Andy Biggs wins Arizona GOP primary for governor
NBC News projects the Trump-backed congressman will face Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in a key 2026 battleground race.
By Sal Moretti · Money Reporter
3 min read
Rep. Andy Biggs has won Arizona’s Republican primary for governor, NBC News projects, giving the Trump-backed conservative a fall showdown with Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in one of the country’s closely watched battleground races.
Biggs, a former chair of the House Freedom Caucus, defeated a GOP field that included fellow Rep. David Schweikert and businessmen Scott Neely and Ken Miceli, according to NBC News. Hobbs, who is seeking a second term, had no opponent in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
The matchup puts a prominent Trump ally at the center of a state that has become far more competitive in recent elections. Biggs has represented a district outside Phoenix for five terms, and NBC News reported that he held a steady polling advantage before the primary.
A Trump-backed nominee in a split state
President Donald Trump endorsed Biggs, and NBC News reported that Biggs repeatedly emphasized that support during the primary campaign. He also campaigned on backing tougher border security and lower taxes.
That Trump connection helped define the Republican contest, but it may cut differently in November. Arizona is one of five states Trump carried in 2024 where a Democratic-held governor’s office is up for election in 2026, according to NBC News.
Democrats have notched major wins in Arizona after years in which the state was viewed as a Republican stronghold. Along with Hobbs in the governor’s office, the state has two Democratic U.S. senators, and Democrats hold the secretary of state and attorney general offices.
Hobbs’ first victory was narrow. NBC News reported that she won the 2022 governor’s race by less than 1 percentage point.
Independents loom large
Biggs made a late-primary pitch that highlighted his work with lawmakers across party lines, according to NBC News, in an apparent move toward Arizona’s large bloc of unaffiliated voters.
More than one-third of Arizona voters are not registered with either major party, according to state voter registration data cited by NBC News.
In an interview with USA Today, Biggs said that although he is conservative, he has shown that collaboration is possible with people who disagree with him on other issues. The interview came days before the primary.
Biggs has previously questioned Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory, NBC News reported. Asked recently by USA Today about that outcome, he avoided a direct answer, saying he did not want to criticize Republicans and that the party includes people with different viewpoints. He added that Republicans would win by focusing ahead and offering a vision for Arizona.
The race begins with signs of a tough climb for Republicans. The nonpartisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter changed its rating of the Arizona governor’s race this month from “toss-up” to “lean Democrat,” NBC News reported, citing expectations that the national political climate will favor Democrats.
For Biggs, the primary win clears the first hurdle. The next test is broader and trickier: winning a purple-state electorate where Trump remains a powerful force, but where Democrats have repeatedly beaten candidates aligned with him.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.