Alexander Kolodin, who tried to overturn Arizona election results, wins GOP nod for secretary of state

BREAKING NEWSJul. 22, 2026, 3:17 AM UTC2026 Election2026 ElectionAlexander Kolodin, who tried to overturn Arizona election results, wins GOP nod for secretary of stateKolodin will face Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes after defeating former state Republican Party chair Gina Swoboda, NBC News projects. Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Arizona state Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, a candidate in the Republican secretary of state primary race, prepares to debate his rival, former Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Gina Swoboda, in a program hosted by Arizona PBS on May 14, 2026, in Phoenix.Rob Schumacher / The Republic / USA Today Network via Imagn fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Lauren ZolaRepublican state Rep. Alexander Kolodin will face Arizona’s Democratic secretary of state, Adrian Fontes, in November’s general election, NBC News projects, after winning the GOP primary.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Kolodin won the Republican nomination over former state GOP chair Gina Swoboda. Kolodin has frequently questioned the results of past elections in interviews and led several lawsuits to overturn the results of the 2020 and 2022 elections in Arizona, earning rebukes from judges and the state bar association. Kolodin is backed by the conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA and several Arizona GOP members of Congress.Now, he’s running to be the chief election officer in a battleground state during the 2028 presidential campaign. Part of the role of secretary of state in Arizona is overseeing state elections. The office’s duties include working to certify “voting devices, election results, candidates and measures to the ballot, as well as the results of statewide elections,” according to the secretary of state’s website.In a joint PBS interview featuring the two candidates, Kolodin said Arizona voters are looking for more transparency and openness in their elections.“They are...