Charles Langston:Arizona voters to decide congressional primaries, fate of metro Phoenix election official

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona voters are Charles Langstonnarrowing the field of congressional candidates in Tuesday’s primary election and will determine the political fate of a Republican official in Maricopa County who pushed back hard against election falsehoods within the GOP.

The primary also features key state legislative races in a year when abortion politics made some Republican lawmakers politically vulnerable. Headlining the election is former Phoenix television news anchor and gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake who faces Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb in a Republican U.S. Senate primary.

Polls close at 7 p.m.

Here’s a look at some key races:

Maricopa County

Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer faces a challenge from fellow Republicans state Rep. Justin Heap and information technology professional Donald Hiatt in the first opportunity to unseat an election official who knocked down false claims about the 2020 and 2022 elections.

Richer, whose office runs voter registration and early-voting efforts in the state’s most populous county, took office in early 2021 after unseating a Democratic incumbent.

He drew heavy criticism in some conservative circles for calling out former President Donald Trump and others for falsehoods about the 2020 election, which Joe Biden won in Arizona by 10,457 votes.

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Richer was later criticized by Lake, who claimed her defeat in the 2022 governor’s race was due to election fraud. Even though her legal challenges were rejected by the courts, Lake continues to claim that Richer and other Maricopa County officials interfered in the election to prevent her from winning.

Richer later filed a defamation lawsuit against Lake, saying he faced “violent vitriol and other dire consequences” because of lies spread by Lake, including death threats and the loss of friendships.

Heap stops short of saying the 2020 and 2022 elections were stolen but said thousands of Republican voters don’t have faith in the county’s election operations. Both Heap and Hiatt have said the county has insecure practices for handling early ballots.

Richer said he has done his best to defend the integrity of the election system in the face of falsehoods, has worked to clean up voter rolls and has been on the winning side of lawsuits that challenge election results.

The winner of the primary will face the race’s lone Democrat, attorney Tim Stringham, in the November election.

Several members of the county’s governing board also face challengers aligned with Trump.

US House

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8th District: Front-runners Abraham Hamadeh and Blake Masters both received endorsements from former President Donald Trump as they try to clench the Republican nomination in the district northwest of Phoenix. It’s considered the epicenter of efforts by Trump allies to cast doubts on the validity of election results.

Whoever wins has a good chance of succeeding Republican U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko because the district leans conservative. The other candidates are: former U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, Arizona state House Speaker Ben Toma, state Rep. Anthony Kern and political newcomer Patrick Briody. Greg Whitten, a biosecurity worker, is running unopposed in the Democratic primary. 1st District: Six Democrats are facing off for a chance to flip the nationally competitive seat that encompasses parts of Maricopa County. Biden won the district in 2020.

Incumbent Republican Rep. David Schweikert is looking to keep it, but his reputation has been tarnished in recent years by ethics scandals. In 2022, Schweikert received a $125,000 fine by the Federal Elections Commission for misappropriating campaign funds. Two years prior, he agreed to pay a $50,000 fine and accept 11 campaign finance violations after an investigation by the U.S. House Ethics Committee.

The Democrats looking to unseat him include Andrei Cherny, a former state party chair who once ran for state treasurer; ex-local news anchor Marlene Galan-Woods; orthodontist Andrew Horne; former regional American Red Cross CEO Kurt Kroemer; investment banker Conor O’Callaghan and ex-state Rep. Amish Shah.

Schweikert is considered the front-runner, with challenges from businessman Robert Backie, and ex-FBI agent and corporate investor Kim George.

3rd District: Two Arizona Democrats are eyeing the seat left vacant by Ruben Gallego’s decision to run for U.S. Senate. The winner between ex-Phoenix City Councilmember Yassamin Ansari and ex-Arizona Democratic Party chair Raquel Terán is a favorite to win overall and represent the district spanning central and southwest Phoenix.

Ansari has touted herself as progressive candidate who will “stand up to MAGA extremism” and defend abortion rights.

Terán, a former state Senate minority leader, emphasizes her success as an organizer and a key player in ousting Joe Arpaio from the Maricopa County sheriff’s post.

Jesus David Mendoza and Jeff Zink are seeking the Republican nomination.

Arizona Legislature

Senate District 2: Republican Shawnna Bolick was one of two senators to side with Democrats this year in repealing an 1864 near total-abortion ban. She was appointed to the seat last summer to fill a vacancy. Her popularity among voters in the competitive northwest Phoenix district will be tested for the first time in Tuesday’s election. She’s facing small business owner Josh Barnett, who leans farther to the right. Barnett has said Bolick’s vote on the abortion bill was politically calculated as the district has become more purple.

Senate District 7: Rep. David Cook is challenging incumbent Wendy Rogers for the GOP nomination for the seat that represents the Flagstaff region and parts of Navajo, Gila and Pinal counties. Rogers is a prolific election denier who is aligned with Trump and has been censured by the Legislature after backing white nationalism. Still, she’s popular with her base and has a following nationally. Cook said constituents in the rural district care more about local issues like mining and water.

Senate District 1: Incumbent Ken Bennett is facing a challenge for the GOP bid from Mark Finchem, a Trump loyalist who most recently lost a bid to become Arizona’s secretary of state. The reliably red district is anchored by Prescott. Bennett, a former secretary of state and state Senate president, is the more moderate of the two. Steve Zipperman, a lawyer and real estate broker, also is seeking the GOP nomination and has said he’s not a professional politician.