“We’re watching closely how the results come in and we’re feeling very optimistic,” Gallego posted on social networking site Xex Twitter, early Wednesday afternoon. “This team has worked tirelessly to connect with Arizonans across the state, and I am proud of the campaign we ran. As we await the final count, I want to thank everyone who came forward, volunteered and supported us.”

Gallego, a former U.S. Marine who has represented the state’s 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House since 2015, waged a bitter battle against Lake in the run-up to the election, marked by personal battles and accusations of extremism from both part.

Gallego ran on a platform of making life more affordable for the middle and working class, abortion rights and a measured increase in border security, which includes an increased workforce and better use of technology.

Gallego gained the support of some moderate republicans who said they could not support Lake and her vitriolic style, including Message Mayor John Giles and former staffers of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain.

Lake toed the MAGA line during her campaign, calling for the completion of Trump’s border wall, the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, and an extension of Trump’s tax cuts.

Lake tried to align Gallego with Democratic President Joe Biden and what she called his “open borders,” while Gallego reminded voters that Lake has sharply moderated his position on abortion in the past year .

Lake and her campaign on Wednesday urged her supporters to make sure they have resolved any issues with their signatures on their ballot envelopes or provisional ballots so their votes can be counted.

Even though Lake has trailed in the polls throughout the Senate race, some of her fans balked at the idea that President-elect Trump garnered 117,316 more votes in Arizona than she did.

“I don’t buy it,” Josh Barnett, a far-right conspiracy theorist and election denier, posted on X. “We told our state legislature that this would happen when we don’t hold elections properly and legally.”

He did not provide any specific reason to suspect electoral fraud.

Even though he ran for the Senate, Lake continued to do so unsuccessful challenge the results of the governor’s race in court, and two years later she still hasn’t awarded the race. She also faces the prospect of paying damages to be determined to Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer after she legally pleaded guilty in her defamation lawsuit over Lake’s false claims that Richer helped rig the 2022 governor’s race against her.