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Hobbs picks former GOP Mesa Mayor Giles as her running mate

Jeremy Duda

A smiling man in glasses wearing a black suit jacket over a white shirt stands in front of a blue background, with a United States flag directly behind him and Arizona flags to the left and right of it. — John Giles, then mayor of Mesa, attends a Republicans for Harris event in Scottsdale in October 2024. Photo: Rebecca Noble/AFP via Getty Images

Gov. Katie Hobbs on Tuesday announced former Mesa Mayor John Giles as her running mate, making a push for the political center as she faces a tough reelection fight.

Why it matters: Republicans have a substantial voter registration advantage in Arizona, and Hobbs must appeal to center-right voters and independents if she wants to win a second term.

Catch up quick: Hobbs' announcement came as no surprise — the New York Times reported last week that Giles would be the Democratic nominee to be Arizona's first lieutenant governor.

Background: Giles, who led Mesa from 2014-2025, has been a Republican for most of his life, but he broke with party in the Trump era.

He endorsed Hobbs in 2022 and Kamala Harris in 2024, even speaking at the Democratic National Convention.
Giles changed his voter registration to "no party preference" — commonly referred to as "independent" — in May.

Background: This is the first election in which candidates for Arizona governor select running mates who will serve as lieutenant governor, putting them first in the line of succession if the governor leaves office early.

Republican nominee Andy Biggs last week selected former state Sen. Sine Kerr as his running mate.

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Hobbs picks former GOP Mesa Mayor Giles as her running mate

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