Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs could reap gains with Republicans and independent voters this November following a report indicating her longtime ally, John Giles, will be her running mate in Arizona's gubernatorial campaign.
Giles won three Mesa mayoral elections as a registered Republican before leaving office in 2025. He rose to national prominence endorsing several Democrats in recent years, including presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2024. Giles has been a supporter of Hobbs, having backed her gubernatorial campaign in 2022 against Republican Kari Lake.
Political experts said the move expands her appeal to conservative and religious voters ahead of what will be Arizona's first election to include lieutenant governor candidates. While running
mates likely wouldn't sway election results by large margins, it could be enough to boost a candidate in what is expected to be a close race.
Stacy Pearson, a Democratic political consultant with Lumen Strategies, described the potential decision for Hobbs to pick a member outside of her political party, and Giles' willingness to accept, as "extraordinary."
"That courage, I think, is what folks are looking for in politics right now," Pearson said.
The New York Times reported that Giles was Hobbs' selection as her running mate, but Hobbs' campaign declined to comment. Giles did not respond to questions about his reported selection.
Giles' record could strengthen Hobbs' bipartisan appeal
Pearson said that if Giles is ultimately selected, disaffected Democrats could be encouraged, citing recent voter registration losses within the party.
"It's a really good approach to add a moderate Republican," Pearson said. "Arizona consistently rejects MAGA and remains a red state. So threading that needle is extraordinarily important."
Hobbs has pushed hard to amplify bipartisan messaging in recent months. Her campaign released televised ads arguing Hobbs has "stood strong against her own party." Most recently, the governor unveiled her "Arizona Over Party" coalition that includes dozens of Republicans and independent voters supporting her campaign. Giles is among the former politicians and business leaders included on the list.
Pearson said bipartisanship has long been a tenet of Hobbs' political career. She pointed to Hobbs' time as the minority leader in the Arizona Senate, where compromise was needed because Republicans controlled both chambers of the Legislature and the Governor's Office.
"This goes back decades," Pearson said. "If John Giles is the selection, this just personifies it."
Republican political consultant Barrett Marson said independent voters and centrist Republican voters will be key groups in November, as they have been in Arizona for several years. If Giles joins the campaign, he said, it could sway some voters with hesitation toward voting for a candidate who aligns strong with President Donald Trump.
"You're just talking about flipping 8,500 votes, 9,000 votes," Marson said of Hobbs' needed gains. "With the margins that small, she's got to look to expand on her win four years ago."
Hobbs defeated Lake, a Trump-aligned Republican who is currently the president's pick to be the U.S. ambassador to Jamaica, by just over 17,000 votes.
Kevin DeMenna, a longtime Arizona political consultant, was less convinced how much each candidates' lieutenant governor picks would expand their bases, saying it was too soon to tell.
Regardless, it was a truly pick centrist pick, he said.
"If you were looking for the middle of the Arizona electorate for this upcoming general, John Giles is standing there," DeMenna said.
For their part, the campaign backing Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs was quick to tie Giles political career to Harris and Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
A website paid for by Biggs for Arizona called Hobbs and Giles "unserious" for Arizona, linking to media appearances where Giles discussed Harris' presidential campaign and attending the Democratic National Convention.
Could faith become key factor in Arizona's governor race?
Marson said running mate picks rarely have significant sway in elections, but noted Giles' reach within the East Valley and highlighted that Giles is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He attended Brigham Young University and completed a two-year mission for the church in South Korea.
Democratic consultant Matt Grodsky said Giles' background could make a difference when up against another East Valley member of the church: Andy Biggs
"It's an important voting bloc, and that's a group where faith and morality come into play a lot in their decision-making," Grodsky said.
Office created after concerns governorship could change parties
Arizona voters approved the creation of the lieutenant governor position in 2022 by a 10-point margin, with its supporters saying it would create more political consistency.
The next in line of succession for the governor's office was previously the secretary of state. Secretaries of state from opposing political parties have taken the state's top office twice. When Republican Gov. Evan Mecham was impeached in 1988, Democratic Secretary of State Rose Mofford took the office. And in 2009, Republican Secretary of State Jan Brewer succeeded Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano after she left to join the Obama administration.
Arizona could once again see a change in party affiliation among its top office if Giles were to be next in line for the position. Marson said he wasn't confident Giles would continue Hobbs' vision for the Grand Canyon State, noting Giles is in favor of limited regulations and lower taxes.
"And that's not what Katie Hobbs is," Marson said.
Hobbs in recent months has taken a victory lap to highlight an approximately $1.4 billion tax cut part of Arizona's new $18.3 billion budget, tying it to a key theme in her reelection campaign. But those cuts were shaped by Republican state lawmakers and the White House, and only signed into law after she three times this year vetoed Republican tax proposals that included family-focused tax changes as well as tax breaks for businesses.
Grodsky said the partisan difference between Hobbs and Giles isn't as harsh as historic comparisons. Giles, as a candidate with bipartisan appeal, has made efforts to include differing ideological perspectives, he said.
"I think he's much more aligned with moderate thinking and the independent mindset of Arizona's voters," Grodsky.
Reporter Stacey Barchenger contributed to this article.
Helen Rummel covers state politics and higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at hrummel@azcentral.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @helenrummel.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How Katie Hobbs could benefit from choosing John Giles
