MS NOW: “Arizona Gov. Hobbs Forms Bipartisan Re-Election Ticket”

Michael Steele: “[I]want to say, Governor, it’s a very important move and choice made by you. And Mayor, it’s an incredibly important decision by you to be a part of this.”

 

PHOENIX – Gov. Katie Hobbs and her pick for lieutenant governor, John Giles, hit the airwaves after announcing their historic, bipartisan ticket, appearing on national and local television outlets to share their Arizona First vision and their commitment to keep delivering for Arizonans.

MS NOW: EXCLUSIVE: Arizona bipartisan ticket hopes voters will reject ‘extreme partisans’

• Vaughn Hillyard: With a number of election deniers winning Republican primaries this cycle, the stakes are high for Democrats this cycle. For Arizona’s Democratic Governor, Katie Hobbs, that means betting on a bipartisan ticket to win reelection against Trump ally Andy Biggs. She’s now picked former Republican mayor of Mesa, Arizona, John Giles, to be her running mate.

• Michael Steele: I have been looking forward to this conversation as a former Lt. Governor, as a former party chair, and as someone who was all about the idea created by John McCain back in 2008 about a bipartisan ticket between him and Joe Lieberman. And here we are these so many years later, given the politics of this day. I just, out of the gate, want to say, Governor, it’s a very important move and choice made by you. And Mayor, it’s an incredibly important decision by you to be a part of this. So that part of me just wanted to say that because I think this goes beyond bipartisanship, obviously, and I want to get into what you’re hoping, you know, the folks of your state take from this ticket beyond just the novelty of a Republican and a Democrat, an independent and a Democrat, running for office.

• Gov. Katie Hobbs: This is about so much more than the politics of the moment. I’ve always focused on governing in a way that reaches across the aisle and focuses on the issues and not the partisan politics, and how we can deliver for the people we’re elected to do that for. And that’s been my approach. And we both share the belief that leadership is about bringing people together. And that is exactly the way that John governed when he was mayor of Mesa. And it is also a very stark contrast to my opponent, Andy Biggs, who has spent the last decade in Washington building one of the most extreme partisan records in Congress and consistently putting Washington’s agenda ahead of what’s right for Arizonans.

• Elise Jordan: Mayor, it does seem like right now Arizona certainly is a very purple, purple state. And your choice, a longtime Republican and then a never-Trumper, and this unity ticket with the governor. Do you think that this is going to help bring Arizonans together..?

• Mayor John Giles: Yeah, I really do. I mean, Arizona has always had a reputation of being a maverick state. And, you know, Senator McCain, who you referenced earlier, is a great example of that. And he is famous for espousing the country over party concept. And Governor Hobbs has been a great example of putting the state first and not pursuing an agenda that tries to exclude some people from participating in solving problems and in coming up with innovative solutions. […] the state is rejecting extreme partisanship and that it’s critical that we come together to make that happen this time as well, because when you have an election-denying congressman, that’s trying to be in the governor’s office for the upcoming presidential election and there’s no question that he’ll put his thumb on the scale to any extent that he can to get an outcome that’s that Washington wants. So this is a critical election, and kudos to the governor for reaching across the aisle and bringing us together in this important campaign.

• Michael Steele: “My dream of retirement is slipping away.” “Quality of life.” “Democracy.” Yeah. Governor, you and the mayor as the governing authorities of the state, should you win, how do you respond to Arizonans on this?

• Hobbs: Those are the top issues I hear from Arizonans every day. So, not a surprise to hear that. And it’s, you know, why I’ve been focused on doing everything I can to lower costs for Arizonans. I’ve helped pass and signed four bipartisan, balanced budgets that have cut taxes for Arizonans every single year. And I’ve worked to lower costs in other ways. And my opponent, Andy Biggs, is continuing to do the opposite. He has doubled down on supporting Washington’s cost-hiking agenda, that is raising costs for Arizonans everywhere from the grocery store, the gas station, the doctor’s office, everywhere in between. And he said things like “there’s no inflation” and “the tariffs seem to be working.” So, definitely out of touch with what Arizonans are experiencing. And, you know, part of why this is so personal to me is that I come from a working-class background. We both do. And when I talk to Arizonans about making life more affordable, it’s not just talk because I’ve lived a lot of that struggle and understand what so many Arizonans are going through. And my opponent, who was awarded a $10 million sweepstakes check, simply doesn’t understand that struggle.