Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs chooses former Republican Mayor John Giles as her running mate

For Tucson voters, Gov. Katie Hobbs’ choice of John Giles as her running mate adds a new dimension to an already competitive statewide campaign. Giles, the former Republican mayor of Mesa who recently became an independent, would be Arizona’s first elected lieutenant governor if Hobbs wins reelection. The ticket is designed to reach Republicans and conservative independents, including voters who may be uneasy with the direction of today’s Republican Party but are not naturally aligned with Democrats.

Hobbs is considered the country’s most vulnerable Democratic governor, and Arizona’s political landscape has become more difficult for her since she narrowly defeated Kari Lake in 2022. Republicans have since increased their voter registration advantage over Democrats. That makes the governor’s appeal to voters outside her party particularly important in places such as Tucson and Pima County, where statewide races can be shaped by turnout, independent voters and shifting suburban and rural coalitions.

Giles spent a decade leading Mesa, Arizona’s third largest city and one of the state’s most conservative major communities. He served as mayor from 2014 through 2025 and remained a registered Republican for decades. On May 17, he changed his registration to independent, then voted in the Democratic primary last month, according to county voting records. Before Hobbs announced the selection, Giles said he still viewed himself as conservative, but had concluded that his long effort to change the Republican Party from within was no longer worthwhile.

His record gives Hobbs a running mate with experience governing a large city while also offering a clear contrast with the Republican ticket. Giles has repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump and supported Democratic candidates, including Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race. He spoke on Harris’ behalf at the Democratic National Convention, arguing that Trump’s policies would harm Mesa. Giles also endorsed Hobbs in her 2022 contest against Lake and backed the state’s current Democratic U.S. senators, Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.

As mayor, Giles also took positions that drew controversy in conservative Mesa. He signed a proclamation supporting equal treatment for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents in housing and public accommodations. That history may help Hobbs appeal to voters who favor a more moderate or institutional style of leadership, but it also gives Republicans material for attacks. The campaign of U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, the Republican candidate for governor, quickly highlighted Giles’ support for Harris and his appearance at the Democratic convention.

Drew Sexton, a senior adviser to Biggs, argued that Giles’ selection was predictable and portrayed him as effectively aligned with Hobbs on the policies the Biggs campaign blames for Arizona’s problems. Sexton also said Giles had been moving toward the Democratic Party since voting for Joe Biden in 2020. The attacks preview how Republicans are likely to frame the ticket, not as a genuine bipartisan partnership, but as a Democratic campaign using a former Republican to broaden its appeal.

Biggs has selected Sine Kerr as his running mate. Kerr is a farmer and former Republican state lawmaker, a choice intended to complement Biggs’ support in parts of metropolitan Phoenix with rural credentials. Biggs previously served as president of the Arizona Senate and is now a member of Congress. Hobbs and Giles have characterized him as an especially hardline partisan, while Giles has questioned Biggs’ attempts to present himself as a moderate. Giles described Biggs as someone who had been openly committed to being the most conservative person in the room.

Giles could also help Hobbs reach Arizona’s Latter-day Saint voters, who represent about 6% of the state’s population and have historically leaned Republican. Many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have expressed reservations about Trump since his first presidential campaign. His profanity and attacks on women and people of color conflict with values associated with the church, including humility, morality and compassion. Democrats have been trying to attract those voters, and Giles’ faith and long Republican background may make him a credible messenger.

The selection also creates risks for Hobbs among Democrats who may prefer a more conventionally partisan ticket. The governor has emphasized that she approaches government in a nonpartisan way and said her supporters should not be surprised by the choice. Whether that message resonates will be tested across Arizona, including among Tucson residents deciding whether the new lieutenant governor position adds meaningful value to the state’s government.

Arizona voters created the office in 2022 to clarify who would succeed the governor. The state is one of only five without a lieutenant governor, alongside Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon and Wyoming. Until the new office takes effect, the secretary of state remains next in line. The issue has particular weight in Arizona because five governors since 1975 have reached office through succession rather than a standard election. Of the state’s 12 governors over the past half century, only Republican Doug Ducey both entered office through election and completed a full term without leaving through another circumstance. Others died, resigned after a fraud conviction, were impeached and removed, or departed for presidential appointments.