Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) tapped the former Republican mayor John Giles of Mesa, Arizona, as her running mate ahead of her November reelection matchup against GOP gubernatorial candidate Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ). “The first thing I looked for in a running mate was someone who shares that value of putting Arizonans ahead of partisan politics. That’s why I’m proud to introduce my running mate, former Mesa Mayor John Giles,” Hobbs said in her announcement message. Giles led the city east of Phoenix as mayor from 2014 to 2025. County records showed him as registered as a Republican until May 2026, when he changed his voter registration to independent, according to multiple reports.