Kari Lake

Arizona's 2026 governor's race pits Democratic incumbent Katie Hobbs against Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, with Green Party candidate Risa Lombardo and No Labels candidate Teri Ann Hourihan also on the ballot. Hobbs, who defeated Kari Lake in 2022, is emphasizing tax cuts, medical debt relief, and a tougher stance on immigration, while distancing herself from some national Democratic positions. Biggs, a longtime Trump ally and former House Freedom Caucus chair who backed efforts to block certification of the 2020 election results, has Trump's endorsement and support from Turning Point Action. Both campaigns are trading attack ads over child-sex-abuse legislation records.

Republicans hold a voter registration edge, but low turnout and Trump's sagging approval ratings could favor Democrats, echoing 2018's "Blue Wave." For the first time, each candidate has a running mate for a newly created lieutenant governor post: Biggs chose state Sen. Sine Kerr, while Hobbs picked former Republican Mesa Mayor John Giles, now an independent, to court centrist voters.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced her office will not charge Gov. Katie Hobbs over allegations she traded a rate increase for a group home operator in exchange for political contributions. Sunshine Residential Homes gave $200,000 to the state Democratic Party before Hobbs' 2022 election, then $100,000 to her inaugural fund and another $100,000 to the party in 2023, before securing a 30% rate hike from the Department of Child Safety, raising its per-bed rate from $149 to $195. Mayes, a Democrat, said investigators found no evidence of the quid pro quo needed to support a bribery charge, concluding the increase stemmed from Sunshine's leverage as the state's largest foster-care bed provider—it threatened to shift beds to a more lucrative federal program—rather than political pressure. Hobbs denies involvement, and state officials say then-DCS Director David Lujan approved the increase independently.

Mayes still called for legislative reform on contractor donation transparency. A separate investigation by Republican Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell and the state auditor general continues, with no completion timeline. The controversy remains a campaign issue as Hobbs seeks reelection against Republican Rep. Andy Biggs.