Katie Hobbs announces victory in the Arizona governors election after rallying supporters

At a rally Tuesday morning, Democrat Katie Hobbs claimed victory in the Arizona governor's race, acknowledging the arduous campaign and praising Arizonans for rejecting instability.

"Our race was officially called last night (by media organisations), and I am honoured to stand before you as governor-elect," Hobbs told supporters at the Luna Culture Lab in downtown Phoenix. "It's been a long and arduous year and a half." However, in this election, Arizonans chose issue resolution over conspiracy theories.

Hobbs noted that Republican opponent Kari Lake, who had support from former President Donald Trump, has not surrendered the election—at least not yet. Lake, who has questioned the results of the 2020 presidential election, has refused to commit to recognising this year's results if he loses. "Arizonans know BS when they see it." Lake tweeted Monday night.

"The attacks on democracy will not end today," Hobbs warned supporters. "It is up to all of us to continue to protect it." She took a slight lead in early vote results, but the contest remained too close to call until Monday, when the Associated Press and other media sources predicted she would win. As of Tuesday afternoon, over 42,000 ballots were still being tallied.

Hobbs will be the first Democrat elected governor of Arizona since Janet Napolitano resigned to become Secretary of Homeland Security in the Obama administration in 2009. Assistant Arizona Secretary of State Allie Bones told CNN that Hobbs will sign off on election certification, but that Gov. Doug Ducey and Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert M. Brutinel will also be involved in the process.

The rally's mood in the tiny venue was one of relief and elation.

"We're really happy," said Raquel Terán, Chair of the Arizona Democratic Party. "We knew we'd have to wait until every single vote was counted, so we're just thrilled with the results."

The celebration was attended by Hobbs' family members, including twin sister Becky Hobbs and daughter Hannah Goodman. They said that the week-long process of counting votes was an emotional roller coaster, with the stress decreasing with each update of the vote total.

Labor union members from Arizona also attended the victory event, hailing Hobbs as a labor-friendly leader. Harris Harrigan, a Service Employees International Union member who represents subcontractors at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, was overjoyed with the outcomes.

"It's great that we have a governor who will fight for workers' rights," Harrigan added. "I'm a union member, so we know she'll stand with the workers and do everything she can to ensure everyone has a livable wage and things like that."

Terán expressed optimism about "truth and facts triumphing" and stated the election outcome "saved democracy."

"We know that Republicans have campaigned on disinformation for the previous two years; they ran on the great lie," Terán remarked, referring to Lake and other Republicans' rejection of the 2020 presidential election results. "It's awful that we've instilled such scepticism in our electoral system, but I believe the message here today is that more people believe in democracy."

Hobbs outlined her goals on Tuesday, which include addressing water shortages, revamping education, and safeguarding the US-Mexico border. Hobbs also indicated that she will use "every weapon at my disposal" to overturn the state's recently imposed 15-week abortion restriction and safeguard abortion rights. She emphasised the necessity of working across the aisle to overcome Arizona's numerous difficulties. She also called out Republican Party members who refuse to cooperate with Democrats.

"Republicans and Democrats will have an open door to my office so we can go to work, find bipartisan consensus, and deliver for Arizona's people," Hobbs said. "Take notice of the election results for those of you who choose to obstruct, create disinformation, and continue to pursue an extreme agenda out of touch with our state."

Rebecca Gau, executive director of Stand for Children in Arizona and a self-described conservative, said Hobbs' dedication to bipartisanship impressed her.

"It's extremely wonderful to see how people can join together to come up with clever ideas, get things done, and attempt to put some of this crazy stuff behind us," Gau added.

Hobbs concluded her speech by saying, "It's time to roll up our sleeves."

"The voters conveyed a strong message," she added. "They rejected the pandemonium because we have pressing issues that require and expect all of us to deliver, so let's pull up our sleeves and get to work."