Arizona Republicans decide their nominee for governor | Decision 2026 | 12News

[00:00:00]Now to the Republican race for governor.

[00:00:02]Congressman Andy Biggs and David Schweikert are emerging as the leading candidate.

[00:00:07]>> Arizona journalist Shawn Rice is live in Scottsdale with how both men are promising to unseat the Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs. We just heard about her. And it's interesting, too, Shawn, isn't it? I think most polls have uh Biggs leading here, but our state has not elected a so-called America First or MAGA statewide candidate in the last three election cycles.

[00:00:27]>> Right, and that's what's really going to test Congressman Andy Biggs the most is how does he appeal to the large swath of independent voters that we have here in our state? That's something I had the chance to ask him about uh in an interview last week. We'll get to that in a moment on how he answers that questions, but but tonight we're inside Dillon Precision here in North Scottsdale. This is an uh ammunition manufacturing company, but we're actually inside an airport hangar right now that's on the backside of this company. You see the Biggs for Governor sign, a podium where we expect to hear from him uh in maybe three to four hours after we get that first uh tranche of voter results. Uh but I had a chance to break down both men here. This is really a two-horse race, a two-man race, both with plenty of experience, that being Congressman Andy Biggs and Congressman David Schweikert. But how do they differentiate themselves and appeal to that independent voter base? Here's what both had to say. Take a listen.

[00:01:19]>> The Republican primary for governor has become a two-man race between Congressman Andy Biggs and David Schweikert. Both are making the case they're the best candidate to defeat Governor Katie Hobbs, but they're taking different approaches to get there. Biggs has centered his campaign on affordability, public safety, and school choice.

[00:01:38]>> We want to do some affordability legislation to make sure that we can actually uh make Arizona affordable again. We've become one of the least affordable states in the country. We want to make sure that we're a safe state. Uh so we want to make sure our uh our state police in particular, because that's who we work with, that they're well-funded and have the resources that they need.

[00:01:59]>> Schweikert, who did not respond to a 12 News request for an interview, used the clean elections debate from last month to argue his electoral record makes him the party's strongest general election candidate.

[00:02:11]>> I'm the only one that's done it year after year after year. Um think about this. Over the last 6 years, I'm told I'm the Democrats' most expensive loss in America.

[00:02:22]Um and that's demonstration that they've thrown everything at me.

[00:02:27]You know, these are wonderful people, but they've never actually been in the great battle.

[00:02:31]>> The two also differ on how they frame their experience. Bigs points to his record working across party lines, saying that is how he will govern.

[00:02:39]>> Well, on day day one after I'm elected, before we even get sworn in, I'll be meeting with legislators, with the leadership. Uh they can pre-introduce, they can pre-file bills. We'll work on on bills. We'll work on getting the budget a preliminary draft of that at least before we ever even go into that session in January. And then uh it'll be very collaborative and working together.

[00:03:02]>> Schweikert's message focuses on electability, arguing Republicans need a nominee who can win over independent voters.

[00:03:10]>> won more competitive races than anyone in Arizona 25 years. I functionally have a 50/50 district. And Arizona today actually has more independent voters than even Republicans.

[00:03:22]>> Bigs was favored by 66% of respondents on a new Next Gen poll of high-frequency Republican voters. Schweikert drew support from just 10%.

[00:03:33]>> be uh up six to one than down one to six, but uh the reality is we we treat this as if we're behind and we we keep working.

[00:03:45]>> And with those polling numbers, as you heard Bigs say there, he'd rather be up that amount than down that amount. But it could be uh an early celebration tonight if those polls are any indication uh of how Arizonans went to the polls over the last several months and then today uh as well. So, we're inside Dillon Precision. All is calm right now, uh but I expect in a couple hours this place will be filled with a lot of Andy Biggs supporters. We'll send it back to you guys.

[00:04:07]>> Yeah, it sure will be. All right, Sean, thank you so much. Well, and