The North Carolina elections board ousted its widely respected executive director Wednesday in a partisan move that will put Republicans in control of election operations in the political swing state,

The North Carolina State Board of Elections ousted Elections Director Karen Brinson Bell after clinching a GOP majority for the first time in about 10 years. Brinson Bell, who had served in the position since 2019,

Judge Richard Myers of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, a Trump appointee, ruled against Griffin’s efforts, saying that the North Carolina Board of Elections must formally declare Riggs the winner of the race.