Horne declares victory in race for Arizona attorney general

PHOENIX - The race to become the Republican nominee for Arizona attorney general has apparently come to an end.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne declared a victory over Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas via Twitter Sunday afternoon. Horne confirmed to ABC15 he posted the celebratory message on the social media site.

A statement from Horne's campaign says he is now looking forward to the general election in November, where he will face off against Democratic nominee Felecia Rotellini.

"I am confident my message about securing the border, strengthening consumer protection, and creating a positive legal climate for jobs will resonate once again," Horne said in the statement.

Horne was locked in a tight battle with Republican opponent Thomas, but saw his lead grow as more provisional votes were counted after last week's primary.

Numbers released Monday showed Horne still held a narrow lead over Thomas, which had grown by 38 votes over the weekend, giving him a 892-vote advantage. According to the Arizona Secretary of State's Office, there are an estimated 900 provisional ballots statewide that have yet to be counted.

Democratic candidate David Lujan conceded to Rotellini Thursday, setting the stage for her to take on the Republican nominee in November.

Horne also released the following statement Monday morning:

Tom Horne is now the Republican nominee in the race for Arizona Attorney General. With the tabulation of provisional ballots in Pima and Maricopa Counties now complete, Horne's lead over Andrew Thomas has expanded to 853 votes statewide.

"I am extremely grateful to the best volunteers any candidate has ever had," Horne said. "These dedicated people spent countless hours making phone calls, going to events, putting up signs, helping me to get my message out, and giving me advice and support at every step. I want to thank every one of them, because they made this victory possible."

"We now look forward to the general election in November, where I am confident my message about securing the border, strengthening consumer protection, and creating a positive legal climate for jobs will resonate once again," Horne added.