Biggs defeats Schweikert in gubernatorial primary
U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, the hard-right congressman endorsed by Donald Trump, easily won the Republican nomination for Arizona governor on Tuesday. Biggs, a former chair of the House Freedom Caucus who was a central figure in the effort to challenge Trump's 2020 election loss, defeated fellow congressman David Schweikert. He will face incumbent Democrat Katie Hobbs in November in one of the most closely watched gubernatorial races in the country.
Election deniers advance across the ballot
GOP voters also chose candidates for secretary of state who have openly opposed the 2020 presidential election results in Arizona, a state that has been at the center of election integrity debates. The primary results suggest that Republican base voters remain aligned with Trump's messaging on election security as the party seeks to reclaim the governorship and expand its House majority in a premier battleground state.
Setting the stage for a bitter fall campaign
The fall campaign will test whether Republicans can reverse Trump-era losses in Arizona. Democrats currently hold the governor's office and both U.S. Senate seats in the state, but the political climate, shaped by the ongoing Iran war and economic concerns over inflation and rising gas prices, could give Republicans an opening. Arizona is expected to be one of the most heavily contested states in the 2026 midterm elections.