Battle of the BYU grads: Former Mesa mayor on track to join Arizona governor ticket against Andy Biggs

Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs will pick former Republican Mesa Mayor John Giles to be her lieutenant governor in the competitive November general election against GOP nominee Andy Biggs, according to two sources close to Giles.

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The decision, first reported by The New York Times and independently confirmed by the Deseret News, must be finalized by Friday to give the secretary of state’s office time to update ballots, the Times reported. Hobbs declined to comment on the “LG process.”

Her choice of Giles as running mate is “not surprising,” former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake told the Deseret News, considering the tough race Hobbs finds herself in. Polls put Biggs within striking distance, four years after Hobbs beat Kari Lake by less than 1% of the vote.

“Politically, she needs to get a lot of votes out of the East Valley,” Flake said. “I think it’s seen as more difficult for her this time because Andy Biggs is not seen as Kari Lake was. But John Giles, very well-liked in the East Valley, will pick up a lot of Republican and independent votes.”

As director of Arizona State University’s Institute of Politics, Flake has not endorsed a gubernatorial candidate. But he said putting Giles on the Democratic ticket is “a smart move” because he has name recognition from running the largest conservative city in America.

Flake made news this week with his endorsement of Georgia Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff against the Trump-endorsed Rep. Mike Collins. Flake told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he is “still a conservative Republican” but wants someone “who will protect the institution.”

Flake appeared with Giles multiple times during the 2024 presidential election at events supporting Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Flake said Giles’ potential role as lieutenant governor in a Democratic administration fits with his approach to governance.

“I think it aligns with his focus,” Flake told the Deseret News on Wednesday. “He’s just always said, you know, ‘character matters.’ And the Republican Party has strayed from a lot of its values. And that’s where he is. … That’s a growing feeling.”

Giles, who did not respond to a request for comment before this story was published, became the face of “Republicans for Harris” in Arizona during the 2024 presidential election, appearing in TV ads for Harris and speaking at the Democratic National Convention.

While he describes himself as a “lifelong Republican,” Giles appears to have switched to no party affiliation earlier this year, Axios reported. In 2023, Giles told the Deseret News he felt the GOP of President Donald Trump had abandoned “Reagan Republicans” like him.

Battle of the BYU grads

Former Mesa city council member Julie Spilsbury, said Hobbs’ decision reflects a desire to put “Arizona over party.” Spilsbury served on the council with Giles from 2021 until he left in 2025 after a decade in office. Spilsbury was removed in a 2025 recall campaign led by Turning Point Action.

“We need to come together and do what’s best for everyone,” Spilsbury told the Deseret News. “Highly partisan politics are hurting both our state and our country, so I couldn’t be more thrilled with Gov. Katie Hobbs’ selection for lieutenant governor.”

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Placing Giles on the ballot will pit two Mesa natives against each other in a fight over moderate Republican votes. GOP consultant Tyler Montague called Giles the “perfect choice,” saying “there is no better way for Hobbs to signal to the political middle that she wants to govern for everybody.”

But Giles’ track record in Mesa may come with its own difficulties in attracting the undecided GOP voter. As mayor he more than doubled the city’s budget, supported President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 stimulus bills and sponsored a controversial LGBTQ nondiscrimination ordinance.

Biggs has represented the east portion of Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler in the U.S. House since 2017. The former House Freedom Caucus chair announced his running mate last week will be former state Sen. Sine Kerr, who was serving as executive director of the USDA Farm Service Agency.

Both Biggs and Giles are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and graduates of Brigham Young University. Supporting Biggs has been the top priority for Turning Point Action COO Tyler Bowyer, also a Latter-day Saint, who has not been afraid to criticize Giles in the past.

“John Giles is at best a really, really moderate Democrat,” Bowyer said in a post on X. “It shows that Katie Hobbs had absolutely no one to pick from the Democrat side. Meanwhile, Andy Biggs selected a moderate, Hispanic, pro-business, pro-agriculture leader with strong policy capability to help with Legislature.”

Biggs won the July Republican primary easily with more than 71% of the vote. He has been campaigning for a general election audience for months, morphing his firebrand messaging into a “peacemaker” approach while trying to build bridges with Republicans across the political spectrum.

Hobbs ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Her talking points revolve around public education and long-term water management in a term defined by her willingness to veto hundreds of bills. Meanwhile, Biggs has run a campaign centered on affordability and economic growth.

Biggs’ background in Congress includes helping to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, leading attempts to block government spending packages, opposing the certification of Arizona’s 2020 electoral votes and sponsoring federal bans on abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Correction: An earlier version of this story had the incorrect office for Julie Spilsbury. She served as a city council member from 2021 to 2025.

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