By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is expected to select a former Republican as her running mate for this year’s gubernatorial election, according to reports.
Read more Witness helps find driver in hit-and-run crash in west Phoenix, police say
The New York Times first reported Tuesday that Gov. Hobbs plans to tap former Mesa Mayor John Giles as her running mate for the newly created lieutenant governor position. Giles, who used to be a Republican, served as mayor of the East Valley city from 2014 to 2025.
The New York Times cited two people familiar with the decision, but Hobbs’ campaign says nothing is official.
Giles endorsed former President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2020 and 2024 elections. He was also a speaker at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Last month, Giles endorsed Gov. Hobbs for re-election.
Giles switched his party designation from Republican to no preference in May.
Gov. Hobbs will go head-to-head with GOP nominee Rep. Andy Biggs this November. He selected Sine Kerr, a former Arizona Senate Majority Whip, to be the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor.
Read more Investigators look at why a plane was allowed to take off as President Trump’s helicopter approached
Arizona is one of only a handful of states without a lieutenant governor. Currently, the Secretary of State is next in line if the governor dies, resigns or is impeached.
Similar to the U.S. vice president, the lieutenant governor will appear on the ballot as part of the governor’s ticket. Once elected, the lieutenant governor will also hold an administrative role assigned by the governor.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Read more Court filings: Dutch Bros to buy Salad And Go locations in Arizona, Nevada