Hobbs celebrates victory, shares centrist message scant on plans for trifecta

Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs celebrated a decisive victory over her Republican opponent Andy Biggs Wednesday night at a local carpenter’s union, but stressed to a room full of supporters that she and her lieutenant governor plan to govern for “all Arizonans.” 

“I think I may be the only non-Democrat who had a good night last night,” former Republican Mesa Mayor John Giles, Hobbs’ lieutenant governor pick, said to the room of Hobbs volunteers and supporters to cheers. 

Hobbs’ race to retain the governorship was called early Wednesday morning by the Associated Press with her receiving 56% to Biggs’ 43%. 

Her win came alongside a wave of victories for Democratic politicians across the country and in Arizona, where early returns show Democrats gained a trifecta in the state, controlling all branches of government. 

Democrats are poised to gain control of both chambers of the state legislature for the first time in 60 years. 

Hobbs has spent the last term dealing with a divided government in which Republicans, who controlled the state’s legislature, often clashed with Hobbs, who ended up making a record-setting number of vetoes of legislation sent to her by Republicans. 

Now, Hobbs is likely to be free to push more of her agenda, but she didn’t elaborate on what that was Wednesday night. 

Instead, both Hobbs and Giles said they intend to work as a “team” and spoke about their desire to move past partisan politics, saying they intend to work for those who didn’t vote for them this midterm as well as those who did. 

“You elected a Democratic governor and a former Republican mayor, now independent, on the same ticket,” Giles said, later noting that most of the country in recent years has been “retreating to their partisan corners.” 

“Arizona has chosen a different path. You have chosen unity over division,” he said. 

Hobbs, who started her political career in the Arizona legislature, made similar remarks, while also noting the massive shift in political makeup that the state has seen in the past few decades. 

“Sixty years, I want you to understand what that means to me,” Hobbs said, recalling that during her tenure in the legislature the entire Democratic caucus could be fed with one pizza. “We have gone from a one-pizza caucus to a majority in both chambers.” 

Hobbs, like Giles, also spoke of a need for unity. 

“What unites us is so much stronger than what divides us,” she said, adding that issues like affordability, education and a “secure border” were key. 

Hobbs served as the state’s top election official during the 2020 presidential election, when the state dealt with unsubstantiated claims of fraud from President Donald Trump and his supporters. She stressed that with her win, alongside other Democrats, the state will avoid any controversy over certifying the results of the 2028 presidential election. 

“The people certifying your vote will answer to you and not anyone in Washington,” Hobbs said. 

Hobbs’ speech was light on details of what her administration plans to do with a Democratic-controlled legislature, but she did say she intends to take on the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account Program.  Arizona’s school voucher program has seen ballooning costs and reports of fraud since it was expanded to be available to any public school student in 2022. 

As for the Democratic legislature Hobbs will be working with come January? 

“My door is open, just as it has been for four years,” she said. 

But she issued a warning to those who may look to “obstruct” or cause chaos, telling them to “look at the results of this election.” 

“I’ve seen what this state can do when people stop asking what side you’re on and ask ‘what does Arizona need?’” Hobbs said. “Let’s keep moving Arizona forward.”