Arizona Republican to run for governor, vacating House seat

Rep. Dave Schweikert (R-Ariz.) is launching a bid to be his state’s governor, which will open up his House seat.

“Arizona is at a crossroads that will be decided by the outcome of next year’s race for governor,” Schweikert said in a statement provided to The Hill on Tuesday. “Arizonans will have the opportunity to decide if our future is one of economic growth and prosperity for all Arizonans, or a future where we become another California.”

“I’ve spent my career fighting for conservative pro-growth policies that strengthen the economy, promote job growth, and protect taxpayers, and that’s exactly what I intend to do as Arizona’s next governor,” he added.

The 2026 race for Schweikert’s House seat is currently considered a “toss up” by The Cook Political Report. The Arizona Republican also faced a tough race for his House seat last year, beating a Democratic opponent by 3.8 percentage points, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Other Republican candidates in the race for the Grand Canyon State’s gubernatorial seat include businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson and Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.).

Arizona also has been a key swing state in recent elections, with both former President Biden and President Trump picking it up in the last two presidential elections.

Former Pima County, Ariz., supervisor Adelita Grijalva (D) also recently won a special election for her late father’s House seat.

Filip Timotija contributed to this report.