The Associated Press officially called the race for Gallego late Monday night in Arizona. He defeated Republican candidate Kari Lake and will become Arizona’s first Latino senator. 

Gallego, 44, is a former United States Marine who served in the Iraq War. He also graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor’s degree in international relations. He has been Arizona’s representative from the 3rd Congressional District since 2015. Gallego will replace Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), who decided not to run for a second term after being elected as senator in 2018. 

Gallego posted a simple message on social media upon learning of his victory. 

“Gracias, Arizona!” he posted on X late Monday night. 

“For those that don’t know me, my name is Ruben Gallego,” he said at a victory celebration on Monday night. “I’m a husband, a Marine, a father, and a proud Arizonan – and with the results we saw tonight, your next senator from the great state of Arizona.” 

“The first Latino senator in the history of the state,” Gallego said.

Gallego’s victory over Lake gives the Republicans a majority in the Senate with 53 seats. 

“It was not an easy road, and many of you had been with me, not just today, not just for this last election, but for almost 20 years in one way or the other, fighting, not for me, but for Arizona,” Gallego said.