Governor Katie Hobbs is being mocked online for her lieutenant governor choices and raising questions.
The mockery began after unnamed sources told The New York Times that Hobbs picked former Mesa mayor John Giles as her running mate. Giles, who left the Republican Party and registered as No Party Preference, served as co-chair of Republicans for Harris during the 2024 election cycle.
While that rumor has spread far and wide, political insiders believe she was testing the waters and that the unpopular Giles would decline to run.
Reportedly, Hobbs had previously offered the position on the ballot to seven other picks, all of whom turned her down.
Arizona Republican Party Chairman Sergio Arellano repeated the often whispered rumor that Hobbs would have to settle for her current Chief of Staff Chad Campbell as her running mate.
Mixed Reaction Swift To News Of Hobbs’ Chief Of Staff Pick Chad Campbell
Arellano issued the following statement regarding the reports and speculation surrounding Hobbs’ potential selection of Giles as her nominee for Lieutenant Governor:
“It is not surprising that Governor Hobbs is trying to pull a fast one on Arizona voters by pretending to act in a bipartisan fashion. Frankly, it’s her only hope.
Unfortunately for her, Arizona voters are smarter than that. They know the difference between genuine bipartisanship and political theater, and they won’t be fooled by a last-minute rebranding campaign.
Truth be told, I still don’t believe John Giles will ultimately be her choice. Given his lack of political accomplishments and his phony Republican credentials, I wouldn’t be surprised if Governor Hobbs eventually turns to Chief of Staff Chad Campbell instead. That decision might make a handful of her deep-pocketed political cronies very happy, but it would also expose this entire bipartisan charade for exactly what it is—a political marketing campaign, not a governing philosophy. Frankly, Hobbs choosing Campbell would make my job even easier.
To be clear, this political theater needs to stop.
John Giles may no longer call himself a Republican, but his actions have aligned him with Democrats for years. On May 17, 2026, after nearly forty years as a registered Republican, he left the Republican Party, registered as No Party Preference, and pulled a Democratic primary ballot. That is a matter of public record.
Long before changing his voter registration, Giles had already made his choice. He endorsed Kamala Harris for President, spoke at the Democratic National Convention, endorsed Katie Hobbs, and repeatedly attacked the Republican Party and the conservative movement that helped elect him.
John Giles didn’t suddenly change when he changed his voter registration. His paperwork simply caught up with the political choices he’d been making for years.
At some point, your actions define you more than the letter next to your name.
Arizona Republicans will not provide political cover for someone who repeatedly campaigned against our candidates while continuing to wear the Republican label. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
While Governor Hobbs is busy trying to reinvent herself, Arizona Republicans remain focused on what actually matters to Arizona families: protecting School Choice, making housing more affordable, securing our border, lowering costs, defending parental rights, strengthening public safety, and putting Arizona first.
Whether Governor Hobbs chooses John Giles, Chad Campbell, or someone else entirely, Arizona voters deserve a Lieutenant Governor nominee willing to stand beside her and defend her record in public. We hope her eventual running mate is prepared to debate because the people of Arizona deserve answers about the dozens of bills Governor Hobbs vetoed that would have lowered costs, increased housing opportunities, improved education, strengthened public safety, and protected Arizona consumers.
Governor Hobbs can change running mates. She can’t change her record. Arizona voters haven’t forgotten the vetoes, the failed priorities, or the direction this state has taken over the last four years. We look forward to defeating Governor Hobbs—Arizona’s ‘Veto Queen’—and whoever ultimately joins her ticket this November.”
Under investigation for an alleged play-to-play scheme, Hobbs is unwise to choose Giles, say critics.
According to AZFree News, “Giles served on Hobbs’ transition team and was one of several on the team with connections to a fellow transition team member running a nonprofit under investigation for pandemic loan fraud. Giles had backed a proposition put forth by that nonprofit granting in-state college tuition to illegal aliens.”
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