Andy Biggs, a fiercely conservative congressman with Trump's endorsement, secured the Republican nomination for Arizona governor on Tuesday, immediately pivoting to a message of pragmatic leadership despite his hard-right record.
Biggs defeated fellow congressman David Schweikert in a contest that will now become one of the nation's most competitive gubernatorial races this fall. The winner will face Democratic incumbent Katie Hobbs.
The congressman's victory speech struck a notably moderate tone. "Let's make this the year that we turn Arizona red again," he told supporters, then told reporters he is "a conservative, a principled conservative, but I work with people that don't necessarily agree with me on every issue."
Biggs' primary triumph came after he decisively outmaneuvered Schweikert by appealing to the party's conservative core voters. Schweikert, who left a competitive congressional seat to pursue the governorship after eight terms in the House, had struggled to gain traction and funding throughout the campaign.
The contrast between the two Republicans shaped the race. Schweikert argued that Biggs' unwavering support for Trump and hard-right positioning had cost the GOP ground in Arizona, a state where Republicans once held dominant power but have seen their influence erode over the past decade. Schweikert characterized Biggs as another candidate destined to be rejected as too extreme.
The incumbent Hobbs will now prepare to defend her seat against Biggs, who served as chair of the House Freedom Caucus and played a significant role in efforts to reverse Trump's 2020 election loss.
Schweikert's campaign faltered in its final stretch. He remained in Washington on Election Day as the House conducted votes on government funding rather than returning to Arizona for the primary vote, a decision that underscored his campaign's struggles.
Biggs responded to criticism about his ideological record by asserting his willingness to work across differences, a message that could matter in a general election where Arizona's swing-state status depends on appeal beyond the party base.
Author James Rodriguez: "Biggs' sudden conversion to the language of compromise rings hollow given his tenure as a Freedom Caucus chair, but it reveals exactly how the GOP thinks about winning statewide in purple America."
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