Andy Biggs easily defeats David Schweikert, wins GOP nomination for governor

U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs trounced his chief opponent, fellow Congressman David Schweikert, in the Republican primary for Arizona governor on Tuesday.

Biggs, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, had such a massive lead in the early election night results that the Associated Press called the race for him just as the Secretary of State’s Office posted the first batch of results just after 8 p.m.

“I am deeply honored to be chosen by Arizona Republicans as their nominee to defeat Katie Hobbs in November,” Biggs said in a Tuesday night statement. “This campaign has been driven by our grassroots supporters from the day we launched in January 2025 with a clear mission of Restoring the American Dream in our great state.”

Biggs’ win was no surprise. He was widely considered the favorite and was already focused on taking on Democratic incumbent Gov. Katie Hobbs before the primary, while Schweikert ran ads tying Biggs to antisemitism and white nationalism.

Schweikert was ultimately unsuccessful in painting Biggs as too extreme to win in November, saying that he was “wholly owned by Turning Point” USA, a youth-oriented conservative organization that has taken an increasingly larger role in GOP electoral politics in recent years, though with little success in prominent Arizona races.

Schweikert argued to voters that he, unlike Biggs, has a history of winning general elections in competitive districts, and said he knows how to market conservatism for voters. 

“Congratulations to Andy Biggs on his primary victory,” Republican Governors Association Chair Greg Gianforte, who is Montana’s governor, said in a statement. “Throughout his career in public service, Andy has fought to lower costs, grow Arizona’s economy, unleash American energy, and secure the border. 

“As governor, Andy will continue to put Arizona families first while Katie Hobbs focuses on serving special interests instead of addressing affordability, increasing the supply of housing, and creating more good-paying jobs.”

The Democratic Governors Association released a statement criticizing Biggs for being too extreme even for his own party. 

“After years of pushing extreme policies that made life worse for Arizonans in Congress, Andy Biggs is running to bring the dysfunction of DC to the Copper State,” DGA Executive Director Meghan Meehan-Draper said in the statement. “At every turn, he’s put his own extreme agenda and powerful insiders first at the expense of everyday Arizonans.” 

Biggs has already gone after Hobbs for accusations of involvement in a pay-to-play scheme, which Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes is investigating. He also went after Hobbs for her record on water and for not signing a piece of legislation proposed last year that would have made Arizona’s elections more like Florida’s. 

Minutes after Biggs was announced as the projected winner, the Hobbs campaign posted its first ads attacking him on social media. 

“Andy Biggs has spent his career selling out Arizona families for billionaires, special interests, and even convicted sex offenders,” the Hobbs campaign said in a social media post. “The more Arizonans learn about Biggs, the more they’ll realize he’s one big problem they can’t afford.”