Katie Hobbs was unopposed in Tuesday’s Democratic primary and moved into Arizona’s general election. She had already said the race would be close, and her campaign spent about $7 million before voters chose the Republican nominee.
On Monday, Hobbs told reporters, “We are running the race we need to win, and it is going to take a lot to get there. We know it's going to be a close race.” She also said, “I'm proud of the support I've garnered and, you know, I'm not raising campaign money to haul it away. I'm raising it to spend.”
Katie Hobbs and Arizona
Hobbs cruised to re-nomination in battleground Arizona while running for re-election in 2026. Four years ago, she narrowly defeated then-GOP nominee Kari Lake, and this year she will face the winner of the Republican gubernatorial primary.
The Republican ballot includes Andy Biggs, David Schweikert, Scott Neely and Ken Miceli. Biggs is backed by President Donald Trump and by the political wing of Turning Point USA, a contrast to Hobbs’ solo path through the Democratic primary.
Republican primary field
Hobbs’ spending in the primary shows how she used a race with no opposition to prepare for November. The money went into ads aimed partly at independent and Republican voters, an early effort to define the contest before the GOP settles on a nominee.
The general election ballot also includes candidates from the Libertarian Party, the Green Party and No Labels. That leaves Arizona voters with a broader field in November, even before the Republican race produces Hobbs’ opponent.
November matchup ahead
The next decision that shapes the race will come from the Republican gubernatorial primary. Hobbs enters the fall with the nomination in hand and a spending edge already deployed, while the identity of her November opponent still depends on the GOP vote.
