Arizona GOP campaigned with ‘nothing but vitriol and anger and discontent,’ former chair says

11:00 , Alex Woodward

Arizona’s Republican Party is under pressure to advance far different candidates after losing races for governor, secretary of state and US Senate with candidates relying on extremist rhetoric, antidemocratic agendas and Donald Trump.

A former chair of the state party told Arizona NBC affiliate 12News that Republicans “forgot that one of the jobs is to inspire people, teach them why we believe that the Republican values and principles.

“What happens is that people get exhausted. When you have negative messaging, people just get tired of it,” Robert Graham said. “It’s like a little brother picking at you every single day. Pretty soon, you turn, and you just say, ‘Stop. You can’t do this.’ And that’s what’s happened.”

He suggested that Kelli Ward, the current state party chair who is also under investigation by the House select committee probing the Capitol attack, campaigned with “nothing but vitriol and anger and discontent with the way things have been” and did “nothing to inspire people or bring people together.”

“That’s where you lose,” Mr Graham said. “There was no continuity via messaging. And I think Kelli Ward should be held accountable for that.”

Voices: ‘Trump’s 2024 announcement proves it – he’s the weakest and most desperate he’s ever been’

10:00 , Alex Woodward

Ahmed Baba writes:

GOP megadonor splits with Trump: Time for ‘new generation of leaders’

09:00 , Alex Woodward

An influential conservative donor announced on Tuesday that he was not supporting Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, a stance that shows just how deep the fractures within the GOP may run after last week’s midterms.

“America does better when its leaders are rooted in today and tomorrow, not today and yesterday,” said Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of Blackstone, in a statement to Axios.

“It is time for the Republican Party to turn to a new generation of leaders and I intend to support one of them in the presidential primaries,” he added.

GOP megadonor splits with Trump: Time for ‘new generation of leaders’

ICYMI: A small group of Kari Lake supporters stage statehouse protest

08:00 , Alex Woodward

A small but vocal group of Kari Lake’s supporters who refused to accept the outcome of the governor’s race rallied outside the state capitol in Arizona on Tuesday.

Roughly 15 people gathered at the statehouse waving flags emblazoned with pro-Trump messages and “SOS”.

Less than 20 Kari Lake supporters turn out for protest against Arizona election loss

Election deniers overwhelmingly failed in 2022. The candidates who defeated them are bracing for 2024

07:00 , Alex Woodward

Voters rejected Republicans in critical state-level races running on bogus election narratives and endless grievances.

After beating them, newly elected officials warn that the GOP movement of Trump loyalists and conspiracy theorists isn’t over yet.

Election deniers overwhelmingly failed in 2022. The threat isn’t over

ICYMI: Kari Lake campaign accuses Arizona election officials of running a ‘third world election’

05:00 , Alex Woodward

Kari Lake has not conceded in the race for Arizona governor, and her campaign has shared videos of people accusing election officials and poll workers of malfeasance.

Her campaign’s “war room” Twitter account has accused her opponent and current secretary of state Katie Hobbs as well as election officials in Maricopa County of running a “third world election” that is “creating a whole generation of new ‘election deniers’.”

Videos shared by the campaign show voters detailing problems with ballot processing machines, which election officials had admitted were an issue as technical difficulties led to delays and frustrations.

There was a solution: Voters could place their ballots in a secure box at each polling location used for that exact issue. “Box 3” boxes have been the subject of conspiracy theories and rampant speculation, suggesting that the ballots were tossed out entirely.

But some of Ms Lake’s chief allies told voters not to trust them, including Kelli Ward, chair of the state GOP:

ICYMI: Damning letter from Arizona GOP official demands resignation of state party chair

03:00 , Alex Woodward

Under Kelli Ward’s leadership of the Arizona GOP, 2022 midterm elections will be the first in nearly 50 years that Republicans have lost a majority of statewide races.

Karrin Taylor Robson, a former member of the Arizona Board of Regents, called for Ms Ward’s resignation.

“Kelli Ward’s leadership of the Republican Party has been an unmitigated disaster,” she wrote in a damning letter on Tuesday.

“For the good of the party she claims to love, and for the future of the state that we all cherish, Kelli Ward must do the right thing,” she added. “Kelli Ward must resign as the Arizona Republican Party Chairman.”

Arizona voters call on Maricopa County officials to resign and cancel the election in public hearing

00:16 , Alex Woodward

In a hearing on Wednesday, one week and a day after Election Day, Maricopa County’s Board of Supervisors were hit with a flood of complaints during a public hearing alleging malfeasance in the wake of GOP losses in statewide races.

ABC 15 reporter Nicole Grigg compiled a reel of their complaints:

Steve Bannon claims Kari Lake will fight election outcome ‘to the bitter end’

00:00 , Alex Woodward

Far-right activist and former Trump aide Steve Bannon was reportedly “clear-eyed about the unfavorable numbers” before Kari Lake’s election loss.

But he told his War Room listeners this week that Ms Lake’s campaign – backed by Trump allies and far-right activist groups – is working “behind the scenes” to challenge Katie Hobbs’s vistory.

“Don’t think that Kari Lake that is not going to fight this one down to the bitter end,” he said.

He repeatedly suggested that the state decertify the results, echoing his baseless narrative that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump – claims that have been popular fundraising mechanisms to propel ultimately unsuccessful reactionary campaigns over the last two years.

But off the airwaves, Ms Lake’s campaign was being advised to a more measured approach to the outcome and not “storm the castle,” according to The Washington Post.

ICYMI: Katie Hobbs pledges to protect abortion rights in state with century-old ban

Wednesday 16 November 2022 23:00 , Alex Woodward

In a speech to supporters on Tuesday, governor-elect Katie Hobbs said she will move to repeal a more than century-old ban on abortion in the state that was allowed to take effect after the US Supreme Court struck down Roe v Wade.

The anti-abortion law was updated in 1901. But Arizona didn’t become a state until 1912. The sweeping abortion prohibition from the state’s territorial history decades earlier has remain on the books, but unenforced, for more than a century, despite the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling found the law and others like it unconstitutional.

In September, two months after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v Wade, a judge allowed the ban to take effect.

Damning letter from Arizona GOP official demands resignation of state party chair

Wednesday 16 November 2022 22:00 , Alex Woodward

Under Kelli Ward’s leadership of the Arizona GOP, 2022 midterm elections will be the first in nearly 50 years that Republicans have lost a majority of statewide races.

Karrin Taylor Robson, a former member of the Arizona Board of Regents, called for Ms Ward’s resignation.“Kelli Ward’s leadership of the Republican Party has been an unmitigated disaster,” she wrote in a damning letter on Tuesday.

“For the good of the party she claims to love, and for the future of the state that we all cherish, Kelli Ward must do the right thing,” she added. “Kelli Ward must resign as the Arizona Republican Party Chairman.”

Arizona GOP candidates for governor, secretary of state and attorney general are endorsing Trump

Wednesday 16 November 2022 21:01 , Alex Woodward

Donald Trump endorsed all three GOP candidates for Arizona’s top statewide offices. All but two of them lost, and another race is still too close to call.

On Tuesday night, as the former president was announcing his candidacy for 2024, those candidates all pledged their support.

‘Conservatism wins in Arizona. Crazy does not’: Analysts reflect on GOP losses after Republicans call for resignation of party chair

Wednesday 16 November 2022 20:00 , Alex Woodward

Arizona’s Republican Party chair Kelli Ward faces calls to step down after high-profile midterm election losses, including Senate candidate Blake Masters and gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake.

Democratic candidates saw historic success; the state will be represented by a Democratic governor and secretary of state, with two Democratic Senators in Congress, defeating far-right candidates who rejected the 2020 presidential election outcome and promoted baseless claims about the electoral process.

“Conservatism wins in Arizona. Crazy does not,” according to Chris Baker, a Republican political consultant who works on congressional and legislative races in Arizona and elsewhere.

“The Republican Party in Arizona is at a crossroads right now,” he told the Arizona Mirror. “Is this the direction we want to continue in?”

Fewer than 800 votes separate Democratic candidate and election denier in Arizona attorney general election

Wednesday 16 November 2022 18:46 , Alex Woodward

Democratic candidate for attorney general Kris Mayes is leading Republican Abe Hamadeh by just 771 votes as of Wednesday, according to the secretary of state’s office.

Mr Hamadeh, along with Kari Lake and secretary of state candidate Mark Finchem, promoted false claims about the 2020 election during the campaign. All candidates were endorsed by Donald Trump.

Ms Lake and Mr Finchem lost their elections.

The 31-year-old former prosecutor said he would not have certified Joe Biden’s victory in the state in 2020, and he amplified debunked conspiracy theories that “mules” manipulated the outcome.

Trump makes rare admission on the GOP’s lacklustre midterm performance

Wednesday 16 November 2022 17:45 , Alex Woodward

The twice-impeached former president who fuelled an attack on the US Capitol to overturn the 2020 election admitted on Tuesday night that the party enraptured by his bogus narrative of election fraud and endless grievances did not do so well in midterm elections.

Nearly every candidate he endorsed at the state level in battleground states he lost and then challenged were defeated.

His endorsed Senate candidates in battleground states Arizona, Nevada and Pennsylvania also failed.

“Much criticism is being placed on the fact that the Republican Party should have done better and frankly, much of this blame is correct,” he said. “But the citizens of our country have not yet realised the full extent and gravity of the pain our nation is going through and the total effect of the suffering is just starting to take hold.”

Trump makes rare admission on the GOP’s lacklustre midterm performance

Far-right activists arrested in sprawling election conspiracy theory case want to ‘stop the certification’ of Arizona results

Wednesday 16 November 2022 16:45 , Alex Woodward

Catherine Engelbrecht and Gregg Phillips are the founders of True the Vote and the executive producers of a film promoted by Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans to advance a fraudulent narrative that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.

Last month, a federal judge ordered their arrest amid a strange, sprawling case in the aftermath of the that election, with an election software company accusing True the Vote of defamation.

On his War Room podcast this week, Steve Bannon asked Mr Phillips and Mr Engelbrecht to comment on the race for Arizona governor.

Kari Lake, who has also advanced baseless claims about the 2020 election, lost to Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs, based on projections from the Associated Press and major news networks.

Mr Phillips called it a “stolen election.”

Ms Engelbrecht said that “we have to stop the certification” of the results.

Steve Bannon claims Kari Lake will fight election outcome ‘to the bitter end'

Wednesday 16 November 2022 16:02 , Alex Woodward

Far-right activist and former Trump aide Steve Bannon was reportedly “clear-eyed about the unfavorable numbers” before Kari Lake’s election loss.

But he told his War Room listeners this week that Ms Lake’s campaign – backed by Trump allies and far-right activist groups – is working “behind the scenes” to challenge Katie Hobbs’s vistory.

“Don’t think that Kari Lake that is not going to fight this one down to the bitter end,” he said.

He repeatedly suggested that the state decertify the results, echoing his baseless narrative that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump – claims that have been popular fundraising mechanisms to propel ultimately unsuccessful reactionary campaigns over the last two years.

But off the airwaves, Ms Lake’s campaign was being advised to a more measured approach to the outcome and not “storm the castle,” according to The Washington Post.

ICYMI: Katie Hobbs has a message for election deniers

Wednesday 16 November 2022 15:45 , Alex Woodward

Arizona’s governor-elect Katie Hobbs said Republican and Democratic lawmakers will have an “open door” to her office to work on bipartisan solutions.

But after defeating prominent election denier Kari Lake, who has amplified Trump’s bogus narrative of election fraud and manipulation, she had a message:

“For those of you who prefer to obstruct, spread misinformation and continue to pursue an extreme agenda out of touch with this state, take note of the results of this election,” she told supporters at a victory rally on Tuesday.

“Voters sent us a loud and clear message,” she said. “They rejected the chaos, because we have urgent problems. The need and expect us to deliver.”

Election deniers overwhelmingly failed in 2022. The candidates who beat them warn the threat isn’t over

Wednesday 16 November 2022 15:15 , Rachel Sharp

Republican candidates who rejected the outcome of the 2020 presidential election lost every battleground statewide race for offices that control how elections are run, a major blow to Donald Trump’s movement to install loyalists in critical state-level positions that could do in 2024 what he failed to do in 2020.

Voters overwhelmingly rejected candidates who amplified the former president’s bogus narrative that the election was stolen from him, or marred by Democratic fraud or malfeasance, and pledged antidemocratic agendas that would upend the electoral process to ensure GOP victories.

After beating them, newly elected officials warn that the GOP movement of Trump loyalists and conspiracy theorists isn’t over yet.

The Independent’s Alex Woodward has the full story:

Election deniers overwhelmingly failed in 2022

ICYMI: Democrat Katie Hobbs wins Arizona governor race

Wednesday 16 November 2022 14:45 , Rachel Sharp

Trump loyalist Kari Lake has been defeated in the Arizona governor midterm election by Democrat Katie Hobbs.

In another significant blow to the Republican-forecast “red wave,” Ms Lake was beaten in one of the most-watched races in the states.

The former television news anchor had echoed Mr Trump’s unfounded claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.

She had assured supporters during her campaign that she would not only serve one term, but two, as governor, and become journalists’ “worst nightmare.”

Ms Hobbs tweeted: “Democracy is worth the wait. Thank you, Arizona.”

Kari Lake defeated as Democrat Katie Hobbs wins Arizona governor’s race

Less than 20 Kari Lake supporters turn out for statehouse protest against her Arizona governor election loss

Wednesday 16 November 2022 14:15 , Rachel Sharp

A small but vocal group of election deniers rallied outside the state capitol in Arizona to protest Kari Lake’s loss in the gubernatorial race against Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs.

The governor’s race was called on Monday night, with Ms Hobbs taking leading the contest by about 20,000 votes and a 50.4 per cent majority to Ms Lake’s 49.6 per cent.

Approximately 15 people gathered at the Arizona state capitol on Tuesday, with some waving flags emblazoned with pro-Trump messages and “SOS”.

The Independent’s Johanna Chisholm has the full story:

Less than 20 Kari Lake supporters turn out for protest against Arizona election loss

Watch: 'Arizonans rejected Trumpism’

Wednesday 16 November 2022 13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Hannity sulking mocked as Arizona race doesn’t go his way

Wednesday 16 November 2022 13:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Sean Hannity was labelled a “hypocritical sore loser” for taking a cheap shot at Katie Hobbs while morosely calling the Arizona governor’s race for her live on-air.

“Apparently they did have a drop in Arizona and Fox is projecting that Democratic Secretary of State, who should have recused herself, Katie Hobbs has been elected governor of Arizona,” the Fox News host announced toward the end of his 8pm show on Monday.

Bevan Hurley reports.

Sean Hannity’s sulking announcement of Arizona governor result goes viral

Arizona Gov Doug Ducey claps as Chris Christie delivers takedown on Trump at GOP governor meeting

Wednesday 16 November 2022 12:45 , Johanna Chisholm

Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona, the outgoing governor of the state who offered his congratulations to the Democratic candidate projected to succeed him, was reportedly so moved by former governor Chris Christie’s takedown of Donald Trump at a recent GOP meeting that he found himself applauding “heartily”.

Axios reported Tuesday that the Republican Arizona governor, who was prohibited from term limit laws from running again, was among a group of GOP governors who convened at an annual meeting on Tuesday morning.

During the summit, former New Jersey governor Christie delivered an excoriating takedown of Mr Trump, pinning much of the GOP’s failures during the last three elections on the twice-impeached president, according to sources in the room who confirmed the content to Axios.

After the rousing speech, Republican Gov Ducey, who is himself the co-chair of the Republican Governors Association, found himself reportedly applauding heartily.

Gov Ducey also reportedly called Katie Hobbs, the first Democrat to be elected governor in Arizona since Janet Napolitano in 2006, on Monday to offer his congratulations, according to the New York Times.

Katie Hobbs vows to ‘restore reproductive rights’ as she celebrates win

Wednesday 16 November 2022 12:30 , Rachel Sharp

Katie Hobbs has vowed to “restore reproductive rights” in Arizona as she celebrated her win over far-right candidate Kari Lake.

Democrat Ms Hobbs shared Tuesday’s front page of The Arizona Republic on Twitter, featuring a photo of her and the headline: “Katie Hobbs elected Arizona’s fifth female governor”.

“Arizona — from the bottom of my heart, thank you. This was a tough fight, and I’m humbled to be your next governor,” she wrote on Twitter alongside the image.

“I can’t wait to serve our great state, restore our reproductive rights, protect our democracy, and work every day to deliver solutions for all Arizonans.”

Lake one of several Trump-aligned candidates to lose

Wednesday 16 November 2022 12:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Kari Lake, a former television news anchor, was one of a string of Donald Trump-aligned Republican candidates who lost battleground state races. Voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin also rejected election deniers in races for governor and other statewide election posts.

Biden narrowly beat Trump in Arizona in the 2020 election. Katie Hobbs, Arizona’s current secretary of state, rose to national prominence when she defended the state’s election results against Trump’s claims of voter fraud.

On Monday, she won the seat currently held by Republican Governor Doug Ducey, who could not seek re-election because of term limits.

Vote-counting in Arizona continued for nearly a week after the 8 November election. Arizona requires voters’ signatures on early ballots to be verified before they are processed. The counting was delayed this year because hundreds of thousands of early ballots were cast at drop boxes on Election Day, officials said.

Lake and Trump had pointed to temporary Election Day problems with electronic vote-counting machines in Maricopa County as evidence that Republican votes were being suppressed.

A judge denied a request to extend polling place hours, saying Republicans had provided no evidence that voters were disenfranchised by the issue.

In a Sunday appearance on Fox News, Lake said the lengthy counting process was “trampling” voters’ rights, and was further evidence of why election administration in Arizona needed to be reformed.

“We can’t be the laughing stock of elections anymore here in Arizona, and when I’m governor, I will not allow it,” she said.

Reuters

Kari Lake celebrates Trump’s 2024 run

Wednesday 16 November 2022 11:30 , Rachel Sharp

Kari Lake celebrated Donald Trump’s 2024 run on Tuesday night, after he confirmed he was making a third consecutive bid for the White House during an event at Mar-a-Lago.

“President Trump announces his ‘24 Presidential run. He has my complete and total endorsement!” she tweeted along with a screenshot of Mr Trump delivering his announcement.

Ms Lake was endorsed – unsuccessfully – by the former president and has parrotted his lies that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him.

Now she has lost her own race, she is continuing to try to sow doubt in the results.

ICYMI: Katie Hobbs tells supporters that ‘Arizonans chose solving our problems over conspiracy theories’

Wednesday 16 November 2022 11:00 , Alex Woodward

Addressing supporters at a victory rally the morning after her projected victory, Arizona’s governor-elect Katie Hobbs said voters “chose solving our problems over conspiracy theories” after she defeated prominent election denier and Trump loyalist Kari Lake.

“We chose sanity over chaos, and we chose unity over division,” she said. “We chose a better Arizona, and we chose democracy.”

Ms Lake’s loss is the latest in a sweep of defeats to a conspiracy theory-fuelled, antidemocratic movement to upend the electoral process to ensure GOP victories across the US.

“The attacks on democracy won’t end today with this victory. It is on all of us to continue to defend it,” Ms Hobbs said. “Most of all we must reject the false choice between democracy and standing up for an economy that works for everyone.”

Small group of election deniers protest at Arizona state capitol

Wednesday 16 November 2022 10:30 , Rachel Sharp

A small group of election deniers staged a protest outside Arizona’s state capitol on Tuesday afternoon, after MAGA Republicans Kari Lake lost the gubernatorial race but refused to concede to winner Katie Hobbs.

Around 15 people gathered outside the building, some of them waving flags reading “SOS”.

One man, who identified himself as Dan S, told Raw Story that they were “done waiting for justice”.

“Our legislative body has completely turned against we the People,” he said.

“And we the people are done waiting for justice. We have a corrupt government, and it’s time is ticking away, soon to be gone.

Many of the attendees were the same people who protested outside the Maricopa Election & Voting Tabulation Center on Monday before the race was called for Ms Hobbs.

The demonstration comes as Ms Lake refuses to accept that she lost the race. The Republican spent the campaign trail echoing Donald Trump’s lies that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, after he endorsed her unsuccessfully for the race.

Kari Lake campaign accuses Arizona election officials of running a ‘third world election’

Wednesday 16 November 2022 10:00 , Alex Woodward

Kari Lake has refused to concede the race for Arizona governor, while her campaign has shared videos of people accusing election officials and poll workers of malfeasance.

Her campaign’s “war room” Twitter account has accused her opponent and current secretary of state Katie Hobbs as well as election officials in Maricopa County of running a “third world election” that is “creating a whole generation of new ‘election deniers’.”

Videos shared by the campaign show voters detailing problems with ballot processing machines, which election officials had admitted were an issue as technical difficulties led to delays and frustrations.

There was a solution: Voters could place their ballots in a secure box at each polling location used for that exact issue. “Box 3” boxes have been the subject of conspiracy theories and rampant speculation, suggesting that the ballots were tossed out entirely.

Some of Ms Lake’s chief allies told voters not to trust them. Ms Lake later told her supporters that it was safe.

Among those allies telling people not to trust Box 3? Kelli Ward, chair of the state GOP:

Katie Hobbs has a message for election deniers

Wednesday 16 November 2022 09:00 , Alex Woodward

Arizona’s governor-elect Katie Hobbs said Republicans and Democratic lawmakers will have an “open door” to her office to work on bipartisan solutions.

But after defeating prominent election denier Kari Lake, who has amplified Trump’s bogus narrative of election fraud and manipulation, she had a message:

“For those of you who prefer to obstruct, spread misinformation and continue to pursue an extreme agenda out of touch with this state, take note of the results of this election,” she told supporters on Tuesday.

“Voters sent us a loud and clear message. They rejected the chaos, because we have urgent problems. The need and expect us to deliver,” she said.

MSNBC reporter launches blistering takedown of Kari Lake’s ‘Trumpism’ after Arizona governor election loss

Wednesday 16 November 2022 08:00 , Alex Woodward

Vaughn Hillyard, a correspondent for the MSNBC who originally hails from Arizona, unloaded on the Trump-endorsed candidate less than a day after the race was called for Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs.

“She predicated the campaign trying to sell the ‘big lie’ and the conspiracy theories,” he said, noting that when the GOP analysts start swooping in to conduct a post-mortem on what went wrong with Ms Lake’s bid for the governor’s office, they’ll soon put the pieces together.

“This is the third election cycle in which Arizonans rejected Trumpism,” he said.

MSNBC reporter launches blistering takedown of Kari Lake after election loss

‘For once we agree’: Kari Lake mocked after tweeting that Arizonans know ‘BS when they see it’

Wednesday 16 November 2022 07:00 , Alex Woodward

Kari Lake continues to refuse to concede her race against Katie Hobbs, which was called by numerous news networks Monday evening after a batch of votes from Maricopa County further solidified her opponent’s lead.

Now, the Republican’s defiant message for her followers on Twitter is being mocked by Ms Hobbs’s supporters and Democrats around the country.

‘For once we agree’: Kari Lake mocked for tweeting that Arizonans can recognise ‘BS’

Poll: Many Republicans still back Trump for 2024, but that support is waning

Wednesday 16 November 2022 06:00 , Alex Woodward

A new Politico-Morning Consult poll has shown that former President Donald Trump’s popularity with Republican-leaning voters might be waning after midterm elections.

Among voter surveyed, 65 per cent said the ex-president should probably or definitely not run again. Of those voters, 53 per cent were in the “definite” camp.

Those numbers haven’t shifted significantly since before Election Day, when the same polling group found that the twice-impeached former president stood at 48 per cent.

But it does show that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s star is rising, with the governor shooting up from 26 per cent to 33 per cent.

ICYMI: Sean Hannity was not thrilled about announcing Fox News calling the race for Katie Hobbs

Wednesday 16 November 2022 04:00 , Alex Woodward

Fox News personality Sean Hannity was in the middle of his programme’s broadcast on Monday night when the Associated Press and networks – including Fox – projected that Kari Lake would lose the Arizona governor’s race to Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs, who is currently the secretary of state.

Mr Hannity said that because she is secretary of state that she should not even have run for office. Right-wing media did not make the same kind of statements after Republican Brian Kemp was elected governor in Georgia in 2018 while secretary of state.

“Fox is projecting that Democratic Secretary of State – who should have recused herself — Katie Hobbs has been elected governor of Arizona,” he said.

ICYMI: Supreme Court rejects Arizona GOP chair’s attempt to block phone records from Jan 6 committee

Wednesday 16 November 2022 02:00 , Alex Woodward

Arizona GOP chair Kelli Ward, whose party tanked in statewide elections, is likely to have her phone records in the hands of the House select committee investigating the attack on the US Capitol.

She was among so-called “alternate electors” in a scheme to falsely declare Donald Trump the winner of the 2020 presidential election. The plot relied on a bogus legal theory involving a slate of fraudulent certificates from key states that falsely asserted Mr Trump’s electoral college votes.

On Monday, the US Supreme Court gave the committee the greenlight to access those records.

Jan 6 committee can access Arizona GOP chair’s phone records, Supreme Court rules

Why Trump won’t be able to directly funnel his huge war chest into his presidential campaign

Wednesday 16 November 2022 01:00 , Alex Woodward

Donald Trump will likely not be able to directly spend the $69m that he has raised through his political action committee.

His Save America PAC is considered a leadership PAC, which legally cannot be converted into a campaign account.

Why Trump won’t be able to directly funnel his war chest into presidential campaign

Breaking news: GOP’s Rick Scott to challenge Mitch McConnell for control of Senate caucus

Tuesday 15 November 2022 23:00 , Alex Woodward

Senator Rick Scott will challenge Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for control of GOP leadership in the upper chamber, a move that comes days after Mr McConnell’s caucus failed to unseat a 50-vote Democratic majority in the midterm elections.

The Independent’s John Bowden reports from Washington DC:

GOP’s Rick Scott to challenge Mitch McConnell for control of Senate caucus

Blake Masters congratulates Mark Kelly

Tuesday 15 November 2022 21:30 , Alex Woodward

Arizona’s Democratic Senator Mark Kelly won re-election last week, defeating Trump-endorsed Republican Blake Masters.

But he refused to concede, despite networks projecting his loss within days after Election Day. The Associated Press called the race at 10pm on Friday.

One week after Election Day, Mr Masters has called to congratulate his opponent:

Kari Lake campaign accuses Arizona election officials of running a ‘third world election'

Tuesday 15 November 2022 21:00 , Alex Woodward

Kari Lake has refused to concede the race for Arizona governor, while her campaign has shared videos of people accusing election officials and poll workers of malfeasance

Her campaign’s “war room” Twitter account has accused her opponent and current secretary of state Katie Hobbs as well as election officials in Maricopa County of running a “third world election” that is “creating a whole generation of new ‘election deniers’.”

Videos shared by the campaign show voters detailing problems with ballot processing machines, which election officials had admitted were an issue as technical difficulties led to delays and frustrations.

There was a solution: Voters could place their ballots in a secure box at each polling location used for that exact issue. “Box 3” boxes have been the subject of conspiracy theories and rampant speculation, suggesting that the ballots were tossed out entirely.

Some of Ms Lake’s chief allies told voters not to trust them. Ms Lake later told her supporters that it was safe.

Among those allies telling people not to trust Box 3?

Kelli Ward, chair of the state GOP:

Republicans net one statewide victory in Arizona. She wasn’t endorsed by Trump

Tuesday 15 November 2022 20:35 , Alex Woodward

State Treasurer Kimberly Yee received the most votes among Republicans running for statewide office in Arizona.

She was also one of the few GOP officials in the state who did not receive Trump’s endorsement, and was not associated with Kari Lake, Blake Masters and other far-right candidates running on the former president’s bogus fraud narrative.

Now right-wing figures and media personalities are confused how or why Republican voters could split their ticket, ultimately netting Ms Yee more votes than her election-denying GOP counterparts. Instead, they’re baselessly suggesting widespread fraud (to the tune of 200,00-plus votes) got Ms Yee elected.

Ms Yee dropped out of the GOP primary after the former president backed her then-opponent Kari Lake. Instead, Ms Lee – a popular Republican figure in the state – ran a quiet campaign for treasurer.

Democratic candidate defeats chief sponsor of Arizona’s anti-abortion law

Tuesday 15 November 2022 20:00 , Alex Woodward

Republican state Senator Nancy Barto lost a race to hold on to her seat after Democratic candidate Christine Marsh defeated the longtime legislator.

Ms Barto was the chief sponsor of a bill to ban abortion in the state at 15 weeks of pregnancy, mirroring the Mississippi law at the centre of the US Supreme Court’s decision to revoke a constitutional right to abortion care.

I’m proud of the campaign we ran. I congratulate my opponent on her victory,” Ms Barto said.

‘For once we agree’: Kari Lake mocked after tweeting that Arizonans know ‘BS when they see it’

Tuesday 15 November 2022 19:30 , Alex Woodward

Kari Lake continues to refuse to concede her race against Katie Hobbs, which was called by numerous news networks Monday evening after a batch of votes from Maricopa County further solidified her opponent’s lead.

Now, the Republican’s defiant message for her followers on Twitter is being mocked by Ms Hobbs’s supporters and Democrats around the country.

‘For once we agree’: Kari Lake mocked for tweeting that Arizonans can recognise ‘BS’

Katie Hobbs pledges to protect abortion rights in state with century-old ban

Tuesday 15 November 2022 19:00 , Alex Woodward

In a speech to supporters on Tuesday, governor-elect Katie Hobbs said she will move to repeal a more than century-old ban on abortion in the state that was allowed to take effect after the US Supreme Court struck down Roe v Wade.

The anti-abortion law was updated in 1901. But Arizona didn’t become a state until 1912. The sweeping abortion prohibition from the state’s territorial history decades earlier has remain on the books, but unenforced, for more than a century, despite the landmark 1973 Supreme Court ruling found the law and others like it unconstitutional.

In September, two months after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v Wade, a judge allowed the ban to take effect.

Katie Hobbs has a message for election deniers

Tuesday 15 November 2022 18:30 , Alex Woodward

Arizona’s governor-elect Katie Hobbs said Republicans and Democratic lawmakers will have an “open door” to her office to work on bipartisan solutions.

But after defeating prominent election denier Kari Lake, who has amplified Trump’s bogus narrative of election fraud and manipulation, she had a message:

“For those of you who prefer to obstruct, spread misinformation and continue to pursue an extreme agenda out of touch with this state, take note of the results of this election,” she told supporters on Tuesday.

“Voters sent us a loud and clear message. They rejected the chaos, because we have urgent problems. The need and expect us to deliver,” she said.

Katie Hobbs: 'Arizonans chose solving our problems over conspiracy theories’

Tuesday 15 November 2022 18:03 , Alex Woodward

Addressing a victory rally the morning after her projected victory, Arizona’s governor-elect Katie Hobbs said Arizona voters “chose solving our problems over conspiracy theories,” after she defeated prominent election denier and Trump loyalist Kari Lake.

“We chose sanity over chaos, and we chose unity over division,” she said. “We chose a better Arizona, and we chose democracy.”

Ms Lake’s loss is the latest in a sweep of defeats to a conspiracy theory-fuelled, antidemocratic movement to upend the electoral process to ensure GOP victories across the US.

“The attacks on democracy won’t end today with this victory. It is on all of us to continue to defend it,” Ms Hobbs said. “Most of all we must reject the false choice between democracy and standing up for an economy that works for everyone.”

MSNBC reporter launches blistering takedown of Kari Lake’s ‘Trumpism’ after Arizona governor election loss

Tuesday 15 November 2022 17:37 , Alex Woodward

Vaughn Hillyard, a correspondent for the MSNBC who originally hails from Arizona, unloaded on the Trump-endorsed candidate less than a day after the race was called for Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs.

“She predicated the campaign trying to sell the ‘big lie’ and the conspiracy theories,” he said, noting that when the GOP analysts start swooping in to conduct a post-mortem on what went wrong with Ms Lake’s bid for the governor’s office, they’ll soon put the pieces together.

“This is the third election cycle in which Arizonans rejected Trumpism,” he said.

MSNBC reporter launches blistering takedown of Kari Lake after election loss

Sean Hannity’s sulking announcement of Arizona governor results goes viral: ‘Weak hypocritical sore loser’

Tuesday 15 November 2022 17:00 , Alex Woodward

Fox News host Sean Hannity was labelled a “hypocritical sore loser” for taking a cheap shot at Katie Hobbs while announcing the Arizona governor’s race call in the middle of his Monday night programme.

Sean Hannity’s sulking announcement of Arizona governor result goes viral

How far-right media and election deniers are coping with Kari Lake’s loss

Tuesday 15 November 2022 16:31 , Alex Woodward

Mark Finchem, who lost the race for Arizona’s secretary of state, went on a posting spree after projections showed Kari Lake losing to Katie Hobbs.

He repeatedly accused people of being a “Democrat hack” and refused to believe the legitimacy of the votes coming out of Maricopa County, adding that the results “defy all math”.

Election denialism was a failure for Republicans in 2022, with voters overwhelmingly rejecting the insurgent class of far-right figures who amplified bogus conspiracy theories and pledged to upend the electoral process to get Republicans elected.

Far-right media figures also were, predictably, outraged with the results. Charle Kirk suggested recalling Katie Hobbs. Tomi Lahren said she is “utterly disgusted about whatever the hell happened” in Arizona. Fox News figures were dumbfounded and suggested in their coverage that the outcome wsa illegitimate.

On Monday, Steve Bannon raged on his War Room podcast, claiming glitches accounted for by election officials represented “an active disenfranchisement of voters in Arizona on the world stage” and said “we have to stop the certification.”

Kari Lake baselessly asserts election was ‘botched’ in Fox News interview

Tuesday 15 November 2022 16:00 , Alex Woodward

Before networks began calling the race for Katie Hobbs, Kari Lake baselessly asserted that her opponent – who is currently the secretary of state, the chief elections official in the state – had “botched” the election.

Hours earlier, election officials in Maricopa County once again batted down false claims and misinformation shared by candidates and their supporters about the elections process.

County Sheriff Paul Penzone defended election workers from what he called “disappointing” comments about the vote-counting process and stressed that election workers and volunteers will be protected from harassment.

“I have seen people at the polls who are excited about the opportunity to actually participate in this process, working long hours ... working late because they want to make sure this election is free and fair,” he said on Monday evening.

Sean Hannity was not thrilled about announcing Fox News calling the race for Katie Hobbs

Tuesday 15 November 2022 15:30 , Alex Woodward

Fox News personality Sean Hannity was in the middle of his programme’s broadcast on Monday night when the Associated Press and networks – including Fox – projected that Kari Lake would lose the Arizona governor’s race to Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs, who is currently the secretary of state.

Mr Hannity said that because she is secretary of state that she should not even have run for office. Right-wing media did not make the same kind of statements after Republican Brian Kemp was elected governor in Georgia in 2018 while secretary of state.

“Fox is projecting that Democratic Secretary of State – who should have recused herself — Katie Hobbs has been elected governor of Arizona,” he said.

Trump mocks DeSantis over resurfaced video of Maga flag on baby daughter’s crib: ‘Thanks, Ron!’

Tuesday 15 November 2022 15:00 , Alex Woodward

Donald Trump has mocked rival Ron DeSantis over a resurfaced campaign video featuring excessive praise of the one-time president.

On Sunday, the Democrat-aligned Twitter account Patriot Takes shared an old DeSantis campaign ad from 2018 in which the then-candidate for Florida governor and his family swear fealty to Mr Trump in an over-exaggerated fashion.

Mr Trump himself responded to the clip going viral this week – as the pair ramp up their bitter battle over the GOP – by writing on Truth Social: “Thanks, Ron!”

In the video, Mr DeSantis’s wife is heard explaining all the ways that the governor is a good father, while her husband is seen teaching his infant daughter to “build the wall” with blocks and reading from Mr Trump’s book The Art of the Deal.

John Bowden has more here.

Trump mocks DeSantis over resurfaced video of Maga flag on baby daughter’s crib

Meghan McCain trolls Kari Lake after her loss in Arizona’s gubernatorial race

Tuesday 15 November 2022 14:30 , Johanna Chisholm

Meghan McCain, the daughter of former US Senator John McCain, trolled the Trump-endorsed candidate for the governor’s race in Arizona, Kari Lake, after it was declared that she’d lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs.

The tweet, shared late Monday, was simple and effective in delivering Ms McCain’s message. On one side, there was a picture of her father, who served as Arizona Senator from 1987 until his death in 2018, smiling with a thumbs up. On the other side was a picture of the defeated Ms Lake, with the word, “Loser”, photoshopped over top.

Liz Cheney sends perfect revenge tweet as Kari Lake loses Arizona governor’s race: ‘You’re welcome’

Tuesday 15 November 2022 14:00 , Johanna Chisholm

Arizona governor candidate Kari Lake has been mocked by her Republican colleague Liz Cheney after multiple news outlets called the race for the Democrats.

Ms Lake, a pro-Trump firebrand who has repeatedly spread conspiracy theories about the 2020 US presidential election, had written to Ms Cheney last month sarcastically thanking her for running a TV advert against her, which Ms Lake claimed had actually galvanised support.

“Thank you again for the huge boost to our campaign! Enjoy your forced retirement from politics,” Ms Lake had said.

Seventeen days later, as NBC News, CNN and The Associated Press declared victory for Ms Lake’s Democratic opponent Katie Hobbs, Ms Cheney responded on Twitter: “You’re welcome, @KariLake.”

Io Dodds has more here.

Liz Cheney sends perfect revenge tweet as Kari Lake loses Arizona: ‘You’re welcome’

Poll: Many Republicans still back Trump for 2024, but that support is waning

Tuesday 15 November 2022 13:00 , Johanna Chisholm

A new Politico-Morning Consult poll has shown that former President Donald Trump’s popularity with Republican-leaning voters might be waning in the post-midterm climate.

Among all voters surveyed in the poll, 65 per cent said the ex-president should probably or definitely not run again (of those, 53 per cent were in the definite camp).

Those numbers haven’t shifted significantly since pre-election, when the same polling group found that the twice impeached president stood at 48 per cent. But it does show that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s star is rising, with the governor shooting up from 26 per cent to 33 per cent.

Kari Lake joins list of election deniers who received Trump’s endorsement but failed in their bid for elected office

Tuesday 15 November 2022 12:40 , Johanna Chisholm

Kari Lake, a former news anchor who was swiftly embraced by Donald Trump and MAGA enthusiasts after she began aggressively peddling election fraud conspiracy theories from the 2020 presidential election, has joined a growing list of election deniers who were similarly graced with the former president’s blessing only to be rejected at the polls

NBC News reporter Sahil Kapur aggregated the candidates who embraced Trump’s “Big Lie” heading into the November midterms and found that there were at least 10 substantial Republicans on the ballot who were rejected by the electorate in their respective state and federal races.

As Kapur points out, this is not an exhaustive list but rather a collection of the more substantial losses suffered by the MAGA Republicans who accepted the ex-president’s narrative of events during the 2020 election.

Critics of Kari Lake react to her ‘self-owning’ tweet after she claims election was stolen

Tuesday 15 November 2022 12:20 , Johanna Chisholm

Shortly after NBC News called the race in the Arizona gubernatorial race, declaring Democrat Katie Hobbs the victor over Trump-backed Kari Lake, the Republican candidate took to her preferred social media platform to begin spreading her preferred kind of conspiracies: election fraud.

“Arizonans know BS when they see it,” tweeted the former news anchor, hinting that her narrow loss to Ms Hobbs - where she secured 49.6 per cent to her opponent’s 50.4 per cent - was the byproduct of some kind of “BS” election fraud.

Unfortunately for Ms Lake, the Twittersphere took the tweet to mean an entirely different thing, with many critics using it as the punchline to several jokes about how Arizonans had roundly rejected her brand of election-denying politics.

“As it turns out, yes, yes they did,” quote tweeted former Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill.

“perfect concession: self-aware & concise,” tweeted New Yorker reporter and author Philip Gourevitch.

A stunningly accurate prediction on House and Senate control from August has gone viral after results

Tuesday 15 November 2022 12:05 , Johanna Chisholm

A prediction about the US midterms made on Twitter at the end of August has gone viral for apparently accurately guessing the outcome of the election.

User “umichvoter”, who appears to be 22-years-old with an interest in politics and elections currently studying for a medical degree, made the prediction on 31 August.

He wrote: “Based on special elections and generic ballot and president approval trends, I’d say we are probably at about a 50-49 Dem senate with GA headed to runoff and 219-216 GOP house.”

“Things could change tho,” he added.

Oliver O’Connell has more details here.

Prediction on House and Senate control from August goes viral as results bear out

MAGA activist claims he can ‘will into existence’ a Kari Lake win

Tuesday 15 November 2022 11:40 , Rachel Sharp

MAGA activist and “Stop the Steal” rally organiser Ali Alexander has claimed that he can “will into existence” a Kari Lake win.

Ms Lake was defeated by Democrat Katie Hobbs in the race for Arizona governor.

Before the race was called on Monday night, Mr Alexander claimed that he could “will” Ms Lake to victory.

“Even if Kari was going to lose, I would will it into existence. And I know that sounds kooky and I know that sounds crazy. But. Don’t catch me on a wild day,” he said on his podcast.

“Pete Davidson one time got on my bad side. Almost killed himself.

“So. You’re not going to believe me. It doesn’t matter. The point is, is that no one needs to believe you the first time. The point is, you just need to tell them the first time. You understand this? This is going to sound kooky for ya’ll in cosey, but you guys don’t understand the esoteric.

“What if I told you that all of us are capable of traveling? Well, not all of us, because you’re not smart enough. But what if I told you that there are a lot of people capable of time traveling? They just don’t know it.”

Despite his bizarre claims, Ms Lake was defeated just hours later.

Katie Hobbs says ‘democracy is worth the wait’ as she wins race

Tuesday 15 November 2022 11:20 , Rachel Sharp

Katie Hobbs celebrated her victory on Monday night, by saying that “democracy is worth the wait”.

The Democrat was called the winner of the gubernatorial race on Monday night, beating extreme right-wing candidate Kari Lake.

“Democracy is worth the wait. Thank you, Arizona. I am so honored and so proud to be your next Governor,” she tweeted.

Kari Lake’s defeat marks another blow for Trump

Tuesday 15 November 2022 11:00 , Rachel Sharp

Kari Lake’s defeat marks another blow for Donald Trump, as she becomes the latest candidate endorsed by him and latest extreme right-wing candidate to lose in the midterms.

The former president has shouldered much of the blame for Republicans’ disappointing performance in the midterms – with many members of the party distancing themselves from him and throwing their support behind Ron DeSantis as a 2024 hopeful.

Despite this, Mr Trump is still planning to make a “special announcement” on Tuesday night – believed to be his official announcement of a 2024 run.

Katie Hobbs’ win flips state blue

Tuesday 15 November 2022 10:40 , Rachel Sharp

Katie Hobbs’ win in Arizona has flipped the governor seat blue for the first time in 13 years.

After defeating MAGA Republican and election denier Kari Lake in the gubernatorial race, the secretary of state will now succeed Republican Governor Doug Ducey, who could not run again due to term limits.

Ms Hobbs will now become the first Democrat elected governor in Arizona since Janet Napolitano won in 2006, serving up to 2009.

The victory also puts Democrats closer to taking all three top statewide races in Arizona for the first time since 1972.

The race for attorney general is still too close to call, with Democrat Kris Mayes leading with 50.1 per cent of votes to Republican Abe Hamadeh’s 49.9 per cent.

Why race was called for Katie Hobbs

Tuesday 15 November 2022 10:20 , Rachel Sharp

The Associated Press called the Arizona governor’s race for Democrat Katie Hobbs on Monday after the latest round of vote releases gave her a lead that AP determined she would not relinquish.

The AP concluded that, even though Republican Kari Lake had been posting increasingly larger margins in vote updates from Maricopa County, she was not gaining a big enough share to overtake Hobbs, and was running out of remaining votes.

Vote counting had gone on for days since the Tuesday election, as officials continued to tally massive amounts of late-arriving ballots.

As of Monday night, there were 43,000 remaining votes to count in Arizona, according to state officials, including more than 17,000 early ballots.