When the Tuesday primary concluded this week, Rep. Andy Biggs handily defeated a fellow GOP congressman, David Schweikert.
That primary win moves Biggs into a November showdown against Hobbs, who is considered to be among the most vulnerable Democrat governors heading into Election Day, according to a Politico story about the race.
Back in 2022, Hobbs narrowly defeated Republican candidate Kari Lake in a 50%-49% final that was plagued with allegations of cheating and fraud.
In the 2024 presidential election, Donald Trump carried Arizona 52%-46% over Kamala Harris.
Looking ahead to November, Washington Times columnist Robert Knight told American Family News Rep. Biggs is a “solid conservative” who has a “good chance” to defeat Hobbs.
“He can make the case that Hobbs is enabling a radical Democratic agenda,” Knight said. “In fact, that's what Republicans all over the country need to do."
A related Newsweek article said an Emerson poll, conducted late last year, showed Hobbs and Biggs tied at 43%-43%. A newer poll, done in May by Noble Predictive Insights, shows Hobbs polling 41%-37% over Biggs, the article said.
Beyond the allegations of election fraud in 2022, Hobbs was accused of paying back a major campaign donor with a state contract. After its request for a per-bed rate was at first denied, Sunshine Residential Homes was eventually permitted to receive a 40% hike in its per-bed billing rate to the Arizona Dept. of Child Safety.
That approval for the rate increase came after Sunshine executives had spread $400,000 to Hobbs' campaign and her inaugural fund, and to the Arizona Democratic Party.
Hobbs, who is facing a GOP majority in the legislature, has vetoed legislation requiring companies seeking state contracts to disclose any campaign donations to the governor.
