CBS News has projected that Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has won the governor's race, securing her second term in office. Her opponent was Representative Andy Biggs, a prominent Republican who received the endorsement of President Donald Trump. The election result marks a significant victory for Hobbs, who previously held the governorship by a narrow margin.
The 2022 election was considered one of the most difficult contests for Democrats, with Hobbs defeating then-Republican candidate Kari Lake by only 17,000 votes. In the current cycle, she faced a formidable challenger in Biggs, who served as a top ally to the president within Congress. President Trump, who carried Arizona by five points in the 2024 presidential election, traveled to the state to campaign actively for his candidate.
During her first term, Governor Hobbs navigated a political environment where Republicans held majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. This dynamic led to frequent clashes, earning her the nickname the veto queen from her GOP counterparts. In her initial year alone, she issued more than 100 vetoes. The intensity of this legislative resistance peaked earlier this year when she cast 88 vetoes in a single day.
In campaigning for reelection, Hobbs emphasized her record of bipartisan collaboration. She highlighted specific bills that she worked on with Republican legislators to demonstrate her ability to govern across party lines. This strategy aimed to position her as a pragmatic leader capable of working within the state's divided government structure.
Representative Andy Biggs brought a distinct profile to the race as the former chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. He has represented Arizona's 5th District, located near Mesa, for five terms. His candidacy was heavily influenced by the ongoing debates surrounding the 2020 presidential election, a topic that remains contentious in the state.
The 2020 election in Arizona was particularly close, with former President Joe Biden winning by a margin of just 0.3 percent, or 16,000 votes. President Trump repeatedly insisted he had won the state, turning Arizona into a focal point for election-related disputes. These tensions were exacerbated after Fox News projected Biden's victory earlier than other major networks, fueling various conspiracy theories.
Hobbs served as the secretary of state who administered Arizona's 2020 election, placing her at the center of those debates. Biggs, on the other hand, was among the members of Congress who challenged the 2020 results on January 6, 2021. He was subpoenaed by the now-defunct House select committee investigating that day's events.
The committee sought Biggs's testimony regarding his alleged involvement in plans to bring protesters to Washington and his efforts to persuade state officials that the election had been stolen from President Trump. His name appeared frequently in the committee's final report, further cementing his role in the post-election narrative. Notably, Biggs has refused to acknowledge whether Hobbs won the 2022 governor's race.
The election result reflects Arizona's evolving political identity. Historically considered a red state, the area has become increasingly purple in recent years. The state voted for President Trump in 2016, shifted to Biden in 2020, and returned to Trump in 2024. Currently, both of the state's U.S. senators are Democrats, while Republicans maintain control of both houses of the state legislature, creating a complex political balance that Hobbs will continue to manage.
