Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs chooses former Republican Mayor John Giles as her running mate

Phoenix (AP) — Democratic Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has chosen a Republican-turned-independent, John Giles, as her running mate in a challenging reelection campaign. This bipartisan ticket, aimed at winning over Republicans and conservative independents, comes as voters elect Arizona's first lieutenant governor. With Republicans gaining voter registration advantage since Hobbs narrowly won the 2022 election against Kari Lake, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, Hobbs' selection of Giles is seen as an overture to Republicans.

Giles, who was Mesa's mayor from 2014 to 2025, changed his party affiliation to independent on May 17 and supported Democratic candidates in the 2024 primaries. As a registered Republican for decades, Giles' shift to the independent party has raised questions about his loyalty to the GOP.