Doug Ducey, Governor of Arizona. Photo from 2014.Doug Ducey won the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Tuesday's primary election. He will face Democrat Fred DuVal in the general election.
Ducey had 37 percent of the vote to 22 percent for Scott Smith, with more than half the votes counted. The four remaining Republican candidates trailed.
Ducey, who has served as state treasurer for four years, declared victory alongside incumbent Gov. Jan Brewer, who called for Republican Party unity behind him. Brewer had endorsed Smith last month and campaigned igorously for him in recent weeks.
Ducey thanked Brewer for her support and service to the state.
"Thank you to Gov. Brewer for her leadership, her stewardship of this state and her graciousness as the leader of the Republican party," Ducey said to cheers from the crowd at a downtown Phoenix hotel.
Ducey campaigned on his business acumen as former CEO of Cold Stone Creamery, an upscale ice cream chain of franchises that grew rapidly during his time running the company. He sold it several years ago, and the terms of the sale were an issue in the GOP campaign.
Smith is former mayor of Mesa and ran on his claim to have brought the city to financial stability. He won the endorsement of Republican Gov. Jan Brewer.
DuVal rose to prominence in Arizon as an aide to Gov. Bruce Babbitt. He also served in the Clinton administration and has worked as a consultant in the renewable energy industry.
When either Ducey or DuVal takes office next January, Arizona will have a male governor for the first time in more than 17 years. The winner will succeed Brewer, who is termed out.
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