Blab Politics
Governor Hobbs Names Former Republican Mayor John Giles as Running Mate for 2026 Gubernatorial Race
Governor Katie Hobbs announced on Tuesday that former Mesa mayor John Giles will be her lieutenant governor candidate in the 2026 Arizona gubernatorial election. The announcement was made in a joint campaign advertisement and marks the first time Arizona will field a bipartisan ticket for the newly created lieutenant governor position.
Giles, who served as mayor of Mesa from 2014 to 2025, was a registered Republican until recently when he became an unaffiliated voter. During his time in office he opposed Donald Trump and endorsed Vice‑President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. He also spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2024 and has endorsed Democratic candidates for governor and U.S. Senate in 2022.
Hobbs, a Democrat who was elected governor in 2022, is running for a second term. She previously served as Arizona’s Secretary of State from 2019 to 2023 and as a state legislator from 2011 to 2019. Her campaign is built around the “Arizona Over Party” strategy, which seeks to bring together voters who feel alienated by partisan politics.
The 2026 election will pit Hobbs and her new running mate against Republican congressman Andy Biggs, who won the GOP nomination with 73.6% of the vote in the July 21 primary. Biggs’ running mate is former state senator Sine Kerr. The election will be held on November 3, 2026, and will be the first Arizona gubernatorial race in which candidates must nominate a lieutenant governor, a requirement added by Proposition 131 in 2022.
Political consultant Stan Barnes of Copper State Consulting said the pick is a “good strategy decision.” According to Barnes, the move is designed to reach Republicans who are uncomfortable with the direction of the party under President Trump but are not naturally inclined to vote Democratic. He added that the Giles addition targets the “McCain constituency” and the “Flake‑Giles divide” in the East Valley.
Barnes explained that Giles’ profile as a former Republican who has spoken at Democratic events gives Hobbs a way to signal that she is open to cross‑party collaboration. He noted that Giles’ endorsement of Hobbs in 2022 and his willingness to speak at the Democratic National Convention provide the governor’s campaign with a credible bridge to Republican voters.
The bipartisan ticket could be decisive in a race that is expected to be close. Barnes said that the narrow window of voters who are “really going to decide this election” could be swayed by the inclusion of a former Republican in the ticket.
At this time, the campaign has not released detailed polling data, and the outcome of the election remains uncertain. The next steps for the Hobbs‑Giles ticket include continuing to build support among independents and moderate Republicans, while the Biggs‑Kerr ticket is expected to focus on traditional Republican bases.
The election will be the first in Arizona to feature a lieutenant governor candidate, and the outcome will set a precedent for future races. Both campaigns are likely to intensify outreach efforts in the coming months as the November 3 election approaches.
In summary, Governor Hobbs’ selection of former Mesa mayor John Giles as her running mate is a strategic move aimed at broadening her appeal beyond the Democratic base. The decision reflects her “Arizona Over Party” philosophy and could play a pivotal role in a tightly contested gubernatorial race against Republican congressman Andy Biggs and his running mate, former state senator Sine Kerr.
Giles, who served as mayor of Mesa from 2014 to 2025, was a registered Republican until recently when he became an unaffiliated voter. During his time in office he opposed Donald Trump and endorsed Vice‑President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. He also spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2024 and has endorsed Democratic candidates for governor and U.S. Senate in 2022.
Hobbs, a Democrat who was elected governor in 2022, is running for a second term. She previously served as Arizona’s Secretary of State from 2019 to 2023 and as a state legislator from 2011 to 2019. Her campaign is built around the “Arizona Over Party” strategy, which seeks to bring together voters who feel alienated by partisan politics.
The 2026 election will pit Hobbs and her new running mate against Republican congressman Andy Biggs, who won the GOP nomination with 73.6% of the vote in the July 21 primary. Biggs’ running mate is former state senator Sine Kerr. The election will be held on November 3, 2026, and will be the first Arizona gubernatorial race in which candidates must nominate a lieutenant governor, a requirement added by Proposition 131 in 2022.
Political consultant Stan Barnes of Copper State Consulting said the pick is a “good strategy decision.” According to Barnes, the move is designed to reach Republicans who are uncomfortable with the direction of the party under President Trump but are not naturally inclined to vote Democratic. He added that the Giles addition targets the “McCain constituency” and the “Flake‑Giles divide” in the East Valley.
Barnes explained that Giles’ profile as a former Republican who has spoken at Democratic events gives Hobbs a way to signal that she is open to cross‑party collaboration. He noted that Giles’ endorsement of Hobbs in 2022 and his willingness to speak at the Democratic National Convention provide the governor’s campaign with a credible bridge to Republican voters.
The bipartisan ticket could be decisive in a race that is expected to be close. Barnes said that the narrow window of voters who are “really going to decide this election” could be swayed by the inclusion of a former Republican in the ticket.
At this time, the campaign has not released detailed polling data, and the outcome of the election remains uncertain. The next steps for the Hobbs‑Giles ticket include continuing to build support among independents and moderate Republicans, while the Biggs‑Kerr ticket is expected to focus on traditional Republican bases.
The election will be the first in Arizona to feature a lieutenant governor candidate, and the outcome will set a precedent for future races. Both campaigns are likely to intensify outreach efforts in the coming months as the November 3 election approaches.
In summary, Governor Hobbs’ selection of former Mesa mayor John Giles as her running mate is a strategic move aimed at broadening her appeal beyond the Democratic base. The decision reflects her “Arizona Over Party” philosophy and could play a pivotal role in a tightly contested gubernatorial race against Republican congressman Andy Biggs and his running mate, former state senator Sine Kerr.
