Andy Biggs wins GOP nomination for Arizona governor
The Trump ally will face Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in a state both parties see as central to the November midterms.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Representative Andy Biggs won the Republican nomination for Arizona governor, the Associated Press reported, setting up a November contest against Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs. The race will test whether Republicans can reclaim a statewide office in a battleground that has shifted between the parties in recent elections.
Biggs, a close ally of President Donald Trump, defeated fellow U.S. Representative David Schweikert by a wide margin in Tuesday’s Republican primary, according to AP. He now moves into what AP described as potentially one of the tightest governor’s races of the midterm elections.
Arizona remains closely contested
Arizona was once a state where Republicans held a clear advantage, AP reported, but recent statewide elections have shown a more divided electorate. Former President Joe Biden carried Arizona in 2020, while Trump won it back in the 2024 presidential election, according to AP.
Democrats currently hold both of Arizona’s U.S. Senate seats and the state’s top three offices, AP reported. That makes the governor’s race a major target for Republicans as they seek to shift the state’s political balance in November.
The Republican primaries also shaped several congressional contests in Arizona, according to AP. Those races could matter nationally as Democrats try to take control of Congress from Republicans.
Biggs leans on conservative base
AP noted that Biggs supported Trump’s unsuccessful effort to stop certification of his 2020 election defeat. Biggs also previously led the conservative House Freedom Caucus, according to AP.
By nominating Biggs, Republican voters are taking a chance on a conservative candidate who may energize core party supporters while facing questions about his appeal to independents, AP reported. Schweikert had argued that voters could view Biggs as too extreme for a statewide race.
Biggs addressed supporters after his primary win and framed the general election as a chance for Republicans to regain control in Arizona. “Let’s make this the year that we turn Arizona red again,” he said, according to AP.
After the speech, Biggs pushed back on Schweikert’s criticism, AP reported. “I am a conservative and a principled conservative, but I work with people that don’t necessarily agree with me on every issue,” Biggs told a reporter.
Democratic primary still close
On the Democratic side, AP reported that a close primary contest was still playing out. Former state Representative Amish Shah was leading Marlene Galan-Woods, who had the backing of the party, according to AP.
Hobbs, the sitting Democratic governor, awaits the Republican nominee in November. AP reported that the matchup between Hobbs and Biggs could become one of the most closely watched governor’s races of the midterm cycle.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.