Katie Hobbs Wins Second Term as Arizona Governor, Defeating Trump-Backed Andy Biggs

Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs won a second term as Arizona governor Tuesday night, defeating Republican Congressman Andy Biggs in a closely-watched contest that attracted national attention and millions of dollars in campaign spending.

CBS News projected Hobbs the winner at approximately 8:38 p.m. Arizona time, following the release of the first batch of unofficial election results.

Those initial returns showed Hobbs with approximately 58% of the vote to Biggs’ 40%, according to the Arizona Mirror’s 8:23 p.m. report. The figures reflected early ballots returned before Election Day, with substantial numbers of ballots still awaiting tabulation.

Hobbs’ victory comes four years after she narrowly defeated Republican Kari Lake by approximately 17,000 votes in 2022. This time, she faced Biggs, a five-term congressman, former chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, and close political ally of President Donald Trump.

Trump endorsed Biggs and campaigned for him in Arizona, a state the president carried by approximately five percentage points in 2024.

The governor’s reelection campaign enjoyed a considerable fundraising advantage. According to the Arizona Mirror, Hobbs raised approximately $15 million compared with $5.8 million for Biggs. Outside organizations also spent heavily on the contest.

At the Arizona Democratic Party’s election-night gathering, U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego greeted the early returns enthusiastically.

“You smell that? Smells like victory!” Gallego told supporters.

The election also makes history in the lieutenant governor’s office. Hobbs’ running mate, former Mesa Mayor John Giles, will become the first person to hold the position, which Arizona voters created through a constitutional amendment in 2022.

Giles, a longtime Republican who became an independent earlier this year, joined Hobbs’ ticket in August in an effort to appeal across party lines.

“So, Gov. Hobbs and I are different people. We have different perspectives,” Giles said in an August interview with KTAR, defending his decision to join the Democratic ticket.

When she announced Giles as her running mate, Hobbs emphasized the same message of bipartisan cooperation.

“If you believe in solving problems and putting Arizona first, there’s a place for you on this team,” Hobbs said in an August campaign statement.

Biggs, meanwhile, campaigned on lowering taxes, reducing housing costs, protecting school choice and strengthening border security. He frequently criticized Hobbs’ record, particularly her extensive use of the veto against legislation passed by Arizona’s Republican-controlled Legislature.

Following his July primary victory, Biggs declared that “no matter what your political party is or your background, you deserve a better leader than Katie Hobbs.”

Hobbs also faced criticism over allegations that a state contractor received preferential treatment following political donations. She has denied wrongdoing. Republicans made the controversy a campaign issue, while Hobbs emphasized her record of bipartisan budget agreements and efforts to address affordability.

The governor’s victory doesn’t resolve the question of which party will control the Legislature. Early returns Tuesday showed Democrats leading in several competitive legislative districts, but those contests remained unsettled as additional ballots were counted.

Hobbs will begin her second term in January 2027, this time with Giles serving as lieutenant governor rather than the secretary of state standing next in the line of gubernatorial succession.

Tuesday night’s projected victory remains subject to the completion and certification of the vote count. Arizona’s official statewide canvass is scheduled for November 23.