A television station in Arizona has broadcast, in a graphic that appeared on-screen during a newscast, the winner of the 2022 gubernatorial race there.
Originally published at WND News Center. Used with permission.
That election, of course, WILL BE Nov. 8.
The Washington Examiner said the station, FOX 10 in Phoenix, blamed it on a mistake and is apologizing.
The race is between Katie Hobbs, the Democrat, and Trump-endorsed Republican Kari Lake.
Lake’s response was, “Woah . . right after my press conference going after the Media.”
WOAH.. right after my press conference going after the Media. Retaliation? https://t.co/Khm5LI8b32
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) October 28, 2022
The station’s response followed shortly.
This graphic was never meant to go on air — the numbers were only part of a test. The station has taken steps to make sure this cannot happen again.
— FOX 10 Phoenix (@FOX10Phoenix) October 28, 2022
The station said the “graphic” was not supposed to have appeared.
“These were generated by the Associated Press which distributes results to clients,” the station blamed.
The graphic showed Hobbs winning the race with 53% to Lake’s 47%, even though Lake is ahead – significantly – in current polling.
Just hours earlier, Lake had scolded the media and accused journalists of trying to “influence” the results because they had reported a break-in at Hobbs’ office in Phoenix, and included allegations from the Arizona Democratic Party that Lake was somehow responsible.
Lake actually had worked at FOX 10, KSAZ-TV, before she started her campaign.
The Democrat has refused to debate Lake, claiming that the GOP candidate is “not interested in having substantive, in-depth conversations about the issues that matter.”
Lake, who has included election integrity as one of the issues she would address, said Hobbs is nothing more than a “debate denier.”