LGBTQ+ ally Ruben Gallego has seemingly won his race against anti-LGBTQ+ Republican Kari Lake for Arizonas U.S. Senate seat. He won 50% of the vote, beating Lake by 66,305 votes with 93% of all voting precincts reporting as of Monday morning, Decision Desk HQ reported. He has not yet made a statement commenting on his projected victory.As such, Gallego will win the Senate seat that will soon be vacated by outgoing bisexual Independent Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. Sinema a controversial figure in the Senate, often frustrating Democratic priorities left the Democratic party in late 2022, after earning enmity from other Arizona Democrats for not helping others get reelected that year. She announced her retirement from the Senate in early March. Related Independents may reshape Arizonas future. LGBTQ+ voters arent convinced. With 33% of Arizonas voters registered as Independents, the election is anything but a sealed deal. Gallego has been a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. In 2015, Rep. Gallegosigned on as an original co-sponsorof theEquality Act, a comprehensive federal anti-discrimination bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to pre-existing anti-discrimination laws. He voted in favor ofthe Respect for Marriage Act, which provides federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages. Your LGBTQ+ guide to Election 2024 Stay ahead of the 2024 Election with our newsletter that covers candidates, issues, and perspectives that matter. Subscribe to our Newsletter today In February 2022, Gallego co-signeda letter from the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucusopposing Floridas Parental Rights in Educationlaw, also known as the Dont Say Gay bill, which forbids LGBTQ+ instruction in the states public schools. While serving as a Marine, he was a member of Voices of Honor, a group of military members that spoke out against Dont Ask, Dont Tell (DADT), the national ban on out gay and bisexual military service members.Lake, on the other hand, is a former local news anchor and failed 2022 candidate for Arizona governor who has repeatedly claimed that she and former President Donald Trump lost their respective elections due to an voter fraud that was never successfully proven in courts.Lake has expressed anti-LGBTQ+ views and made derogatory comments about the LGBTQ+ community. During her 2022 campaign, she appeared in an ad witha pastor who called LGBTQ+ people child molesters. Lake has previously voiced support for anti-trans policies including sports and bathroom bans. She has also written posts against exposing kids to drag queens and woke teachers. A local drag queen called her a hypocrite becauseshe once took her child to see him perform in drag.In February 2022, Lake saidshe would not support legislationexpanding or protecting LGBTQ+ state civil rights protections.As of Monday morning, Republicans have won 53 of the U.S. Senates 100 seats Democrats have won 46 seats and two were won by other politically affiliated candidates.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.