Donald Trump-backed Republican candidate Gary Lake failed to win the Arizona gubernatorial seat on Monday, media reports said, another high-profile setback for the former president, who is set to announce his 2024 presidential bid on Tuesday.
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After a tight and tense race in this key state, Democrat Katie Hobbs narrowly won against this icon of Trumpism, according to CNN and NBC.
Gary Lake, convinced that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump — despite a lack of evidence — refused to make it clear that he would accept the outcome of his own ballot.
For any reaction, the hapless candidate tweeted Monday evening: “Arizonians know when they’re being scammed”.
The former president for his part immediately denounced the validity of the ballot on his Truth social network. “Yay! They just stole the election from Kari Lake. This is serious!”
The 53-year-old, nicknamed “Trump in a petticoat” by the left, is one of the campaign’s key figures. He was seen as one of the Republican lieutenants during the November 8 midterm elections.
The former local Fox News anchor parlayed his on-air popularity into political capital, cultivating the image of a mercy-suffering rebel who ditched the “corrupt media.”
Immigration, crime, decadence… the mother of two took on all the themes of her mentor.
His radicalism has earned him the title of “threat to democracy” by much of the US press, which has already envisioned him as Donald Trump’s potential running mate in 2024.
President
Nearly a week after the votes were cast, the full results of the midterm elections are still unknown — control of the House of Representatives, for example, is unknown.
But “democracy is worth the wait,” Democrat and prospective governor Katie Hobbs rejoiced on Twitter Monday evening.
The Arizona secretary of state, responsible for organizing elections, gained attention during the 2020 presidential election, during which her state played a prominent role.
Tirelessly contested by Donald Trump and his supporters, Katie Hobbs noted that she received threats after the results were released.
Kari Lake’s defeat is bad news for the real estate mogul, who did not bring the glory he was hoping for during the election season.
Donald Trump was personally involved in these votes, dubbing candidates who swore total loyalty to him.
But the Republican Party, which wanted to see a wave of conservatism sweep through the US Congress, did not work out as expected.
Democrats beat the polls by successfully retaining control of the Senate. In the House of Representatives, if the right seems on track to capture a majority, it could be short.
After all, many of the millionaire’s foals were disillusioned, weakening his position. He is said to have presidential ambitions, especially as he faces competition from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Donald Trump has promised a “very big announcement” on Tuesday to formalize his bid for the 2024 presidential election.
