IN FOCUS - Aug. 7, 2026

No one can accuse Governor Katie Hobbs of rushing.

It has been three days and multiple news cycles since the New York Times broke the news that the Democrat is expected to tap ex-Republican and former Mesa Mayor John Giles as her running mate. 

Traditionally, such scoops are immediately followed by an official announcement.

Not so, in this case. Despite hounding from local press, Governor Hobbs has declined to confirm her pick for Lieutenant Governor.

Earlier this week, a spox for Secretary of State Adrian Fontes curiously declared today the deadline for gubernatorial candidates to name their LG picks. The AZSOS has since backed away from that, telling reporters there’s still “wiggle room” for Governor Hobbs to make her pick at a later date as long as Maricopa and other counties are able to begin preparing ballots by Aug. 20. Further muddying things, when Arizona voters approved Prop 131 in 2022 and created the Lieutenant Governor position, the ballot measure said only that candidates must announce their running mate at least 60 days before the General Election … or Sept. 4, in this case.

If and when the Hobbs/Giles ticket becomes official, look for the Governor to lean heavily on Giles’ four decades as a registered Republican as she makes a people-over-politics argument to voters. Meanwhile, GOP nominee Andy Biggs has been touring the state and doing joint interviews with his running mate: former state Sen. Sine Kerr.

Among other candidates for Governor, No Labels nominee Teri Ann Hourihan on Thursday tapped for Lieutenant Governor a political independent: Angela Harrolle Mohan, former CEO of The 100 Club. Lastly, Green Party nominee Risa Lombardo today named Lisa Castillo as her LG pick. Castillo, a neonatal ICU coordinator, briefly ran for Governor herself but did not make the ballot. Though they are running under the Green banner, the official party has assailed them as “sham” candidates intended to siphon votes away from the Democrat, Governor Hobbs.