Many Arizonans were surprised when Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer lost re-election in the July 30 Republican primary. But that wasn’t the case with the Democrats running to replace him.

Tim Stringham, who ran unopposed as recorder in the Democratic primary, remained mostly in the background as three Republicans contested the contest, with varying opinions on whether past elections in the state were stolen. I expressed my opinion. But after Mr. Richer lost to state Rep. Justin Heap (R-Mesa), support for Mr. Stringham increased as elected officials, candidates and voters reacted to the loss of a key figure in Arizona elections. It increased rapidly.

“The people who were most surprised by what happened in the primaries were the people who were paid to find out what was going to happen in the primaries,” Stringham said.

Since taking over the Recorder’s Office in 2021, Richer has battled a sea of ​​conspiracy theories related to the 2020 presidential election and the 2022 midterm elections. Mr. Heap, his potential successor, did not respond to questions about whether he believed those elections were stolen or tampered with. He’s running on a platform that describes Maricopa County elections as “a laughing stock” and promises to undo much of Mr. Richer’s efforts.

Mr. Stringham, a veteran with a law degree, said he only entered the race as a “firewall” against right-wing candidates like Mr. Heap.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Stringham attended law school at the University of Notre Dame. From law school, he attended the U.S. Naval Judge Advocate Corps, where he served on active duty as an attorney practicing international law and military operations law.

After leaving the military, Stringham returned to his home state of Arizona and began working as an advocate for veterans, where he learned about the recorder race.

Stringham said his recorder campaign was motivated in part by his military service.

“I swore an oath to the Constitution of the United States,” Stringham said. “This small period of my life for the next four years is about trying to live up to that vow.”

Stringham said he only considered running for recorder after learning that Maricopa County Democrats believed Richer was invincible. He was ultimately scouted as a candidate by county Democratic Party Executive Director John Rider, but party members said they were still confident Richer would win.

“[I thought] “A Republican incumbent is probably not going to win a Republican primary,” Stringham said. “So why can’t anyone find me? Why do they find me outside the street? Why aren’t there any ambitious politicians?” The answer we kept getting from people was , that Stephen Richer was raising more money than anyone else.”

Richer had nearly $200,000 in cash ahead of the July 30 primary and had raised nearly $500,000 during the campaign, according to his latest campaign finance report. Heap had about $81,000 in cash before the primary, but has raised about $182,000 since the campaign began.

Thanks in part to his incumbency advantage, Richer received considerable national media attention during his tenure and became well-known not only in Maricopa County but throughout the state. Mr. Heap and Mr. Stringham have far less name recognition to rely on in the November general election.

Stringham said he met with Richer last year and told him he was running as a Democratic challenger. Stringham said he respects Richer and his past work, but the meeting solidified the need for a contingency plan.

“I think [Richer] “I knew this was going to be an uphill battle, but I left very unconvinced…that he actually had a viable path in the Republican primary,” Stringham said. Ta.

Democrats are now campaigning in full force for Stringham, whose social media following and campaign donations have skyrocketed overnight. Democratic political strategist Tony Kani said in a post on X that Stringham raised more than $50,000 the day after Richer’s defeat.

Heap’s victory in the primary means Democrats have a much better chance of winning the seat, something Stringham acknowledged.

“We knew that if Stephen Richer won the primary, we would lose the race,” Stringham said.

But Stringham said it was still a “tough race” and that for him to win, he would need Richer’s Republican supporters to vote Democratic. Arizona Republicans are extending their support across the aisle this election cycle to support Democrats who have chosen Kamala Harris for president and Ruben Gallego for Senate. Richer himself said he would vote for President Joe Biden before Biden withdrew from the presidential race.

Richer received 129,344 votes in the primary, and Stringham said he already had “enthusiastic” support from those voters.

“I was having this conversation a couple days ago with some Republicans who were on Steven Richer’s side, and when I talked to them, they said, ‘We’re really looking forward to supporting you. It’s like, ‘I’m here.’

So far, Richer has not endorsed his successor, but Stringham said he hopes to meet with the incumbent soon to discuss it. Richer did not respond to requests for comment on his advocacy plans.

Stringham has voted Democratic and Republican in the past and wants voters to know he has no intention of pursuing a career in politics. He called his candidacy for recorder a “follow-up” and said he told staff that if he made it to the recorder’s office, he planned to buy a boat and sail around the world within four years. Stringham said he might consider staying if he likes the job, but hopes that either Democrats or Republicans will find a suitable replacement for him in 2028.

He said he knows he’s not the best person for the job, but the current political climate is “pushing out good people.”

“If Democrats or Republicans are in a position to bring out a really capable election official who put me on the bench in four years and hopefully encouraged us to vote, that’s a win for me,” Stringham said. he said. “That’s what I want to see.”

If Mr. Stringham is lucky, he may succumb to the “curse” of the Recorder’s Office, as Mr. Richer put it in a post to X after his July 30 defeat. Both Richer and his predecessor, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, were ousted after serving just one term. Bid for re-election.

Stringham said voters should take these defeats as a sign that elections in the county are on track.

“Some of them look at this and say, ‘Well, we had two election officials in quick succession who were accused of election fraud, and they didn’t rig their own election.’ I hope there is,” Stringham said. “Maybe this process is a little safer than you think.”

Heap did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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