Trump's victory in Arizona: Rep. Andy Biggs and other candidates backed by the president sweep the state's Republican primaries

Republican Rep. Andy Biggs secured the Republican Party's nomination for governor of Arizona on Tuesday after defeating fellow Congressman David Schweikert, setting the stage for a high-profile showdown in the general election against Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs in one of the nation's most competitive swing states. Biggs, former chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump, won the Republican primary with more than 65% of the vote.

The Arizona congressman, who has represented a district on the outskirts of Phoenix for five terms, highlighted Trump's endorsement throughout his campaign and focused his message on border security, tax cuts, and other conservative priorities. "I'm not going to criticize Republicans—we have a lot of people with very diverse viewpoints. Republicans will win by looking ahead and having a vision for the state," Biggs said during a recent interview with USA Today.

For her part, Hobbs, who won the governorship in 2022 by a margin of less than one percentage point, faced no opposition in the Democratic primary. Several analysts predict that the November race will be one of the most closely watched in the country.

Victories for Trump-backed candidates in other state Republican primaries

In addition to Biggs, former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb won the Republican nomination for Arizona's 5th Congressional District despite facing allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has repeatedly denied. Lamb defeated businessman Daniel Keenan, who invested more than $1.5 million of his own money in the campaign. The victory positions him to succeed Biggs in that strongly Republican-leaning district should he ultimately be elected in November.

Meanwhile, in Arizona's 1st Congressional District, former Arizona Cardinals football player Jay Feely also secured the Republican nomination after defeating former state representative Joseph Chaplik. Feely based much of his campaign on Trump's endorsement and will now compete in one of the most hotly contested House districts in the country, where Democrats hope to win the seat in November.

Similarly, Republican Representative Juan Ciscomani secured his party's unopposed nomination as he seeks a third term representing southeastern Arizona's congressional district. Ciscomani, who was also endorsed by Trump, will defend one of the most competitive seats in the House—a district that narrowly supported the Republican president in the 2024 presidential election, after having backed Biden by an equally narrow margin four years earlier.