Arizona election official who defended 2020 results ousted

Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer has lost his GOP primary for reelection, a notable upset in a critical election official’s race, according to a projection from Decision Desk HQ. 

Richer lost to Arizona Freedom Caucus member state Rep. Justin Heap for a role that manages voter rolls and early voting, among other responsibilities. 

Richer has refused to entertain election conspiracy theories and has defended the legitimacy of the 2020 and 2022 election results and Maricopa County recorder’s office procedures. He’s drawn the ire of conservatives who have inaccurately said accused him of tampering with the elections. He became recorder officially in 2021 and therefore did not handle the 2020 election in the county.

On Wednesday, Richer conceded in a post on the social platform X.

“Elections have winners and, sadly, losers,” Richer wrote. “And in this one, it looks like I’m going to end up on the losing side of the column. But that’s the name of the game. Accept it. Move on.”

He went on to congratulate Heap in his comments.

Richer filed a defamation lawsuit against Republican Kari Lake regarding comments she made about him and his role in the 2022 election cycle. Lake lost her race for Arizona governor that cycle but refused to concede.

Richer’s GOP primary was seen as a litmus test about the direction of the Republican Party in Arizona.