The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act or H.R. 21 passed the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives last week in a party line vote. The Republican delegation of Arizona voted unanimously in favor of the bill.
Two of the three Arizona Democrats in Congress voted against it, with Rep. Raúl Grijalva not voting.
The passage of the bill was hailed by both Congressional Arizona Republicans and the Trump administration. Congressman Andy Biggs, who recently announced his intent to run for Governor of Arizona, wrote in a post to X, “204 Democrats refuse to protect babies who survive an attempted murder. Republicans are pro-life, pro-woman, and pro-family.”
204 Democrats refuse to protect babies who survive an attempted murder.
Congressman Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) issued a statement via X saying, “The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is a bill that supports basic human rights and the opposition of such is the support of murder. If a child survives an abortion and is denied life-saving care, they are being denied the same protection and medical care that any other newborn baby is afforded. As several of my colleagues noted today, this bill is not about abortion. This bill is about living breathing babies. Today, I voted to pass this common sense legislation to correct this egregious humanitarian crisis.”
#BREAKING: The House just passed H.R. 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.
The White House released a statement following the bill’s passage, noting its concurrence with President Trump’s Executive Order of September 25, 2020, which stated that the policy of the United States is “to recognize the human dignity and inherent worth of every newborn or other infant child, regardless of prematurity or disability, and to ensure for each child due protection under the law.”
The White House concluded “A baby that survives an abortion and is born alive into this world should be treated just like any other baby born alive. H.R. 21 would properly amend current law to ensure that the life of one baby is not treated as being more or less valuable than another. If H.R. 21 were presented to the President in its current form, his advisors would recommend he sign it into law.” Despite the advancement of the House measure, the Senate Version of the bill was stalled when a key motion to invoke cloture, ending debate, failed. Although the GOP controls the Senate as well with 53 votes, a majority of 60 is needed to invoke cloture, requiring bipartisan support.
The push to pass the bill through both Houses of Congress was timed to coincide with the March for Life on Friday in Washington, D.C., and the 52nd anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling.
Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs announced on Saturday to the Arizona Republican Party’s 2025 Statutory Meeting that, following his “Statement of Interest” to run against Democrat incumbent Governor Katie Hobbs, he is formally running for Governor of Arizona.
Biggs addressed the body, which re-elected AZGOP Chairwoman Gina Swoboda, and made the announcement. Footage shared to X by Activist Nico Delgado captured the moment when Biggs told meeting attendees, “I am jumping in formally to the race for governor in 2026. Thank you.”
BREAKING: Congressman Andy Biggs officially announces that he is running for Governor of Arizona pic.twitter.com/veM2R9n1Zy
“I am jumping in formally,” he said. “It is now time to Make Arizona Great Again,” according to AZ Capitol Times. The outlet noted that Biggs first asked the party leaders if he should get a haircut before asking if they would support his bid for the 9th Floor.
In a follow up post to X later in the day, Biggs wrote, “It’s time to Make Arizona Great Again! I am excited to be in the race for Governor and look forward to serving all Arizonans! Sign my petition at http://biggsforarizona.com!”
It’s time to Make Arizona Great Again! I am excited to be in the race for Governor and look forward to serving all Arizonans!
In an exclusive AZ Free News poll conducted by Data Orbital, Biggs is dominating early polling with 31.7%, a commanding 19.3 point lead over Karrin Taylor Robson. State Treasurer Kimberly Yee trailed with 7.4%
A new poll shows @repandybiggs with a big lead over other potential GOP opponents in the 2026 race for AZ governor. The results saw Biggs take an early polling lead with 31.7%, Taylor Robson who had 12.4% support, & Yee trailed with 7.4% support.https://t.co/jlR5VXRdlU
A subsequent poll released by NicoPAC covered 512 Registered Voters in Arizona “weighed for race, age and gender following a mix of voter registration data, past election data from the Arizona Secretary of State’s office, and the ACS.” It saw Biggs take 58.5% with Taylor Robson dropping behind Yee at 8.8%, and the Arizona Treasurer climbing to double digits with 10.8%.
Biggs’ announcement was followed by Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk and was later supported by former his former congressional colleague Matt Gaetz.
In an interview with Steve Bannon’s War Room on Rumble prior to the formal announcement, Congressman Eli Crane also offered his tacit endorsement of Biggs telling Bannon, “I think Andy is the most conservative and probably the strongest member of the U.S. House. He was also President of the Senate in Arizona. He knows Arizona. He knows how the system works better than anybody. I don’t think anybody would do a better job. You know, he has my full support, and I know he has the support of the War Room Posse… I hope he pulls the trigger and goes all the way through with it.”
WATCH:
Former Arizona State Representative Austin Smith also shared his support in a lengthy post to X, writing in part that Arizonans “won’t have a revolving door of contract lobbyists on the 9th Floor deciding what legislation is signed and needs to be vetoed.”
Why @andybiggs4az is the right choice for Republicans in Arizona for 2026:
– effective, reliable and bonafide conservative vote in Congress.
– had the courage to vacate the chair during a do-nothing speakership.
A new poll shows Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) with a big lead over other potential GOP opponents in the 2026 race for Arizona governor.
Biggs announced that he filed a letter of interest to run for governor earlier this week.
The poll, conducted by Data Orbital and sponsored by AZ Free News, was taken between Jan. 18-20. It asked 500 Likely Republican Primary Election voters to choose between likely AZ GOP candidates for governor: Biggs, Arizona Treasurer Kimberly Yee, and Karrin Taylor Robson.
The results saw Biggs take an early polling lead with 31.7%, a definitive 19.3% advantage over Taylor Robson (who had 12.4% support). Yee trailed in single digits with 7.4% support. The poll had a 4.47% margin for error.
In a statement to AZ Free News, Data Orbital President George Khalaf said, “Congressman Andy Biggs has a commanding lead over potential opponents Karrin Taylor Robson and Treasurer Kimberly Yee, bolstered by his extensive history of earned media and established public leadership. His support is particularly robust among self-identified strong conservatives, capturing 45% of this key demographic.”
“These voters, who are historically the most reliable participants in primary elections, position Congressman Biggs with a significant early advantage should he choose to formally jump into the race,“ concluded Khalaf.
Conversely, in the demographic of younger voters aged 18-34, Kimberly Yee enjoyed the most support. But among independent voters, arguably the most decisive factor in the 2024 presidential election win for Donald Trump, Biggs captured 23.1% support followed by Taylor Robson at 11.7%.
The poll also showed that 45% of voters remain undecided and would still be up for grabs, demonstrating the possibility of a wide open race.
Full poll available here. Crosstabs available here.
The inauguration of President Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States was the most prominent over-arching news story of the day on Monday. The reactions of Arizona’s elected leaders ranged from joy, excitement, and relief to cautious rapprochement, vehement rejection, petulant accusations, and denial.
Support for Trump by Republican members of Congress and other prominent figures has been consistent in Arizona, while unexpectedly some Democrats have taken a moderate, even conciliatory stance toward the President.
Tucson-area Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani posted from within the Rotunda writing, “Honored to attend the inauguration of our 47th President — Donald J. Trump! And I look forward to working together and delivering for the American people[.] Congratulations, President Trump!”
Honored to attend the inauguration of our 47th President — Donald J. Trump! And I look forward to working together and delivering for the American people 🇺🇸
In a subsequent ‘selfie’ with Trump, Ciscomani quoted the President’s inaugural address writing, “’In America, the impossible is what we do best.’ —President Donald J. Trump [.] Now we get to work fighting for the American Dream!”
“In America, the impossible is what we do best.” —President Donald J. Trump
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09) posted to the social network writing, “It’s a new day in America. Our long nightmare is soon over. 4 yrs of divisiveness, failures, corruption, weakness will be replaced w/ hope, strength, prosperity & American greatness. I look forward to working w/Pres Trump 2 make the future of this great country great, once again.”
Congressman Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) told AZCentral, “As President Trump retakes office, here’s my promise: I’ll work to find common ground when it’s in Arizona’s best interest.” Stanton emphasized that he would remain loyal to the “fundamental freedoms,” of Arizonans.
District 5 Republican Andy Biggs, who announced his exploration of a gubernatorial run on Tuesday, posted “Hail to the Chief,” and told Trump, “Welcome back, Mr. President.”
Freshman Republican Rep. Abe Hamadeh appeared with Trump’s Voice of America Director Designee Kari Lake in a Newsmax spot during the President’s arrival at St. John’s Episcopal Church. He shared video to X writing, “We will pass President Trump’s America First Agenda as quickly as possible.”
Congressman Abe Hamadeh: “We will pass President Trump’s America First Agenda as quickly as possible.” pic.twitter.com/8ZBM3DgUjF
During the inaugural festivities, District 4 Rep. Eli Crane wrote, “We made it. Today is January 20th, and Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as President of the United States. The greatest political comeback of all time. Now the real work begins. Let’s go!”
He added a short panoramic video of the Capital Rotunda’s interior in the lead up to the ceremony adding, “So thankful to all of the Arizonans that put in the work to get to this moment.”
Took a quick selfie video of the rotunda ahead of President Trump's arrival.
So thankful to all of the Arizonans that put in the work to get to this moment. pic.twitter.com/fIOTT8hqHN
Meanwhile Freshman Democrat Rep. Yassamin Ansari ,who took the seat of now-Senator Ruben Gallego, blew off the inauguration, eschewing it for a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day event in Phoenix. Posting to X, Ansari derisively noted the attendance of big tech figures such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, X’s Elon Musk, and Google’s Sundar Pichai: “Nothing to see here… just Donald Trump’s inauguration… front row featuring the richest men on Earth excited to get even richer at the expense of working people.”
Nothing to see here… just Donald Trump's inauguration… front row featuring the richest men on Earth excited to get even richer at the expense of working people.
Follow Democrat Rep. Raúl Grijalva issued a call for his fellow radical leftists to resist Trump writing, “Democrats must stand up to Trump’s worst impulses and grifting tendencies if we are to come away from this a stronger, more prosperous nation.” He also criticized Trump for his recent successful meme-coin launch, calling it a “brazen and unethical money grab.”
President Trump has begun his four years with a grift on the American people by launching a cryptocurrency the night before his inauguration. This is a brazen and unethical money grab that will leave his unsuspecting supporters to pay the tab.
Pointedly, the Arizona Democratic Party (ADP) opted not to mark the inauguration at all with neither a post to social media nor a press release on its website. Rather, the ADP chose to publish a post honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. almost as if in denial that the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as the 47th President of the United States happened.
The 2026 gubernatorial race may be a showdown between a veteran lawmaker known for challenging the D.C. status quo and the Biden administration, and the state’s first Democratic leader in over a decade, Governor Katie Hobbs.
Biggs, a longtime member and former chair of the House Freedom Caucus, has made his mark in Congress as a fiscally conservative hardliner. This was made especially clear during the pandemic, when other Republicans unified with Democrats time and again on increasing spending to offset emergency government mandates which crippled the economy.
Biggs was just one of the only two representatives to vote against the $8 billion for COVID-19 pandemic aid in early March of 2020. The congressman remarked in a public statement at the time that President Donald Trump had requested a fraction of that “bloated” amount ($2 billion) to fund a federal response to the outbreak.
Biggs’ assessment of the political climate at the time — issued exactly a week before Trump declared a national emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic — ultimately proved a wise warning unheeded:
“Throwing money at a potentially serious issue does not alleviate the American people’s concerns. Nor does politicizing the issue to score points for future elections,” said Biggs. “Congressional Republicans and Democrats should join the White House to calmly, wisely, and pro-actively communicate a unified response to their constituents. We must rise to the occasion and do what is best for this situation – as well as for future generations.”
Biggs was also one of only a few dozen who voted against the $15 billion Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed days later.
In all, the federal government spent $4.6 trillion on COVID-19.
Biggs would continue to oppose efforts to mitigate unchecked spending. In 2023, Biggs fought against Congress’ plan to raise the debt ceiling.
Biggs’ other key votes included his opposition to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022, in large part on the basis of since-removed provisions requiring women to register for the draft.
The congressman has consistently supported legislation to close and prioritize the U.S. border over aid to foreign countries’ military efforts. Consistent with his dedication to securing American interests first, Biggs has consistently voted against the billions in funding afforded to Ukraine under the Biden administration.
In 2021, that first year of the border crisis, Biggs sponsored a resolution to impeach then-Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. In subsequent years, Biggs signed onto several efforts to impeach former President Joe Biden as well as former Attorney General Merrick Garland.
During his eight years in Congress, Biggs has sponsored over 900 bills and cosponsored nearly 1,300 bills.
Only one of Biggs’ bills has passed Congress, made it to the president’s desk, and became law: HR 4983, designating the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Gilbert as the Staff Sergeant Alexander W. Conrad Veterans Affairs Health Clinic.
35 of Biggs’ cosponsored bills made it to the president’s desk. Three were vetoed, and 32 became law.
This session, Biggs has introduced over 80 proposed bills on a wide scope of red-meat Republican issues to strengthen and enforce immigration laws, modify individual health coverage requirements, restrict executive national emergency authority, prohibit vaccine and mask mandates, roll back foreign intelligence surveillance, require greater performance measures from various agencies, tie congressional salaries to budgeting agreements, pull back on various agencies’ spending or authority, abolish certain agencies, expand veteran care options, undo spying on Americans, simplify congressional bills, eliminate DEI funding in federal government, expand oil and gas production, ban abortion, and establish school choice, to name a few.
Biggs currently sits on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Committee on the Judiciary.
Other declared Republicans who filed statements of interest: Christopher Ames, Scott Neely, and George Nicholson. One declared Libertarian, Barry Hess, filed a statement of interest.
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