Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has named former Republican John Giles as her running mate for the state's inaugural lieutenant governor election, a move that reinforces her nonpartisan image while potentially risking dissatisfaction among progressive voters.
Hobbs, a first-term Democratic governor, selected Giles on Tuesday. Giles, the former mayor of Mesa—a Phoenix suburb and Arizona's third-largest city—was registered as a Republican for decades before switching his party affiliation to independent on May 17. He participated in last month's Democratic primary, according to official records.
It shouldn’t be a surprise.
Giles told the Associated Press that he still considers himself a conservative who remained in the Republican Party in an effort to save it. 'A few months ago, I realized that it was time to give up that crusade,' he said. Giles led Mesa from 2014 to 2025 and has repeatedly criticized Donald Trump, backed several Democratic candidates, and spoke on behalf of then-Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention.
He endorsed Hobbs against Kari Lake in 2022 and has supported current U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego. While serving as mayor, Giles also backed non-discrimination measures for LGBT residents in housing and public accommodations.
The Republican nominee, U.S. Representative Andy Biggs, chose Sine Kerr, a farmer and former Republican state lawmaker, as his running mate. The Biggs campaign created a website focusing on Giles' support for Kamala Harris. Drew Sexton, a senior adviser to Biggs, said Hobbs' choice 'is of no surprise to Arizonans who have been paying attention,' adding that Giles, as Harris' favorite Arizona mayor, is aligned with Hobbs on all the issues that have hurt Arizonans the most over the past four years. Sexton also said Giles 'has been an aspiring Democrat since he first voted for Joe Biden in 2020.'
Both Giles and Biggs are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose members make up roughly 6% of Arizona's population. While Latter-day Saints have historically supported Republican candidates, many have expressed reservations about Trump.
Unapologetic about being the most conservative person in the room – in any room.
A new office with a contentious history
Arizona is currently one of five states without a lieutenant governor position, along with Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon and Wyoming. Under a 2022 voter-approved measure, Arizona will create the office starting in January, with a defined succession process. Until now, the secretary of state served as next in line for governor.
Five Arizona governors since 1975 took office through succession rather than election, and over the past 50 years only Republican Doug Ducey completed a traditional full elected term out of 12 governors. Among the others, one died, one was impeached, one resigned following a fraud conviction, and two left to take presidential appointments.
Arizona governors since 1975 took office through succession rather than election.
Siyasi analistlere göre, Hobbs, ABD'nin en savunmasız Demokrat valisi olarak kabul ediliyor, ve Republicanlar, 2022'de Kari Lake'i dar bir farkla yendiğinden beri Arizona'da oy kaydı önceliğini genişlettiler. Kasım seçimi, eyalet tarihinde ilk kez bir vali ve başkan yardımcısını aynı bilet üzerinde seçilecek ve Hobbs, 'biz bir vali ve başkan yardımcısını aynı bilet üzerinde seçiyoruz' dedi.
