Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat seeking re-election in a competitive race, is reportedly planning to select John Giles, a former Republican mayor of Mesa, as her running mate for the newly created position of lieutenant governor. The announcement is expected in the coming days, according to two individuals familiar with the decision. However, neither Hobbs nor her campaign has confirmed the choice, and final decisions remain pending.
Giles, who was long affiliated with the Republican Party before changing his registration to "no party preference" in May, has maintained a public identity as a "lifelong Republican." He remains a notable political figure, having served as mayor of Mesa, a key Phoenix suburb. His potential inclusion on Hobbs’s ticket signals a bipartisan approach, contrasting with the sharply partisan tone set by her Republican opponent, U.S. Representative Andy Biggs, who received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
The 2024 gubernatorial race follows a narrow victory for Hobbs in 2022 when she edged out Kari Lake, a Trump ally, by less than one percentage point. That election showcased Arizona’s evolving political landscape, with moderate Republicans and independent voters playing a crucial role in supporting Hobbs. The state has been a significant battleground, with the presidency alternating between Trump and President Joseph R. Biden Jr. over the last three election cycles.
This election cycle will mark the first time Arizonans will elect a lieutenant governor on a joint ticket with the governor, a change stemming from a 2022 ballot measure establishing the position. Hobbs’s selection of Giles appears aimed at appealing to centrist and independent voters who have grown wary of hardline candidates.
For his part, Biggs, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, recently announced Sine Kerr, a former state legislator and outspoken conservative, as his running mate, emphasizing his connection to the state’s Trump-aligned base. Biggs is seeking to broaden his appeal beyond this core support to secure a wider electorate.
Giles endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2022 midterm elections and has publicly distanced himself from the current trajectory of the Republican Party under Trump. In 2024, he spoke at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, advocating for moderates to support the Biden-Harris ticket.
Prior discussions between Hobbs and Giles about the lieutenant governor role reportedly occurred last year. Giles initially declined the offer, as did Jimmy McCain, son of the late Senator John McCain. At the time, Giles expressed skepticism about the impact a moderate Republican running mate might have against another moderate Republican gubernatorial candidate, Karrin Taylor Robson, who later withdrew from the race after trailing Biggs in polls.
Giles’s shift away from the Republican Party reflects a broader trend among some members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have grown disaffected with the party’s direction in recent years. His expected inclusion on the Democratic ticket underscores the fluidity of political affiliations and the strategic calculations shaping what is shaping up to be a closely watched contest in Arizona.