PHOENIX: President Donald Trump added another support in next week’s Republican primary for Arizona government, saying Monday that he was backing US official Andy Biggs in addition to his earlier announced confirmation of enclosure developer Karrin Taylor Robson. Trump’s endorsement of Robson soon last month angered some of his biggest allies in the state, who are suspicious of her longstanding ties to the Democratic business formation and preferred a prospect with deep roots in Trump’s” Make America Great Once” activity.
A former head of the US House’s hard-right Freedom Caucus and former state republic leader, Biggs has long been a close ally to Trump and supported his false claims about the 2020 presidential election being stolen. Biggs represents a strong dark region including places like Queen Creek and Gilbert, and has relations to the group’s community.
Biggs has had no difficulty with defying group management- such as when he and seven different House Republicans helped remove Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker in 2023.
” When Andy Biggs decided to run for Governor, quite unexpectedly, I had a issue- Two wonderful candidates, two great people, two great champions, and it is therefore my Excellent Honor to supply my complete and total endorsement to both,” Trump said Monday in a post on Truth Social.
In a failed 2022 race for governor, Robson was closely aligned with old guard Arizona conservatives. She campaigned with Republicans who had fallen from Trump’s good graces, including former governor Doug Ducey and former vice-president Mike Pence, while Trump campaigned for former television news anchor Kari Lake. Lake won the GOP primary and lost to current Democratic governor Katie Hobbs.
This time around, Robson has been looking to eliminate daylight between herself and the president, eagerly embracing him and his policies while touting herself as the Trump-endorsed candidate. In reaction to the dual endorsement, Robson expressed her gratitude to Trump for his support.
” I cannot wait to be in the governor’s office as a partner to his conservative, America First agenda,” she said in a statement. ” Onward! ” Sean Noble, general consultant with Biggs ‘ campaign, said the campaign is” thrilled” for the endorsement but also expected it to be for both candidates given Trump’s earlier support of Robson.
” Given that Robson had leaned so heavily on the endorsement as her very premise for being in the race, it does call into question whether she should stay in the race,” he said.
Trump is no stranger to dual endorsements. Since 2017, he’s supported multiple candidates vying for the same post in six races, including Robson and Biggs, according to analysis by The Associated Press. In the 2022 US Senate race in Missouri, he endorsed” Eric,” the first name of two GOP candidates vying for the nomination. A triple endorsement came in 2024 in the Missouri governor’s race when Trump backed Jay Ashcroft, Mike Kehoe and Bill Eigel.
The Democratic Governors Association called the dual endorsement as a “huge blow” to Robson. The winner of the GOP primary will face likely face Hobbs, who has no serious challenger for the Democratic nomination.
