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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Latest on Arizona's 8th Congressional District special election (all times local):
9:50 a.m.
Democrat Hiral Tipirneni is conceding defeat in the special election for Arizona's 8th Congressional District.
Tipirneni released a statement Wednesday congratulating the Republican winner Debbie Lesko and wishing her "good luck in Congress."
Lesko's victory in Tuesday's election means she'll serve out the term of former Rep. Trent Franks. He is a Republican who resigned in December amid sexual misconduct allegations.
Tiperneni's statement also alluded to her previously stated intention to run again for the seat in November when its full two-year term is up for grabs.
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11:10 p.m.
A big money push by the Republican Party and tweets from the president helped the GOP hold onto a U.S. House seat in Arizona they would have never considered endangered any other year.
Despite the win, Tuesday's special election in Arizona's 8th Congressional District was much closer than expected and is a warning to Republicans that their tough year isn't getting any easier.
The 8th District is heavily Republican and should have been an easy win for former state Sen. Debbie Lesko. But she only won by about 5 points in a district President Donald Trump won by 21 points.
That led former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to warn fellow Republicans that they need to "listen to what the public wants" if they want to hold their majority in Congress in November.
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