Arizona’s Democrat governor picks former Republican as running mate

Arizona’s Democrat governor picks former Republican as running mate Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has picked a Republican-turned-independent to be her running mate in a tough reelection campaign - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs has named a former Republican as her running mate for the state’s inaugural lieutenant governor election, aiming to construct a broad bipartisan ticket in a competitive reelection campaign. Her selection on Tuesday of John Giles, a former mayor of Mesa—a Phoenix suburb and the state’s third-largest city—represents a direct outreach to conservative voters. Republicans have expanded their voter registration lead in the state since Hobbs narrowly defeated Kari Lake, a prominent ally of President Donald Trump, in 2022. Widely regarded as the country's most vulnerable Democratic governor, Hobbs is joining forces with Giles, who was registered as a Republican for decades before switching his party affiliation to independent on May 17. Official records indicate he participated in last month's Democratic primary. The Republican nominee, U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, recently chose Sine Kerr, a farmer and former Republican state lawmaker, to balance his metropolitan Phoenix support base with her rural roots. In an interview with The Associated Press before the announcement, Giles said 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," Giles said. Giles, who led Mesa from 2014 to 2025, has repeatedly criticized Trump and backed several Democratic candidates, including speaking on behalf of then-Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic National Convention. He also endorsed Hobbs against Lake in 2022 and supported current U.S. senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego. While serving as mayor, Giles backed non-discrimination measures for LGBT residents in housing and public accommodations, a move that sparked debate within the conservative city. Anticipating the decision, the Biggs campaign created a website focusing on Giles' support for Harris. Drew Sexton, a senior adviser to Biggs, said in a statement that Hobbs’ choice "is of no surprise to Arizonans who have been paying attention. As Kamala Harris’ favorite Arizona mayor, Giles is aligned with Hobbs on all the issues that have hurt Arizonans the most over the past four years." Sexton added that Giles "has been an aspiring Democrat since he first voted for Joe Biden in 2020." Giles belongs to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a group making up roughly 6% of Arizona’s population. While Latter-day Saints have historically supported Republican candidates, many have expressed reservations about Trump due to conduct that clashes with principles of humility and morality. Biggs is also a member of the church. Selecting a former Republican reinforces the nonpartisan image Hobbs has sought to build against Biggs, a far-right congressman and former state Senate president, though it risks creating dissatisfaction among progressive voters. Asked about potential pushback, Hobbs told the AP, "It shouldn’t be a surprise." Both campaign partners frame Biggs as an ideologue, with Giles noting that Biggs was "unapologetic about being the most conservative person in the room – in any room." Arizona is currently one of five states without a lieutenant governor position, along with Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon and Wyoming. That changes in January under a 2022 voter-approved measure designed to establish a defined succession process. Until now, the secretary of state served as next in line. Gubernatorial succession holds significant history in Arizona, where five governors since 1975 took office through succession rather than election. Over the past 50 years, only Republican Doug Ducey entered and exited the office by completing 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. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments [Image text:] MENDOZA KATIE HOBBS ARIZONA t5209