Kari Lake peddled the false claim that Donald Trump won the 2020 US election as part of her midterm strategy – and was endorsed by the former US president in the race.

Katie Hobbs said that "in this moment of division" she would work for everyone in the state as projections stated that she would beat Lake by a thin margin to become the state’s first Democratic governor in 14 years in what many are dubbing a vote against Donald Trump.

Lake was seen as the newest star of the ‘Make American Great Again’ movement and one of Trump’s favourite candidates as a result of her ability to deal with the media – and her continued stance that the 2020 presidential election was “rigged” and “stolen” from him, despite there being no evidence to support such a claim.

Kari Lake has lost her bid in Arizona, in a loss that many are calling a blow for Donald Trump

Lake appeared to suggest that the Arizona result was incorrect and while she has not conceded the election she tweeted: “Arizonans know BS when they see it.”

The announcement of the result comes as Donald Trump is expected to offer an update on his bid for presidency in 2024 with a “special announcement” at his Mar-a-Lago resort – however pressure is mounting on the former president with a number of his candidates suffering loses in both Senate and House of Representative races.

Many Republicans have taken aim at Donald Trump after the party looked on track to secure a narrow majority in the House of Representatives, but failed to gain control of the Senate.

Blow for Donald Trump as ally Kari Lake loses in Arizona election