PHOENIX — Stephen Richer, who has been a fierce defender of the integrity of Maricopa County elections since being elected county recorder in 2020, is running for Republican bid to keep the role, according to a campaign call from The Associated Press. He lost in the primary election.

Maricopa County includes Phoenix and is the population center of Arizona. The recorder helps administer county elections.

Richer lost to Republican challenger Justin Heap, a state representative backed by the far-right Caucus Freedom Caucus and other conservative groups, according to the Associated Press. As of 5 a.m. ET, 81% of the estimated votes had been cast, with Mr. Heap receiving 42% of the vote and Mr. Richer receiving 36%. Another challenger had 22%.

above social mediaMr Richer congratulated Mr Heap and added: “In elections there are winners and sadly there are losers, and in this election I am ultimately on the losing side of the queue.'' Yes, but that's the deal. Accept it.” move on. “

Richer's loss is a loss for those who have spent the past four years defending Maricopa County election officials against baseless claims.

Richer and the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors have been on the front lines of the fightback, providing accurate information about the voting experience, how votes are counted and when results will be released.

Richer has drawn the ire of Republicans for defending the election, including one state party official in recent days. Newly discovered video calls for lynching. And in 2022, federal prosecutors Missouri man charged with threatening to kill Richer After criticizing Republicans for conducting a highly flawed investigation into the 2020 Maricopa County presidential election. “There were a lot of other origins for it,” Richer said at the time.

“You have to have a strong stomach to work in this field,” Richer recently told NPR.

Heap has previously been a source of criticism for the past several years, attacking Maricopa County's election administration as disgraceful. But during his campaign, he avoided saying widespread fraud affected Maricopa County's election results in 2020 or 2022.

But this is a position supported by many Republicans and activists who support his candidacy. And the person later hired to run Heap was state Sen. Jake Hoffman, a Republican. was indicted For his role in a “fake elector” scheme to undermine the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Mr. Heap also spent time criticizing Mr. Richer on issues outside the registrar's office, such as long lines at polling places on Election Day.

Richer's office will handle early voting by mail, and the supervisor will handle Election Day voting.

Veteran Tim Stringham won an uncontested Democratic primary.