Why is Arizona's governor picking a Republican as her running mate?

Seeing 'Arizona' trending with news about Governor Hobbs choosing a Republican running mate. What's actually going on, and why would a Democrat do that?

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat running for reelection, is reportedly selecting John Giles — a Republican and former longtime mayor of Mesa — as her running mate for lieutenant governor, according to New York Times reporting from early August 2026. This is notable for a specific structural reason: 2026 is the first year Arizona voters approved (via a 2022 ballot measure, Prop 131) that creates a lieutenant governor position, and the first year gubernatorial and lieutenant governor candidates will appear on the ballot as a joint ticket rather than being elected separately. Giles has crossed party lines before, previously endorsing Hobbs, Mark Kelly, and Kamala Harris despite being a registered Republican, and has been part of Hobbs' "Arizona Over Party" coalition of Republicans and independents backing her reelection. Hobbs faces Republican Congressman Andy Biggs (who has President Trump's endorsement) in November; Biggs has already named conservative state Sen. Sine Kerr as his own running mate. Hobbs' campaign has framed the cross-party pick as proof of her bipartisan approach, while Biggs' campaign has used it to paint the ticket as effectively a Democratic one in Republican clothing — as with any campaign strategy, how effective it turns out to be will only be clear once votes are counted in November.