As the election results arrived, the internet went ablaze with reactions. Some people speculated that part of what hurt Lake’s campaign was her cozying up to Trump.
Many midterm candidates whom Trump endorsed this election cycle went on to lose. This is such a prevailing pattern that growing numbers of Republicans are writing off Trump as a drag on the party.
On top of this, a video resurfaced of Lake speaking at a campaign stop. During this time, the Arizona Republican told “McCain Republicans” to “get the hell out” of her event.
Critics of Lake hence speculated that this too worked against her and in the favor of Katie Hobbs. As of this writing, Lake has not formally conceded to Hobbs. However, Hobbs took a victory lap on social media, declaring that “democracy” ultimately won out.
Important details for future elections
Any candidate who is serious about winning races will have to take Independents, moderates, swing voters, and other non-affiliated voters into account. It is not enough to simply win over support from one’s own party.
