On Tuesday, in a move that surprised no one, Congressman Andy Biggs filed a statement of interest for the 2026 governor’s race with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office.
“Today, I filed a formal expression of my interest in running doe Governor Of Arizona in 2026. I love the greatest state in the Union, Arizona,” Biggs said in a statement posted to X on Tuesday. “Arizona has a bright future but will need strong leadership to reach its full potential,”
“I have been honored to serve Arizona at the state and federal levels and will bring my experience home to my native state to help it fulfill its tremendous capacity. I have a firm understanding of what the state needs to thrive. I look forward to conversing with my fellow Arizonans as I consider this weighty decision.”
Today, I filed a statement of interest to run for Governor of Arizona in 2026. See my full statement below. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/8swWhm7pYC
— Andy Biggs (@andybiggs4az) January 21, 2025
Biggs, the first well-known conservative to announce interest in the race, will likely face-off against former failed gubernatorial candidate, Karrin Taylor Robson. Taylor Robson lost to Kari Lake in the Republican Party primary in 2022. Lake went on to lose against Katie Hobbs, who was Secretary of the State at the time.
Shortly after Biggs announced his interest in the governor’s race, Travis Grantham, a popular former Arizona State Representative, announced his intention to run for Biggs’ congressional seat.
Today I filed a Statement of Interest to run for the US House of Representatives in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District. The East Valley deserves continued strong, experienced and conservative leadership should Congressman Biggs depart for statewide office.
I look forward to…
— Travis Grantham (@TravisGrantham) January 21, 2025
“Today I filed a Statement of Interest to run for the US House of Representatives in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District,” tweeted Grantham. “The East Valley deserves continued strong, experienced and conservative leadership should Congressman Biggs depart for statewide office.”
“I look forward to the coming months, meeting with our citizenry and seeing what the future holds for this wonderful district,” concluded Grantham, a colonel in the Arizona National Guard. The KC135 pilot currently serves as the 161st Air Refueling Wing Deputy Operations Group Commander.
Despite his popularity in the East Valley, Grantham did not run again for the State Legislature in 2024 due to term limits.
the Tamale Man is running for congress in #AZ05https://t.co/hJMKpEz5r4 pic.twitter.com/J311WvUZJW
— Brian Anderson (@AZBrianAnderson) January 21, 2025
Grantham became known as a crusader for small businessowners, primarily Latino business owners, for his “Tamale Bill.” That bill expanded cottage food law to include hot foods like tamales. The bill eliminated regulatory hurdles that made life difficult for small business owners with limited incomes.