🚨🚨HOLY CRAP🚨🚨An Arizona television station shocked viewers by airing a graphic showing Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake losing the election — 12 days before the midterms.
The image, which aired on Fox 10 Phoenix, showed Democrat candidate Katie Hobbs with 53 percent of the vote and a check next to her name, indicating that she had won.
Fox10 in Phoenix—Kari Lake’s former station—just displayed a graphic showing Katie Hobbs won the Arizona governor’s race 12 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION pic.twitter.com/2Gxq09rfo7
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 28, 2022
The station said in a tweet that the Associated Press was the one who generated the graphic and that it was only being used as a test.
"At 5:50p during the Fox 10 newscast today a small graphic appeared on the lower left side of the screen showing test results for the upcoming election. These were generated by the Associated Press which distributes results to clients," the station said in a tweet. "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." 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
Lake responded to the graphic on Twitter, writing "WOAH.. right after my press conference going after the Media. Retaliation?" WOAH.. right after my press conference going after the Media. Retaliation? https://t.co/Khm5LI8b32
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) October 28, 2022
The former news anchor also urged people to "flood" the polls on election day. Let’s flood the polls. https://t.co/PUsZK624AG
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) October 28, 2022
Lake had held an "emergency press conference" earlier in the day, warning that the media is trying to influence the election with their coverage of an alleged break in at Hobbs' campaign office on Wednesday.
Hobbs' campaign had blamed Lake for the alleged incident. Statement from our campaign on tonight's news: pic.twitter.com/OLqPMa5pYt
— Katie Hobbs (@katiehobbs) October 27, 2022
"Let’s be clear: for nearly two years Kari Lake and her allies have been spreading dangerous misinformation and inciting threats against anyone they see fit," the statement said. "The threats against Arizonans attempting to exercise their constitutional rights and their attacks on elected officials are the direct result of a concerted campaign of lies and intimidation."
“It won’t work,” the statement continued. "Katie is running for governor to ensure the safety and security of every Arizona family. She will win this race."
There are currently no suspects in the case.
The Republican has claimed that the break-in story is fake, comparing it to Jussie Smollett's claims. .@KariLake to the Fake News: “you’re in a frenzy panic because your chosen candidate is not winning. You didn’t wanna cover [new polls] so you had to run with a completely garbage, bullshit story pic.twitter.com/ruCEBRAyVA
— Kari Lake (@KariLake) October 27, 2022
"You’re in a frenzied panic because your chosen candidate is not winning. You didn’t wanna cover [new polls] so you had to run with a completely garbage, bullshit story," Lake told the media.
Lake leads Hobbs by 11 percentage points, according to the latest polls — 54 percent to 43 percent.