MAGA candidates keep losing in Arizona. Andy Biggs is out to break the trend
Biggs Seeks to Reverse Arizona’s MAGA Losing Streak
Activelifezero.com – Rep. Andy Biggs, the frontrunner among Republicans for Arizona’s governorship, frequently shares a particular story with his supporters. He recounts how he partnered with the recently deceased Senator John McCain to enact legislation enabling American Indian tribes to issue warnings when children disappear. This anecdote forms part of his campaign narrative, gaining significance when compared to how other Republican contenders in Arizona have handled McCain’s political legacy.
Kari Lake, who became the Republican gubernatorial nominee in 2022, made headlines by urging McCain-aligned Republicans to “get the hell out” during one of her campaign gatherings. Meanwhile, Blake Masters, the Republican Senate candidate that same year, proclaimed that the Arizona Republican Party no longer belonged to McCain. Both candidates ultimately faced defeat at the polls.
A Different Approach to the MAGA Movement
Biggs’ willingness to embrace McCain’s memory provides insight into his strategy for addressing one of his primary obstacles should Republicans select him as their gubernatorial candidate in Tuesday’s primary election, which many anticipate will happen. As a staunch conservative backed by President Donald Trump and a key player in efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential results, Biggs shares characteristics with recent MAGA figures who mobilized the Republican base yet faced rejection from Arizona voters.
The question of whether Biggs can persuade voters he represents a distinct form of Trump Republican compared to Lake and Masters may decide if the GOP can remove Gov. Katie Hobbs, currently considered the most exposed Democratic incumbent nationwide, or continue the party’s pattern of slim losses in one of America’s most critical swing states.
“I don’t believe Arizona is a blue state or even a purple state. It is a red state,” Biggs informed CNN on Friday while greeting attendees at a voter mobilization event. “We just have to remind people.”
At minimum, Arizona represents a deeper shade of purple, containing approximately 300,000 additional registered Republicans compared to Democrats. Political strategists across party lines agree the state trends rightward, and Trump’s 6.5-point triumph here two years ago—his widest victory margin among seven battleground states—provides Republicans with grounds for hope.
However, Lake’s concurrent Senate race loss during that same election intensified Republican disappointment over declining influence in a state they historically controlled. This outcome also highlighted the presence of potentially hundreds of thousands of crossover voters available this November in a state where one out of every three citizens lacks formal party registration.
Competition Within the Republican Field
Rep. David Schweikert, competing against Biggs in Tuesday’s primary, contends that Republicans cannot risk another Trump-endorsed MAGA contender. Schweikert has consistently won one of Arizona’s most contested congressional districts and claims he would leverage that success in a general election potentially determined by the state’s expanding independent voter population.
During the campaign’s sole debate last month, Schweikert directed a pointed question toward Republicans viewing from home: “Are you tired of losing?”
Unlike Lake, who transformed into a political firebrand during her campaigns, Biggs does not project the same intensity. A former local television anchor, Lake regularly produced sensational statements that surprised even members of her own party. Similarly, Biggs differs from Masters, a venture capitalist whose unapologetically bold and controversial positions followed him through his Senate campaign.
At 67 years old, a practicing lawyer, and a grandfather, Biggs appears regularly on Fox News and seldom employs dramatic rhetorical devices. His delivery tends toward calmness, and his commentary remains relatively restrained.
“He’s no Kari Lake and that does cut both ways,” observed Barrett Marson, an experienced Arizona GOP strategist. “The coverage of her wasn’t positive, but sometimes getting your name out there is half the battle. Biggs barely commands the local TV stations. He’s unexciting.”
Marson continued: “But also unlike Kari, he’s a true conservative, and he has a long record, sometimes to his detriment.”
Serving as chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, Biggs has functioned as one of Trump’s most dependable supporters while simultaneously creating friction with House leadership through his uncompromising stances. Prior to entering Congress, he dedicated 14 years to the state legislature, building a reputation as among the state’s most conservative legislators. This history has won favor with voters in his deeply Republican district and contributed to his receiving support from Turning Point, the youth-oriented political group established by the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Before Kirk’s death last September, he personally endorsed Biggs.
