Recount in Arizona attorney general race set for Dec. 5

By Howard Fischer
Capitol Media Services
PHOENIX -- Democrat Kris Mayes increased her lead slightly over Abe Hamadeh in the race for Arizona attorney general.
With nearly 2.59 million ballots tabulated as of Friday evening, Mayes now has 1,252,882 votes. That is 570 more than the Republican contender.
State officials estimate there are only about 6,100 votes left to count. Virtually all of those are in Maricopa County, with just a handful in Apache County.
No matter what happens now, that race will not be finalized until next month.
There is no way one or the other can get more than 12,500 votes ahead of the other, the 0.5% margin necessary to avoid a mandatory recount. And that recount cannot take place until after the votes are formally canvassed on Dec. 5.
All other statewide races and ballot measures already have been decided.
The race for state schools chief officially remains within that 0.5% margin. But incumbent Democrat Kathy Hoffman conceded on Thursday, saying there was no way a recount would make up what is now an 8,901-vote deficit to Republican Tom Horne.
Meanwhile, a video shows defeated Republican gubernatorial hopeful Kari Lake showing up on a stage at Mar-a-Largo, getting a kiss on the cheek from former President Trump, speaking to a group and calling elections in Arizona "a circus run by clowns.''
Lake repeated her claim she is gathering evidence to show that people were disenfranchised due to long lines because of tabulator problems in Maricopa County. But she has yet to show either that the problems were intentional or that anyone was prevented from casting a ballot.
The latest tally shows Lake trailing Democrat Katie Hobbs by 17,150, far outside the margin for an automatic recount.
She also vowed to do "anything in my power to get this man back in the White House.''
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