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.
Congressmen Eli Crane (R-AZ) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL) have issued a letter directed to the Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan. The letter called upon them both to answer for the prioritization of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training over other considerations by the Coast Guard. The Congressmen are demanding the two address the impact of this prioritized training on the operational readiness of the Guard.
As noted in a press release from Rep. Crane, “USCG has reported that it is about 4,800 members short and has missed its recruiting targets for the past four fiscal years, leading to the decommissioning and shorter lifecycle of USCG ships and increased burden on USCG members.”
The Arizona Congressman further observed, “At the same time, the USCG is carrying out indoctrination training, including Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) inclusivity training, which service members believe to be extraneous to mission-critical tasks.”
In April, the U.S. Naval Institute wrote that the Coast Guard, being 2,500 personnel under recruiting goals, has launched a “comprehensive talent realignment initiative that sought to address personnel shortages,” citing a top personnel officer.
In November 2023, Fagan was forced to acknowledge the then-shortfall of 3,500 recruits as it sidelined 10 Coast Guard Cutters and 29 stations according to Forbes.
The outlet reported, “Three east-coast based Reliance-class cutters, the USCGC Confidence (WMEC-619), the USCGC Dauntless(WMEC-624) and the USCGC Dependable (WMEC-626), will each enter layup in mid 2024, becoming little more than in-reserve ‘parts-barns’ for active, in-service cutters. Add in the March retirement of the Decisive (ex-WMEC-629) with the long-planned retirement of the USCGC Steadfast (WMEC-623) later this year, and the loss of Coast Guard cutter capability becomes quite significant.”
In a post to X, Gaetz explained, “The U.S. Coast Guard is prioritizing indoctrination training over addressing its staffing shortages and military readiness. Today, I sent a letter with @RepEliCrane to DHS @SecMayorkas and USCG Commandant Linda Fagan to demand answers on why the USCG is focusing on training for Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity inclusivity instead of improving manning issues, meeting recruiting goals, and recommissioning ships.”
The U.S. Coast Guard is prioritizing indoctrination training over addressing its staffing shortages and military readiness.
In the text of the letter, Crane and Gaetz tell Mayorkas and Fagan, “We have heard from service members concerned with trainings and events they believe to be extraneous to mission- critical tasks, specifically Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) inclusivity training programs, including the attached examples of official USCG announcements encouraging service member participation in Transgender Shipmates Inclusion Training.”
Among the Congressmen’s inquiries, they are demanding the Coast Guard and DHS answer: “How much of the USCG’s budget has been spent on developing and carrying out SOGI inclusivity trainings and events within the last three fiscal years?” They are also demanding a citation of the statutory authority which DHS and the USCG are using to justify said training and whether these trainings are taking place during work hours or after duty hours. Finally, they ask, “Do USCG personnel who attend SOGI inclusivity training events receive promotion points or recognition?”
The two conclude definitively, “We ask you to end SOGI inclusivity training programs within the USCG and focus on mission-critical operations.”
Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter Gautier suggests low recruitment numbers are a result of "young people not knowing about the Coast Guard."
Eli Crane asks if the real reason is because of “wokeness and drag shows on base." pic.twitter.com/ujd7CuvUFT
As noted by Citizen Free Press, Crane has been questioning the effectiveness of Coast Guard recruiting since at least November 2023 when he challenged Coast Guard Vice Admiral Peter Gautier that the real cause of the decline could be “wokeness and drag shows on base.”
