In his first visit to Arizona since his electoral victory in November, President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on the state’s next major election, picking the Republican he wants to challenge Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in two years.
While speaking at Turning Point USA’s Americafest event in Phoenix on Sunday, Trump endorsed Republican Karrin Taylor Robson to be Arizona’s next governor.
“Are you running for governor? I think so Karrin, because if you do, you’re going to have my support, OK?” Trump told the crowd.
The endorsement comes after Trump endorsed Kari Lake over Taylor Robson in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary and after Taylor Robson hosted a fundraiser in 2023 for Republican Chris Christie, one of Trump’s chief critics who ran against him for the GOP presidential nomination.
Both Republicans appear to have buried the hatchet.
“President [Donald Trump] is a president for all Americans,” Taylor Robson wrote on social media. “I am beyond honored to have his support. Thank you Mr. President for everything you do for our country and for the great State of Arizona.”
Taylor Robson, whose father was president of the Arizona Senate in the late 1980s, has not actually said she will run for governor again, though.
She has remained active in politics since 2022, mostly recently leading a political action committee that spent around $1 million helping Republicans increase their majorities at the Arizona Legislature this year.
Taylor Robson did not respond to a request for comment. After the November election, she told KJZZ News that she planned to remain active in Republican politics in Arizona but declined to say if that included another run for public office.
“I can tell you one thing, I’m not going anywhere,” she said.
While speaking at Americafest, Trump also said he wants Arizona Republican Party Chairwoman Gina Swoboda to continue leading the state GOP.
Party members picked Swoboda in January to finish the term of former Chairman Jeff DeWit, who resigned after audio recordings leaked to the media appeared to show him attempting to bribe Lake to drop out of Arizona’s U.S. Senate race. Lake ultimately won the Republican nomination and lost that election Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego.
Outside of Lake’s loss, the Arizona Republicans performed well in the November elections under Swoboda’s leadership, increasing legislative majorities and winning two competitive Congressional seats.
Trump also won the state by over five points after losing to President Joe Biden in 2020.
“Gina, are you going to run again? Because if you do, you have my endorsement, so that should be good,” Trump said.
Swoboda announced she will seek re-election as party chair when Arizona Republicans convene their annual meeting on Jan. 25.
“There is more work to be done and the fight isn’t over,” Swoboda said in a statement.
Republican lawmaker Cory McGarr, who lost his re-election bid in a Tucson-area district, also said he will run for chair at the party’s annual meeting.
Lake appeared to endorse McGarr in the contest.
“Cory is a grassroots legend and he will work tirelessly to achieve true Election Integrity in Arizona,” Lake wrote on social media. “Thanks for getting in this race, [Cory McGarr].
