Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan loses primary election

PHOENIX — Arizona will elect a new secretary of state into office in November, after incumbent Michele Reagan was defeated by newcomer Steve Gaynor in the Republican Party primary election on Tuesday.

Gaynor, who owns a printing plant in Los Angeles, beat Reagan in Tuesday’s primary.

He campaigned on running a more efficient office, focusing on elections division.

Reagan is a former state lawmaker who has championed increased online processes for those who use the office’s services.

During her first term, she launched a new website aimed at increasing transparency for political donations.

Gaynor criticized the site as a poor use of tax dollars.

The latest round of campaign finance reports show Gaynor, a largely self-funded candidate who made multiple loans to his campaign, spent around $967,000 from July through mid-August.

Reagan spent around $182,000.

Gaynor will face unopposed Democrat Katie Hobbs in November.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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