PHOENIX — Democrat Adrian Fontes has won Arizona's secretary of state race over Republican Mark Finchem, a top 2020 election denier, according to the Associated Press.
As Arizona's second-in-command elected official, the secretary of state is responsible for certifying elections and keeping the state's official records. Given that Arizona is one of five states that does not have a lieutenant governor, the secretary of state serves as acting governor when the governor is out of state.
Fontes is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and an attorney in the Arizona area. He previously served as Maricopa County Recorder during the 2020 election.
Finchem is a member of the Arizona House of Representatives and currently represents District 11.
Finchem previously worked for Kalamazoo, Michigan's department of public safety as a firefighter, paramedic, and public safety officer before moving to Arizona after his retirement.
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Decision 2022
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