TUCSON, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 07: Arizona Secretary of State and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs speaks at a press conference calling for abortion rights outside the Evo A. DeConcini U.S. Courthouse on October 7, 2022 in Tucson, Arizona. Hobbs discussed Arizona’s near-total abortion ban, which dates back to 1864, and her aim to restore abortion rights in the state.
Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs will be Arizona’s next governor, defeating Republican and election denier Kari Lake.
NBC News and Decision Desk HQ called the race for the Democrat on Monday evening.
Hobbs will likely be joined by a Republican legislature, so she’ll need to find ways to compromise with legislators or look elsewhere to achieve her agenda.
The former social worker said she’ll use the power of the veto to prevent state Republicans from enacting laws further restricting abortion and voting rights.
Hobbs overcame criticism in the final months of the campaign about her decision to not debate Lake.
She’ll take office early next year, becoming the first Democrat to hold the office since Janet Napolitano from 2003 to 2009.
Robert Gundran Robert Gundran grew up in the Southwest, spending equal time in the Valley and Southern California throughout his life. He graduated from Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in 2018 and wrote for The Arizona Republic and The Orange County Register.
