4 highlights from Arizona primaries: Progressive Dem loses; Trump-backed candidates win

1. Trump-endorsed Biggs wins the Republican gubernatorial primary

The most prominent statewide race taking place in Arizona this year is the gubernatorial election, where Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs is seeking a second term. While Hobbs won renomination unopposed, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., won the Republican gubernatorial primary relatively easily.

With more than 90% of the vote counted, unofficial results show Biggs capturing 73.6% of the vote. Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., is in a distant second at 14.7%, and no other candidate exceeded 10% support. 

Biggs was Trump’s endorsed candidate in the primary, with the president praising him as “a Highly Respected America First Congressman” in a July 10 Truth Social post. He reiterated his praise of Biggs in a Truth Social post published Wednesday, after Biggs won the Republican primary, predicting that Biggs will be a “GREAT governor” and deriding Hobbs as “one of the worst governors in the country.” 

The RealClearPolitics average of polls sampling voter intentions in general election matchups between Biggs and Hobbs, based on surveys taken between Nov. 8 and May 7, shows the incumbent governor leading her Republican challenger by 5 percentage points. Hobbs receives an average of 44.3% support in the polls, while Biggs captures 39.3%.