Katie Hobbs Wins Reelection as Arizona Governor Over Biggs
The Democrat courted unhappy Republicans and independents, and picked a former Republican mayor as her running mate. Biggs said he faces a tough climb but has not conceded.
PHOENIX, Nov 4 – Katie Hobbs will serve four more years. The Democrat won a second term as governor of Arizona on Wednesday, after the Associated Press called the race in her favor over Republican Andy Biggs.
Not many people expected this outcome a year ago. Among the Democratic governors up for reelection, Hobbs was widely viewed as the most vulnerable.
But the race was not close on election night. With a large share of the vote counted, Hobbs had about 58 percent, while Biggs had about 40 percent, according to the Arizona Daily Independent. Because Arizona can take days to count all ballots, those numbers could still shift.
So what changed? For one, Hobbs reached beyond her own party. She spent considerable time reaching out to Republicans who were dissatisfied with how things were going in the state, as well as independents, who make up a large share of Arizona’s electorate.
She also chose a former Republican as her running mate: John Giles, the former mayor of Mesa, a large city just outside Phoenix.
Hobbs said her second term would focus on three priorities: affordable housing, securing water for the state’s future, and strengthening public schools.
Water is a major issue in Arizona. As a desert state, it relies heavily on the Colorado River, which has shrunk after years of drought.
Biggs, a member of Congress and a close ally of President Donald Trump, ran on eliminating the state income tax, reducing regulations he said were holding back job growth, and strengthening security along the border with Mexico.
He also raised doubts about the 2020 election, and his critics made sure voters heard about those comments.
On election night, Biggs did not immediately concede. He acknowledged that his numbers were “pretty far behind,” but argued that Hobbs’s lead could narrow as more ballots were counted.
“We have a tough hill to climb,” Biggs said.
It happens in Arizona. Many mail ballots are counted after the polls close, and in close races, the late count has sometimes changed the outcome. This race, however, did not appear to be close.
And it was not only Hobbs. Democrats performed well up and down the ballot across the state.
Kris Mayes, the Democratic attorney general, also won another term, defeating Republican Warren Petersen. She said her next four years would focus on public safety, targeting drug gangs and scams, and holding large companies accountable.
Democrats were also leading in the races for secretary of state and treasurer, according to the early count.
Like voters across the country, many people in Arizona said they were worried about rising prices. Gas costs increased after the United States and Israel went to war with Iran in February, and housing prices continued to climb as more people moved to the state.
Hobbs has not had an easy time in office. Republicans control the state legislature, and she has blocked many of their bills through vetoes.
Before becoming governor, Hobbs served as Arizona’s secretary of state, putting her in charge of the state’s 2020 election. When Trump and his allies sought to challenge the results, she stood by the count.
Trump won Arizona in 2024 after losing it by a narrow margin four years earlier. Democrats say Hobbs’s victory shows that they can still win major statewide races in the state.
She will be sworn in for her second term in January.
