Kolodin wins GOP nod for secretary of state, tight down-ballot races test election capacity

The Associated Press called the Republican primary for secretary of state for Rep. Alex Kolodin on Tuesday night, setting up a November clash with Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes. Early votes put Kolodin ahead of Gina Swoboda 60% to 40%, according to Arizona Capitol Times, which noted the race was called 17 minutes after the first results posted.

The stakes are immediate. Arizona is filling four-year executive terms this cycle, and the secretary of state contest will shape how the state runs and recounts elections in 2026. With razor-thin margins already cropping up in legislative primaries that could trigger automatic recounts, county election staff face the prospect of a long, exacting canvas before general-election pressure even begins.

Arizona Capitol Times described Kolodin as a regular disputer of prior election results and identified him as the sponsor of the Arizona Secure Elections Act, an effort it says seeks to place Florida-style elections on the 2026 ballot. In a statement after his win, Kolodin said voters “spoke up decisively for lawful, transparent, honest, and fair elections” and alleged Fontes’ “mismanagement” of the system. Swoboda conceded in a post on X, writing, “Our people have spoken.” Fontes ran unopposed. Separately, Arizona Mirror labeled Kolodin a far-right lawmaker and attorney who backed former President Donald Trump’s evidence-free fraud claims.

Another marquee statewide race tightened. State Treasurer Kimberly Yee led Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne by 6 points after early results, per Arizona Capitol Times. The paper reported Yee entered after Arizona Freedom Caucus chair Sen. Jake Hoffman cast Horne as “the single greatest threat to school choice,” and that she faulted Horne’s performance on academics and management of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts. Horne campaigned against critical race theory and DEI. He said Yee served on a DEI committee, a claim Yee disputed through a cease and desist. If Yee’s lead holds, she would face Democrat Teresa Leyba Ruiz, who took 80% in her primary.

Down the ballot, the Republican treasurer primary tilted toward Elijah Norton, who led Katherine Haley 56% to 44% by Wednesday morning, Arizona Capitol Times reported. Norton emphasized business and party finance experience, while Haley leaned on public service, including chairing the State Board of Education and private-sector investment work. The outlet noted Yee recruited Haley, while Norton received support from Turning Point USA.

The Corporation Commission Republican primary remained tight for the second nomination. Incumbent Kevin Thompson led with 36% of the vote, while his running mate trailed state Rep. Ralph Heap by less than 2 percentage points, Arizona Capitol Times reported. Democrats Clara Pratte and Jonothon Hill advanced unopposed to the general election.

Power at the Legislature is on a knife’s edge. Arizona Capitol Times reported Republicans can only afford to lose one Senate seat and two House seats to keep control. Several primaries were too close to call. In LD3’s GOP House race, appointed Rep. Cody Reim led former Fountain Hills Mayor Jay Schlum by 0.56 percentage points as of Wednesday morning, with George Khalaf topping the field at just under 34% and Thomas Walsh at 13%. With the top two advancing and an automatic recount at a half-point margin, that contest could tighten further.

Other House primaries took shape but left little breathing room. In LD7, Rep. Walt Blackman led with about 35% and former Rep. David Cook had 27%, followed by Andrew Costanzo at 21% and Barby Ingle at 17%. In LD13, Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke led with more than 43%, while Janet Weninger held the second GOP spot with 35% over Debra Schinke’s 22% plus. Democrats Rockee Armstrong and Jacob Weinberg were unopposed, and LD13 is considered competitive in November, according to the paper.

Democratic primaries in southern and west-side districts were similarly tight. In LD20’s House race, Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales had 33% and Rep. Betty Villegas nearly 32%, with Genoveva Diaz at 19% and Ben Koehler at 15%. In LD21, Rep. Consuelo Hernández led with over 30%, and Miranda Lopez edged Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton 24.84% to 24.24% as of Wednesday morning, with an automatic recount possible if that gap narrows under a half point. In LD22, Rep. Elda Luna-Nájera led with 29%, followed by Betsy Munoz at more than 27%. In LD24, Alberto Flores led with over 39% and Lisbeth Arescurenaga had 36%, while incumbent Rep. Lydia Hernandez trailed at 15% amid intra-party criticism noted by Arizona Capitol Times.

Senate contests featured familiar names and long-running rifts. In LD27, Sen. Kevin Payne led former Sen. Anthony Kern by 327 votes as of 10 a.m. Wednesday. The outlet noted Kern is a member of the Arizona Freedom Caucus, served as a 2020 fake elector, and was indicted in 2024, with Attorney General Kris Mayes planning to dismiss the case after a judge’s ruling on the prosecution’s presentation of the Electoral Count Act. In LD2, Sen. Shawnna Bolick held a wide lead, and on the Democratic side Amelia Gallitano led Daniel Toporek after a debate where Toporek said he would not pause new data center approvals but would require those companies to produce their own power, while Gallitano argued Arizona needs “real limits” and that data centers offer short-term, not long-term, jobs. Other Senate snapshots included LD3’s John Kavanagh at more than 85%, LD6’s Jamescita Peshlakai at 54.8% over Rep. Myron Tsosie, LD8’s Lauren Kuby at 76%, LD17’s Christopher King at 63.1%, and LD20’s Rep. Alma Hernandez leading 53.6% to 46.4%.

One congressional race was decided early. The AP projected former Arizona Cardinals kicker Jay Feely as the GOP nominee in CD1, leading with almost 50% over former Rep. Joe Chaplik at 35.6% and John Trobough at 14.6%, Arizona Capitol Times reported. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Feely. The Democratic primary was not called; former Rep. Amish Shah led with 40.5% over Marlene Galán-Woods at 33.6% as of Wednesday morning.

From a ground-level perspective, the through line is workload. Automatic recount thresholds, close margins in multiple districts, and a high-stakes secretary of state race mean county officials and volunteers will be processing, curing, and auditing ballots for weeks. Arizona Capitol Times’ note that Kolodin is championing a ballot measure to change how the state conducts elections signals that policy fights over process are headed straight for the November ballot, not just the campaign trail. Voters just told us they care about the rules. Now the people who have to run those rules need clear timelines, adequate staff, and less drama than usual to deliver.

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