“Today I congratulated Governor-elect Katie Hobbs on her victory in a hard-fought race and offered my full cooperation as she prepares to assume the leadership of the State of Arizona,” Ducey said in a statement.
“My administration will work to make this transition as smooth and seamless as possible,” he added. “Our duty is to ensure that Arizona’s 24th Governor and her team can hit the ground running and continue our state’s incredible momentum.”
Lake, an ally of former President Trump, has declined to concede the race despite Hobbs leading her by about 17,000 votes, a margin above the threshold that triggers an automatic recount.
“All of us have waited patiently for the democratic process to play out,” Ducey said. “The people of Arizona have spoken, their votes have been counted and we respect their decision. No matter who we voted for, all of us have a stake in Arizona’s success. Our future is bright and boundless. Let us never forget that as we begin this next chapter in our state’s history.”
But Lake has posted a series of videos from Maricopa voters who raised concerns about the voting process. Many of those voters, however, did not assert that they were ultimately denied an opportunity to cast a ballot.