Local opinion: Who will be Arizona lieutenant governor?

Arizonans will choose a lieutenant governor for the first time this fall, as running mate to whoever is elected governor.

Voters in 2022 passed Proposition 131, amending the state Constitution to create the office, moving it ahead of secretary of state in line of succession. Candidates for governor must name running mates at least 60 days before the general election.

Like U.S. vice president, Arizona’s lieutenant governor has two functions: to succeed the governor should she or he vacate the office; assume duties the governor assigns, such as chief of staff or another post for which the governor has appointment authority.

As is asked when presidential candidates select their running mates, will this help the electability of gubernatorial hopefuls?

No, political pollster Mike Noble told Phoenix NPR affiliate KJZZ in March: "...it’s going to be just like the vice presidential pick, which is a lot of talk, a lot of hubbub. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t actually make an impact."

Yet, voters should care about lieutenant governor because of a history of gubernatorial vacancies. Six of our 24 governors left early, including two who died in office.

Five times, the secretary of state became governor; once, when Gov. Wesley Bolin died in 1978, Attorney General Bruce Babbitt was next in line, because the secretary of state’s office was vacant after Bolin stepped up nearly five months earlier to replace Gov. Raúl Castro, who resigned.

In the last half-century, the odds were near 50-50 that a governor wouldn’t finish her or his term – five of the last 11 departed early — so voters would be wise to know something about the lieutenant governor candidates.

Incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs has not said whom she is considering as running mate in her re-election try. The Arizona Capitol Times reported several possibilities, including Anna Tovar, a former corporation commissioner and former state Senate minority leader. Others mentioned are Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego and Tucson Mayor Regina Romero.

Putting another woman on the ticket could be savvy of Hobbs, especially a Latina in a state with 1.3 million Latinos eligible to vote. (Tovar and Romero are Latina; Gallego is not.) Including Hobbs, Arizona has had five female governors, the most of any state, so a woman first in line would honor tradition dating to 1988 and the state’s first female governor, Rose Mofford.

Republican nominee Andy Biggs said more than 60 people contacted him about being a running mate. Supporters at a rally told the Yellow Sheet Report, a Capitol Times entity, they would back his choice.

“Frustratingly for the Yellow Sheet Report’s prying reporters, one attendee said his wife is very involved in Republican politics and told him whom Biggs selected – but he said he forgot the name,” it also said.

He had not named anyone as of June 22.

Being from Maricopa County, Biggs may seek geographic diversity, a consultant said. Perhaps a rural sheriff? Or someone with similar far-right MAGA bona fides, such as state Sen. Jake Hoffman? Perhaps the late Charlie Kirk’s wife, Erika, CEO of Turning Point USA, the ultra-conservative, white Christian group that endorsed Biggs?

Speculation will accelerate with the primary election done. Hobbs and Biggs should reveal their choices soon, because learning the politics and ideologies of the lieutenant governor candidates will be important for Arizonans’ educating themselves to vote intelligently in the Nov. 3 general election.

Two minor party candidates’ running mate choices could catch attention, although Democrat Hobbs vs. Republican Biggs, plus their running mates, is the featured match.