By Zachery Schmidt | The Center Square contributor
Karrin Taylor Robson, a candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump, announced Wednesday she is entering the Arizona gubernatorial race in 2026.
In a post on X, the Republican said she is running for governor to defeat “radical” Democratic incumbent Katie Hobbs.
She also said she is running to “lock down” America’s border and “create jobs for Arizona.”
Trump endorsed Taylor Robson in December 2024.
“Are you running for governor?” he said in a campaign video attached to Taylor Robson’s post on X. “I think so, Karrin, because if you do, you’re going to have my support.”
Her campaign website describes her as a “business leader.” In addition, she founded Arizona Strategies, a land-use strategy firm.
Taylor Robson, who was a member of the Arizona Board of Regents from 2017 to 2021, is running for governor a second time. Previously, she ran in 2022 but lost the Republican nomination to Kari Lake, who beat her by almost 20,000 votes in the primary.
Trump threw his support behind Lake in this race.
Taylor Robson spent almost $19 million in 2022 race.
Arizona U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs is thinking of running for governor. However, he has not announced his decision. The Center Square reported he is collecting signatures to be on the Arizona Republican gubernatorial primary ballot next year.
A poll that came out last week showed Hobbs losing to Biggs in a matchup, but the poll also showed the current governor beating Taylor Robson.
Furthermore, this poll showed 63% of Arizonans said they believed the state was on the wrong track.
Currently, the Cook Political Report ranks Arizona’s gubernatorial race in 2026 as a toss up.
