ICYMI: Arizona Republican Leaders Put Country Over Party to Endorse Katie Hobbs
Mesa Mayor John Giles calls the race a “choice between sanity and chaos” and blasts Kari Lake as a threat to democracy
PHOENIX – With under four weeks until election day, more and more Arizona Republicans are publicly sharing their support of Secretary of State and Democratic nominee for governor, Katie Hobbs.
While Kari Lake touted baseless conspiracy theories with her fellow extremists this past weekend, Republican Mayor of Mesa John Giles joined local Republican leaders to speak about why they believe Katie Hobbs should be the next governor of Arizona.
Hobbs is building a strong coalition of support across party lines because Arizonans know she will tackle Arizona’s biggest issues head on. Last month, Republican women penned an op-ed in support of Hobbs’ vision for the state. Meanwhile, Kari Lake is struggling to consolidate broad support among Republicans and independents for her campaign.
See Below for Highlights from the News Coverage
Arizona Republic: Katie Hobbs gets backing of Republicans in Paradise Valley as Trump rallies followers in Mesa
Monica Villalobos, president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, describing herself as a former Republican, emphasized that the nation has “moved forward” under Biden.
She didn’t leave the party, she said — it left her when it began running “candidates operating from places of hatred, hubris and hostility rather than honesty, humility and humanity.”
KTAR: Republican Mesa Mayor endorses Democrat Katie Hobbs in gubernatorial race
PHOENIX — It’s not often a Republican mayor has gone across the aisle to support a Democrat, but that’s exactly what Mesa’s John Giles has done in the Arizona gubernatorial race.
Giles, elected mayor of Arizona’s third largest city in 2014, is backing Katie Hobbs over Republican Kari Lake.
“It’s pretty clear to me that Katie Hobbs is a better candidate,” Giles told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Gaydos and Chad Tuesday. “… Katie Hobbs is more qualified, she’s focused on the issues. I think its clear from the mayor’s seat that Arizona has a lot of serious issues that we need to address.”
The Hill: Some Arizona Republicans gather with Hobbs ahead of Trump rally for Lake
“There is a rally in Mesa, Ariz., today, featuring some well-known out-of-town guests. I am not there. I am here. … I am here campaigning for Katie Hobbs,” said Mesa Republican Mayor John Giles at the event.
“The reason for that is I’m very concerned about the future of our state,” Giles said, calling Arizona’s gubernatorial race “a choice between sanity and chaos.”
FOX10: Political campaigning in Arizona heats up as Trump holds a rally for Republicans, Democrats meet with voters
Katie Hobbs, the current Secretary of State, hosted an event at Barry Goldwater Park in Paradise Valley and was joined by several Republicans campaigning for her.
She emphasized putting country before political parties and says we have much more in common than our political differences.
“We all want what’s best for our state. We want a thriving economy, we want good schools for our kids. We want free and fair elections,” she said. “We want someone with a steady hand who can lead our state through its toughest challenges.
NBC AZFamily: Longtime Republicans backing Katie Hobbs
Not everyone is on board. Longtime Republicans who have broken away from the party because of Trump are now backing Secretary of State and Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Katie Hobbs. Hobbs was joined by dozens of Republicans at a rally Sunday morning.
“You know as your governor I will protect our children, I will protect our families, our people. I will always put you first and I will put our state first.” [Kari Lake at Mesa rally]
“…Republican. They’re Arizona issues and they need Arizona solutions. And we’re not all going to agree on the answers. But we have to work together to solve them.” [Katie Hobbs press conference with Republican supporters]
ABC15: Katie Hobbs holds Press Conference with Republican Supporters
Democrat Katie Hobbs, who’s running for governor, held a news conference with her Republican supporters. Hobbs says in part “This race for governor isn’t about Democrats or Republicans. It’s a choice between sanity and chaos.”
Telemundo: Republicans for Katie Hobbs