Arizona voters will choose state's first lieutenant governor in 2026
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Candidates for Arizona's top office have big decisions to make later this year about who will be the best fit to run alongside them as voters prepare to elect the state's first lieutenant governor.
Why it matters: The lieutenant governor, not the secretary of state, will now be first in the line of succession if the governor leaves office early — a relatively frequent occurrence in Arizona history.
Catch up quick: Voters in 2022 approved Proposition 131, which created the office of lieutenant governor.
- Gubernatorial nominees must select running mates at least 60 days before the Nov. 3 general election. They run on a joint ticket, much like candidates for president and vice president.
- Per the proposition, the Legislature will determine the lieutenant governor's powers and duties, but lawmakers haven't done so yet.
What they're saying: Republican candidate Andy Biggs told reporters last week that more than 60 people have reached out about being his running mate. He said he hasn't made a decision, but wants someone who:
- Knows how the Capitol works because he plans to work collaboratively with the Legislature;
- Can administer a state agency because they'll likely either be running or "keeping close watch" over one;
- And "knows how to work with DOGE groups because we're going to actually DOGE [state government]," referring to President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency.
The intrigue: Biggs said he and former Republican candidate Karrin Taylor Robson, who dropped out of the governor's race last month, have spoken but haven't discussed the possibility of her being his running mate.
- Spokespeople for Gov. Katie Hobbs and Republican candidate David Schweikert declined to comment for this story.
Zoom in: The first thing candidates should look for in a running mate is someone who will "do no harm," Republican operative Jon Seaton told Axios.
- The running mate may not influence many votes, he said, but candidates will get a lot of press attention and social media reaction.
- Democratic operative Adam Kinsey told Axios that candidates should also consider lieutenant governors whose resumes balance the ticket — whether that be through ideology, experience, background, geography or something else.
- Nominees may want to consider someone who shores up or appeals to a particular constituency, Seaton said.
Yes, but: "Ultimately these races are about the top of the ticket," Seaton said.
Flashback: Over the past 50 years, Arizona governors left office early due to resignations, death or impeachment in 1977, 1978, 1988, 1997 and 2009.
- Because governors and secretaries of state are elected separately, that has sometimes led to governors being replaced with someone of a different party.
- That happened when Democrat Rose Mofford replaced Republican Evan Mecham in 1988 and when Republican Jan Brewer replaced Democrat Janet Napolitano in 2009.