Republican candidate in Arizona says gubernatorial race is tied, despite 3-to-1 fundraising disadvantage

Republican congressman Andy Biggs, candidate for governor of Arizona, told Fox Business that the race against Democratic governor Katie Hobbs is in a "technical draw" ("dead heat"), even though he was outperformed in fundraising by a ratio of more than 3 to 1. According to him, internal polls from both campaigns point to the same scenario.

The race is one of about a dozen gubernatorial races classified as swing or leaning slightly toward one side, according to Fox News power rankings cited in the transcript. In Arizona, the assessment is slightly Democratic.

Biggs said he is confident because, he says, more than 60% of the state's voters say they don't like the direction Arizona has gone. "Logic says they will vote for me", declared the candidate, who said he was "neck and neck" with his rival.

Outside money and vulnerability

Regarding Hobbs' financial advantage, Biggs attributed it to the vulnerability of the governor, who he described as the most exposed among the incumbent governors. According to the candidate, about $40 million to $50 million that came into her campaign came from out of state, from national Democrats.

For Biggs, the fact that this money has not been directed to contested districts elsewhere in Arizona indicates that Democrats need to sustain it in this race. In his reading, this shows that the party sees the same balance as the Republican campaign.

Economy, housing and water

The candidate pointed to the economy and cost of living as the main issue for voters. According to him, Arizona was one of the most affordable states in the country when Hobbs took office and today it is among the least affordable. Biggs said the median home price rose about 8% nationwide during that period, compared to about 25% in Arizona, and promised to bring down prices and "fix housing." The numbers are candidate statements and have not been verified on the transcript.

Still according to Biggs, water is the second relevant topic, an area in which, in his opinion, the governor made a serious mistake. He also cited ethics and transparency, and said that Hobbs remains under criminal investigation for alleged pay-to-play schemes, with a new accusation arising the previous weekend. These are allegations made by the candidate.

The presenter also raised the issue of immigration, citing President Donald Trump's criticism of the governor. Biggs said Hobbs vetoed a bill that would have required cooperation from local jurisdictions with federal law enforcement, tore down border barriers and disbanded the state's border security task force. According to him, the border is the third most relevant issue for the electorate and should drive "angry voters" to the polls.

What to watch out for

In the final part, the conversation moved to Alaska, where, according to the presenter, the New York Times reported that the campaign of the Democratic candidate for Senate, Mary Peltola, helped to enable the entry of a second candidate called Dan Sullivan in ranked choice voting. Biggs called the episode a "dirty trick" and potentially criminal, and said the Justice Department is investigating the case. The presenter added that the state of Alaska is also investigating the situation.

For the investor, the central point is that tight state disputes, with an agenda on the cost of living, housing and borders, help define the political and fiscal environment in the coming years. The transcript does not include market projections, and Biggs' statements about internal research and housing prices have not been confirmed by independent sources.

Automatically translated from Portuguese.