Katie Hobbs defeats election denier Kari Lake in Arizona governor race

Victory for Democrat over Trump-endorsed opponent is seen as a boost to voting rights

The Democratic candidate for governor in Arizona, Katie Hobbs, has defeated her far-right, Trump-endorsed opponent, staving off a major threat to voting rights in the state.

Hobbs, who is Arizona's outgoing secretary of state, defeated Kari Lake, a former TV anchor who denies the 2020 election results. Lake has refused to say if she would accept defeat this time around but tweeted Arizonans know BS when they see it" after Monday's result emerged. The Associated Press projected Hobbs as the winner on Monday evening with more than 95% of votes reported.