By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — With just two months until the November election, incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and GOP challenger Alexander Kolodin squared off in their first statewide televised debate, sparring over election security and the government’s role in running Arizona’s elections.
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The heated debate, hosted by PBS’s Ted Simons, saw both candidates trade accusations of lying and distorting facts.
A central storyline emerged when Simons pressed Kolodin, a Republican who was previously sanctioned by the state bar for filing frivolous lawsuits related to the 2020 election, on whether he was an “election denier.” Kolodin answered, “No.”
Kolodin also evaded questions on whether he thought the current election system in Arizona was fair and secure.
Following the debate, Kolodin sought to avoid further questioning from reporters.
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Pressed by the media on whether he trusted the results of the 2020 election, Kolodin replied, “I’ve already answered the question,” before walking into an elevator, where he briefly answered a final question about an upcoming ballot initiative.
In contrast, Fontes, the Democratic incumbent, repeatedly defended Arizona’s existing election system. He maintained that the state’s elections are already fair and secure, asserting there is no need for a major overhaul.
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