John Giles Nominated as Running Mate by Governor Katie Hobbs

In a surprising turn of events, Arizona’s Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs has announced the nomination of former Republican mayor John Giles as her running mate for the upcoming November election.

Giles, who held the position of mayor of Mesa, Arizona’s third-largest city, from 2014 until 2025, recently decided to switch his voter registration to independent.

Hobbs made the announcement on a Tuesday, which sets the stage for a bipartisan ticket as Arizona prepares to elect its inaugural lieutenant governor after a 2022 ballot measure established the office.

“Now, for the first time in our state’s history, we will elect a governor and lieutenant governor in the same election, and the first thing I wanted for my lieutenant governor was someone who shared my values of putting Arizonans above partisan politics,” Hobbs stated in a video message.

“That is why I am proud to introduce my running mate, former Mesa Mayor John Giles,” she added.

In their joint video announcement, Hobbs and Giles outlined their vision of uniting Republicans, independents, and Democrats to prioritize the interests of Arizonans.

“Arizona deserves a leader who puts the state above partisan politics,” Hobbs tweeted. “That’s why I’m so proud of the former mayor of Mesa. He stands by my side as a candidate for lieutenant governor. Together, we will put Arizona first, deliver real results, and continue to move Arizona forward.”

Speaking about his transition to being an independent, Giles mentioned, “I was a lifelong Republican until I became an independent because we shouldn’t let extremists get in the way of getting things done.” He has previously maintained, especially during the 2022 midterm elections, that he doesn’t identify with the Democratic party, even after endorsing Kamala Harris in 2024.

“I’ve been a lifelong Republican,” Giles noted during the midterms. “But I also think I’m a Republican with standards. I’m not an ideologue. I’ve always been taught to vote for the best candidate, regardless of party affiliation.”

Hobbs is up against some notable competition, including Rep. Andy Biggs, a Republican from Arizona who has been in Congress since 2017 and previously served as chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

Recently, Biggs chose former Republican state Senator Cine Carr as his running mate. Carr, who has a rich background as a dairy farmer, was appointed by the Trump administration in 2025 to lead the Arizona Farm Service Agency.

Carr has shared her own story of resilience, being the daughter of a military veteran and a naturalized U.S. citizen from Mexico, and describes her life and career as the realization of the American dream.