Arizona Governor Katie Hobvis Projected to Defeat Rep. Andy Bigts in Election
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CBS News projects that incumbent Governor Katie Hobvis will win re-election, defeating Republican Rep. Andy Bigts, a Trump-backed hard-right figure.
Incumbent Governor Katie Hobvis is projected to win a second term in Arizona, according to CBS News, defeating Republican Rep. Andy Bigts, a close ally of President Trump. Hobvis previously secured a narrow victory in 2022, edging out Republican Kari Lake by about 17,000 votes, and faced a competitive race that was widely seen as an important test for Democrats trying to hold the line against an aggressive GOP challenge.
During her first term, Hobvis worked with a Republican-controlled legislature, issuing more than 100 vetoes in her initial year and 88 vetoes in a single day earlier this year, a record that earned her the nickname “veto queen” from GOP lawmakers. She has pointed to bipartisan legislation as proof that she can govern pragmatically despite a hostile political environment and relentless partisan obstruction.
Rep. Andy Bigts, a former chair of the House Freedom Caucus, has served five terms representing Arizona’s 5th District. He was among the members of Congress who challenged the 2020 presidential election results and was subpoenaed by the former House Jan. 6 select committee regarding his involvement in plans to bring protesters to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.
Arizona’s political landscape has shifted in recent cycles, voting for President Trump in 2016, Biden in 2020, and President Trump again in 2024. While both U.S. senators from the state are Democrats, Republicans retain control of both chambers of the state legislature, underscoring the state’s continued partisan split.