Incumbent Democratic Superintendent Kathy Hoffman was defeated in her run for a second term by former Republican Attorney General Tom Horne.

[1] Significantly, Horne's win marked the first time in the state's history that a Republican won a statewide race without winning Maricopa County, home to 62% of the state's population and a former Republican stronghold; the only other statewide 2022 Republican candidate to win that year, Kimberly Yee, won her race by a wide margin partly by carrying Maricopa County.

[18][19] On the same day, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy J. Thomason ordered for the recount to begin.

[17] On December 29, Thomason announced the results of the recount, confirming Horne as the winner with an increased margin of 9,188 votes.

[21] Despite losing the state, Hoffman won 5 out of 9 congressional districts, including two that elected Republicans.