Arizona Republicans Nominate Andy Biggs for Governor in Contested Midterms

Key Contest for Governor

Azizona voters on Tuesday chose their nominees for governor, Congress and other top offices, setting up a fall campaign that will test whether Republicans can reverse some of the Trump-era losses they suffered in a premier battleground state. Andy Biggs, the hard-right congressman endorsed by Donald Trump, easily won the Republican nomination to challenge the incumbent Democrat, governor Katie Hobbs. The race is expected to be among the most fiercely contested in the country, with control of the governor’s office carrying outsized national significance in a state that became “ground zero” for election denialism after Trump’s narrow loss there in 2020. Biggs, a former chair of the House freedom caucus who was a central figure in the effort to overturn Trump’s election defeat, trounced fellow congressman David Schweikert by appealing to the party's deeply conservative base.

Throughout the campaign, Biggs and Schweikert offered contrasting visions for reclaiming the governorship. Schweikert, who gave up his toss-up congressional seat to run for governor after eight terms, argued that Biggs' hard-right politics and unswerving embrace of the president had allowed Democrats to make gains in once-ruby-red Arizona. But Republican voters in Arizona, as they have across the country, followed the president's lead, even though Trump’s candidates have repeatedly fallen short in the state's most competitive general election contests.

National Significance and Political Climate

The race is seen as crucial in the national political landscape due to Arizona’s history of election denialism following Trump’s 2020 loss. Republicans face unfavorable conditions nationally, with Democrats hopeful of reclaiming seats amid public dissatisfaction over high gas prices and an Iran war. The primary also settled legislative races where Republicans retain slim majorities in both chambers of the state capitol, emphasizing the ongoing political dynamics in Arizona.

Other Contests

In other races, Republican businessman Ken Miceli is vying for the open US Senate seat against Democrat Mark Kelly, who won in 2022. The Sixth Congressional District race between incumbent Juan Ciscomani and Democrat JoAnna Mendoza is also notable, as Democrats hope to capitalize on national headwinds.

Meanwhile, Republican Warren Petersen is leading the race for attorney general against Democrat Kris Mayes, who won in a close 2022 election. Another key race involves Alex Kolodin competing with Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes for control over elections during the 2028 presidential race.

Details and Context

Azizona has transformed in recent years from a Republican stronghold into a competitive swing state, fueled by rapid population growth, shifting suburban voting patterns around Phoenix, and an influx of college-educated voters. In the decade since Trump’s election in 2016, Democrats have gained control of the top three statewide offices—governor, attorney general, and secretary of state—as well as both US Senate seats.

Arizona’s first congressional district, anchored in affluent Scottsdale, has long been a Democratic target as the suburbs shifted away from the Republican party over the past decade. Two years ago, Schweikert won re-election with just under 52% of the vote, narrowly defeating Amish Shah, a former state lawmaker who Democrats appeared poised to re-nominate on Tuesday.

Shah will face Republican Jay Feely, a former Arizona Cardinals kicker, in November. Feely faced Joseph Chaplik, a former state lawmaker, and John Trobough, a technology and telecommunications executive, in his party’s primary. In the sixth congressional district, which extends from the suburbs of Tucson to the US-Mexico border, encompassing much of south-eastern Arizona, Democrats hope national headwinds facing the president's party will dislodge Republican congressman Juan Ciscomani, who is seeking a third term.

Democrat JoAnna Mendoza, a Marine Corps veteran, was running unopposed.

Source: The Guardian