Stephen Richer, the soon-to-depart Maricopa County Recorder in Arizona, has found himself in the midst of a contentious situation. Court documents recently made public have unveiled his expressed interest in a Senate run, seemingly to create hurdles for Republican candidate Kari Lake. These documents emerged during a deposition on June 21, as part of a defamation lawsuit Richer has lodged against Lake.
Richer, whose term as County Recorder is set to conclude by year’s end, holds a significant role in managing the ballots that could sway the outcome of Lake’s tight race against Democrat Ruben Gallego. The court documents in question include a transcript of a conversation between Richer and a friend, known as “Ben Blink.” In this conversation, Richer outlines several potential career trajectories, including stepping away from politics either permanently or temporarily, seeking re-election as a Republican or an independent, running for mayor, or pursuing a U.S. Senate seat.
His rationale for a Senate run, he explained, was to uphold true conservatism and to create challenges for Kari Lake. Richer acknowledged making these remarks during the deposition, but clarified that he never seriously contemplated initiating a Senate campaign. When questioned about his intentions to disrupt Lake’s campaign in 2023, Richer stated that he couldn’t recall his exact thought process, but hinted that he didn’t perceive Lake as a genuine conservative.
Lake, a former television anchor, has previously alleged that she lost the 2022 governor’s race to Democrat Katie Hobbs due to problems with ballot printers at some Maricopa County polling locations. She claimed that these issues were the result of deliberate misconduct and that the county neglected to authenticate signatures on mail-in ballots as mandated by law. However, her legal efforts to reverse the election results have been unsuccessful. Both Lake and Richer were not immediately available for comment.