Arizona Polls Close After Judge Refuses to Extend Hours

Polls have closed in Arizona, where a judge denied an emergency motion from the Republican National Commitee to extend voting hours in Maricopa County because of problems with ballot tabulators, reports ABC15. Kari Lake, the Republican candidate for governor, cast her ballot at a site she called "the heart of liberal Phoenix" Tuesday, claiming the issue had mostly affected Republican-heavy areas. Lake—who has refused to say whether she'll accept a loss—vowed that she would win, the Arizona Republic reports. "I hope it's not malice, but we're going to fix it," said Lake, who has backed former President Donald Trump's claims of election fraud in 2020. "We're going to win. And when we win there is going to be a come to Jesus for elections in Arizona," Lake said. Her Democratic rival, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs, cast her vote days earlier.

Hobbs repeatedly rejected calls from Lake to recuse herself from overseeing the election. When asked Tuesday about the possibility of becoming Trump's running mate in his expected 2024 run, Lake said she planned to serve two terms as governor, the Hill reports. "I'm going to be your worst fricking nightmare for eight years, and we will reform the media as well," the former news anchor told a CBS reporter. "We are going to make you guys into journalists again, so get ready. It's gonna be a fun eight years; I can't wait to be working with you." (More Kari Lake stories.)