Arizona leaders react to Maricopa County audit findings

Gov. Doug Ducey, other Arizona leaders respond to election audit

Governor Doug Ducey says there is work to be done but he also says "the outcome stands." FOX 10's Justin Lum reports.

PHOENIX - Outside the state capitol, dozens of Trump supporters watched the Arizona audit report through the afternoon. At times, they chanted together, despite the audit results reaffirming that Joe Biden won the election in Maricopa County.

Governor Doug Ducey tweeted his response to the Cyber Ninjas' audit report after the presentation concluded.

On the other side of the political spectrum, Arizona Democratic leaders spoke out strongly against the Cyber Ninjas' audit just hours before the presentation started.

Secretary of State Katie Hobbs also sounded off saying we never needed an audit to show us Joe Biden won Maricopa County, and thus Arizona.

In Senate President Karen Fann's letter to the Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich, she says the most encouraging finding is that the auditors' hand count matches Maricopa's official machine count.

However, Democrats say this has been a waste of time and taxpayer money.

Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo claims Fann needed this exercise.

"I then get a call from President Fann saying ‘Steve, I need your help. They’re knocking down my door. I need a forensic audit.' I say, ‘Karen, what is a forensic audit?’ She says, ‘I don’t know, but I need one.'"

Gallardo details a conversation he says he had with Fann before a months-long partisan review paid for in part by taxpayers.

The audit results are out and the mission to find evidence that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election because of voter fraud is over.

"The truth is simple and clear. Arizona's elections are safe and secure. They are now and always have been," said Rebecca Rios, the Democratic Senate Minority Leader.

"They'll shift their claims about the audit results and now talk about the election process," said Democratic House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding.

Arizona Democratic leaders blasted the Cyber Ninjas' audit saying private consultants don't know how elections work at all.

"It has undermined our democracy. It has challenged the credibility of our own hardworking elections team. Over what? One big lie?" Gallardo said.

Throughout this saga, Secretary of State Katie Hobbs says she has not been shy about calling the audit a sham.

"We conducted a very successful election in the midsts of unprecedented challenges and saw historic participation. That's what voters in Arizona can have confidence in."

Hobbs, a democratic candidate for governor, says her office is focused on educating voters on how elections are kept fair, secure and accurate.

"Arizonans deserve real leaders who are going to tackle real issues and not continue to lead by conspiracy theory."

The Arizona Republican Party held a live watch party for the audit report on the front lawn of the state capitol.

Arizona Democrats react to release of draft election audit report

Senate Minority Leader Rebecca Rios, House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding, and Maricopa County Supervisor Steve Gallardo held a news conference to react to the release of a draft version of Cyber Ninjas' forensic audit report into the November 2020 election in Maricopa County. The officials findings of the report will be release to the public on Sept. 24.