The Arizona Republic: Biggs’ Own Supporters “Don’t Feel the Energy” as His Flailing Campaign Struggles
9/12/26, 2:00 PM
The Arizona Republic spotlighted growing frustration with Andy Biggs’ campaign among Republicans, as he scrambles to close a massive advertising gap with just 26 days until early voting begins.
The Republic noted that Biggs has been outspent “at least 15-to-1 on advertising,” while Republican voters are openly questioning where his campaign has been, and the Republican Governors Association (RGA) has yet to commit any financial support — a stark contrast to four years ago, when the RGA had already committed more than $10 million to boost Kari Lake immediately after the primary.
Pundits and observers statewide have ramped up the criticism of Biggs’ lackluster campaign. Arizona’s Family spotlighted how “Andy Biggs has yet to get off the ground” and that “it doesn’t look good for the Republicans right now,” while 12 News panelists recently described Biggs’ campaign as "floundering," "underwater," and "desperate." Days ago, Biggs’ campaign allies at Turning Point were caught using AI-generated deepfakes to trick Arizonans into thinking he has bipartisan support even as Biggs has built one of the most extreme partisan records in Washington.
Arizonans continue to reject Biggs’ cost-hiking record of tariffs, war, and healthcare cuts that have raised groceries, gas, and premiums to all-time highs.
Read what Arizonans across party lines are saying about Biggs’ struggling campaign:
The Arizona Republic: Biggs campaign hits airwaves, but supporters 'don't feel the energy'
Stacey Barchenger
September 11, 2026
Republican candidate for governor Andy Biggs has launched two new advertisements, including his first on television ahead of November, as his campaign tries to fend off distractions from its own supporters and address frustrations in the GOP base.
The pair of advertisements on television and streaming services is part of Biggs' effort to chip away at incumbent Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs' dominance of the airwaves.
In partnership with the Arizona Republican Party, Biggs' campaign announced Sept. 10 it would spend $1.75 million over the next three weeks to air the new pair of ads, including about half of that on television.
Meanwhile, the incumbent governor has spent over $14 million to get her message to voters on TV and streaming screens since late May, her campaign confirmed. Hobbs had outspent Biggs at least 15-to-1 on advertising across platforms as Biggs' new advertisements began airing, according to two Arizona media buyers who track campaign spending.
Biggs' ad buy is small compared with Hobbs' barrage.
“Is it too little? Yes," said GOP consultant Barrett Marson, who is not affiliated with either campaign. "Is it too late? I don't know."
Biggs has trailed Hobbs in every public general election poll since he won the Republican nomination with 74% of the vote in July. Early voting begins Oct. 7, and Biggs will be on air just after the Labor Day weekend that traditionally signals a ramp-up of campaign energy and more voters tuning in.
To an extent, the spending disparity is a symptom of fundraising. Hobbs, the incumbent, has vastly more money in her coffers and can blanket more media platforms to reach Arizona voters.
Hobbs has raised over $16 million in the last 3 1/2 years, compared to Biggs' $3 million since he began his campaign in January 2025. The Democratic Governors Association has pledged an additional $10 million to help Hobbs win a second term in November. Biggs has courted support from the Republican Governors Association, including during a July trip that made him late to his own primary victory party. Yet it isn't clear if the group will support him financially. A spokesperson for the association did not respond to a request for comment.
“He needs the cavalry to come to the rescue," Marson said.
Hobbs' spokesperson, Michael Beyer, said Biggs was "scrambling to catch up."
"He has to defend his record of siding with a corrupt pedophile cult, backing Washington policies that are raising costs, and pushing a 23 percent tax on everything Arizonans buy, while Katie Hobbs has been talking directly with Arizonans about the issues that matter most: her record of lowering costs for working families, cutting taxes, securing the border, and protecting Arizona's water," Beyer said in a statement.
GOP voters wonder: Where is Biggs?
A presence on television could placate the GOP's most faithful voters, who have recently signaled they didn't like what they were seeing — or rather, not seeing, from Biggs.
"I got to be honest, me personally, I'm like, I don't feel the energy," Garret Lewis, a conservative talk radio host on Phoenix's 550 KFYI, said on his Sept. 9 show.
Those frustrations have put the state GOP on defense, too. Party Chairman Sergio Arellano has twice in the past two months used the party's newsletter to address supporters who aren't seeing enough from Biggs. Arellano did not respond to a request for comment.
"His campaign can't afford to spend money simply preaching to people who already agree with him," Arellano explained on Aug. 23, trying to fend off voter complacency or apathy that could hurt Biggs.
"I know many of you have been concerned that you haven't seen ads," Arellano wrote on Sept. 7.
"We are not ignoring you," he wrote. "We are not taking your vote for granted."
Drew Sexton, a spokesperson for Biggs' campaign, said he could understand voter frustration.
###