Trump ally Andy Biggs wins Republican nomination for Arizona governor

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing AP reporting published July 22, 2026, reports that U.S. Representative Andy Biggs has won the Republican nomination for governor of Arizona. Biggs, described as a close ally of President Donald Trump, defeated fellow Republican congressman David Schweikert in Tuesday’s primary and is set to challenge Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs in November.

The race is expected to be among the most closely watched gubernatorial contests of the midterm elections. Arizona has been a major battleground in recent cycles: Joe Biden carried the state in 2020, while Trump won it back in 2024. Democrats currently hold both U.S. Senate seats in Arizona as well as the state’s top three statewide offices, making the governor’s race a key test of Republican efforts to regain ground.

According to the report, Biggs is a former chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and backed Trump’s effort to contest certification of the 2020 presidential election result. Al Jazeera noted that his nomination could energize conservative voters while raising questions about his appeal to independents in a competitive state. Biggs, speaking after the win, rejected the idea that voters would view him as too extreme and emphasized his conservative record.

The same primary night also shaped other contests in Arizona, including congressional races that could matter for control of the U.S. House. On the Democratic side, Al Jazeera reported that former state Representative Amish Shah was leading Marlene Galan-Woods in a close primary contest.