'Conservative Ice-Cream Guy' Is Arizona's Next Governor

Republican State Treasurer and former Cold Stone Creamery CEO Doug Ducey has defeated his Democratic opponent Fred DuVal in the Arizona gubernatorial race, reports The Huffington Post.

During his campaign, Ducey relied heavily on his "conservative ice-cream guy" persona, as one campaign identified him.

During a June candidate forum, Ducey reportedly told a crowd, "I want you to look at me and evaluate me from your personal experience at Cold Stone Creamery," according to The Arizona Republic.

This summer, Ducey also set up a makeshift ice cream counter inside his campaign headquarters, offering voters miniature containers of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream, playing up Ducey's role in the "hometown company that started small and made it big in the franchise business and, during its boom years, drew comparisons to Starbucks," reports the Arizona Republic.

In his acceptance speech, Ducey promised to focus on economic growth and help "lead to the recovery we have all longed for." Ducey will take office in January.

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Karen Lo is an associate editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @appleplexy.