After winning reelection, Adrian Fontes says Arizona voters rewarded leadership focused on ‘getting the job done’

Adrian Fontes is heading into another four years as Arizona’s secretary of state with a message: Voters want leaders who focus on getting the job done.

The Associated Press called the race for the Democratic incumbent early Wednesday, marking his victory over Republican challenger and state Rep. Alexander Kolodin.

Fontes, who was first elected secretary of state in 2022, attributed the widespread blue wave to voters prioritizing practical leadership over partisan labels.

“This state at one time was pretty reliably Republican when Republicans were reasonable and when they focused on just getting the job done,” Fontes told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News Wednesday. “Now that you’ve got Democrats who are reasonable and just focus on getting the job done, the people react.”

Fontes said he believes that approach will continue to resonate with voters.

“I think that’s the kind of leadership that is going to keep leading at this stage of the game moving forward,” he said.

Voters had a lot on their minds this election cycle, including recovering from a slew of recent storms, including tornadoes, he added.

“We had to deal with some major emergencies up north, and there’s still a lot of people, let’s not forget, who have been displaced out of their homes,” Fontes said. “There’s lots of roads washed out, lots of disruption in many of our rural communities and we got to pay attention to those folks as well.”

The storm’s impacts aren’t over, he added. See the damage left behind by last month’s tornado in Heber-Overgaard in the gallery below.

What does Adrian Fontes being reelected mean for the future of Arizona?

As Arizona’s highest-ranking election official, the secretary of state oversees elections, certifies voting equipment used by counties and maintains various state and business records. Fontes’ second term will span the 2028 presidential election.

Looking ahead, Fontes said his focus will be on improving how the state serves its residents and businesses.

“I’m excited about the next four years,” he said. “I’m excited about the next four years and make making things happen better for for Arizona’s businesses, for Arizona’s voters, just for the state overall.”

He was one of several Democratic incumbents who won reelection. The Associated Press also projected Gov. Katie Hobbs as winning her seat over Republican challenger Andy Biggs, while Attorney General Kris Mayes is also poised to beat her Republican opponent, Warren Petersen.

Not only that, but Arizona Democrats are in position to take control of both chambers of the state Legislature for the first time in 60 years. It would be a historic shift because they last held majorities in the Senate in 1992 and the House in 1966.

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