Gov. Katie Hobbs is reported to be preparing to put Republican John Giles on her ticket as her running mate in Arizona's gubernatorial race, a cross-party move that would put a longtime Mesa mayor beside a Democratic incumbent. The choice would land just as Hobbs moves toward an early September deadline to make a formal announcement.
That is why Giles' name is drawing attention now. He is not a new ally to Hobbs, and he is not a generic Republican crossover. He led the Phoenix suburb for more than a decade, endorsed her before her 2022 electoral victory over Republican Kari Lake and later joined GOP leaders who campaigned on her behalf. He also delivered closing remarks at Hobbs' inauguration, a signal that his public role in her orbit has been building for some time.
The reported selection would also fit a political framework that Arizona already set in place. A law signed by Doug Ducey in 2022 established how the lieutenant governor nominee would run for office and set the duties of the post. Under that law, gubernatorial nominees must choose the person who will appear with them on the ballot no later than 60 days before the general election. This year's election is Nov. 3, which is why Hobbs faces an early September cutoff for a formal announcement.
Giles' politics make the prospect striking, but not random. He has already urged Republicans to vote against Donald Trump and in favor of Kamala Harris, and he said Kari Lake was dangerous for Arizona. He also said, “Those of us who support Secretary Hobbs care very deeply about the future of Arizona,” adding, “And that’s why we are putting our state above our party.” Those are the words of a Republican who has chosen to break with his own side in public and keep doing it.
Hobbs had already previewed that approach when she announced the Arizona Over Party coalition before the report about Giles. The group includes more than 50 current and former Republican and independent leaders, and Giles is part of it. Her campaign said the coalition showed her commitment to earn the vote of every Arizonan regardless of party affiliation, a message that now looks like the blueprint for the ticket she is expected to assemble.
There is still one detail that matters most: Hobbs has not publicly confirmed the choice, and her campaign has not said how far along the process is. Michael Beyer declined to comment on the selection process, and Giles did not immediately respond to a request for comment. If Hobbs does make the announcement in early September, it would turn a quiet coalition of crossover allies into a formal statewide partnership, and it would do so with a Republican who has already spent years telling voters to put Arizona first.
