At a recent debate hosted by the Palo Verde Republican Women’s Club, Maricopa County Recorder candidate Justin Heap took the opportunity to expose incumbent Stephen Richer’s incompetence and lack of commitment to election integrity.
Heap, a strong conservative and Christian, wasted no time in calling out Richer for his failures as Recorder.
He asked the audience a simple question that left many shocked and outraged – who has received an extra mail-in ballot? To Heap’s surprise, nearly half of the attendees raised their hands.
In a video of the event that has since gone viral, Heap can be seen confidently addressing the crowd. “As we all know, there have been major concerns about election integrity in our county. So I want to ask you all a question – who here has received an extra mail-in ballot?” Heap asks.
The response from the audience was overwhelming – almost half of them raised their hands.
“This is unacceptable,” Heap continues. “Our current Recorder, Stephen Richer, has failed to ensure that our elections are secure and fair. How can we trust him to do his job when he can’t even prevent multiple ballots from being sent out?”
Richer, who was also present at the debate, looked visibly uncomfortable and tried to deflect criticism by claiming that it was just a small mistake on his part. However, Heap wasn’t having any of it.
“This is not just a small mistake,” Heap retorted. “This is indicative of a larger issue within our county’s elections system under Stephen Richer’s leadership.”
Heap went on to point out other instances where Richer had failed to uphold election integrity – from allowing non-citizens to vote in local elections to refusing to address discrepancies found during audits.
The audience erupted into applause as Heap concluded his powerful statement. It was clear that he had struck a nerve with the attendees, who were eager for change in their county’s leadership.
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Heap has been gaining momentum and support from local Republicans, who see him as a strong conservative candidate with a proven track record of standing up for election integrity.
He is also a devout Christian, which resonates well with the right-leaning voters in Maricopa County.
On the other hand, Richer has been facing backlash for his lack of action and transparency when it comes to addressing concerns about election integrity.
Many have labeled him as a “RINO” (Republican In Name Only) – someone who claims to be conservative but fails to uphold true conservative values.
This debate between Heap and Richer only solidified the stark contrast between the two candidates – one who is committed to upholding election integrity and protecting American values, and the other who has shown time and again that he cannot be trusted to do so.
As the August 2nd primary election draws near, it will be interesting to see how this race unfolds. But one thing is certain – Justin Heap’s powerful performance at this debate has put him in the spotlight as a top contender for Maricopa County Recorder.
