Katie Hobbs

Katie Hobbs
Born	Kathleen Marie Hobbs 28 12, 1969
Birthplace	Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, social worker
Known for	24th Governor of Arizona
Education	Northern Arizona University (BSW) Arizona State University (MSW)
Children	2
Website	[Official website Official site]

Kathleen Marie Hobbs (born December 28, 1969) is an American politician serving as the 24th governor of Arizona since January 2, 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Hobbs built a career in public service rooted in social work before entering electoral politics. She was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2010, then moved to the Arizona Senate in 2012, where she rose to the position of minority leader in 2015. In 2018, she was elected Secretary of State of Arizona, a role in which she oversaw the state's elections during a period of intense national scrutiny surrounding the 2020 presidential election and its aftermath. Hobbs won the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election, narrowly defeating Republican nominee Kari Lake, and took office on January 2, 2023, succeeding Republican governor Doug Ducey. As governor, she has frequently clashed with the Republican-controlled Arizona Legislature on issues including health care, immigration, taxation, and government ethics, exercising her veto power on numerous occasions. She is one of five Democratic governors serving in states carried by Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election.

Early Life

Kathleen Marie Hobbs was born on December 28, 1969, in Phoenix, Arizona. She was born and raised in Arizona. Details of her childhood and family background beyond her birthplace and state of upbringing are not extensively documented in available public sources. Hobbs grew up in the Phoenix metropolitan area and pursued higher education within the state of Arizona, ultimately building both her professional and political career in the state where she was born.

Education

Hobbs attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW). She subsequently attended Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, earning a Master of Social Work (MSW). Her educational background in social work informed her early career in public service and social advocacy prior to entering politics. The combination of her undergraduate and graduate training equipped her for work in community services and social welfare, areas that would shape her policy priorities throughout her subsequent political career.

Career

Social Work

Before entering politics, Hobbs worked in the field of social work, consistent with her educational background. Her professional experience in social services provided a foundation for her later legislative focus on issues including domestic violence prevention, child welfare, and health care access. Details of her specific social work positions and employers prior to her entry into the Arizona Legislature are documented in limited publicly available sources.

Arizona Legislature (2011–2019)

Arizona House of Representatives

Hobbs was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2010, representing the 15th legislative district. She took office on January 10, 2011, and served one term in the House. During her time in the lower chamber, she established herself as a Democratic voice in a legislature dominated by Republicans.

Arizona Senate

In 2012, Hobbs was elected to the Arizona Senate, representing the 24th district. She began serving in the upper chamber on January 7, 2013, succeeding Don Shooter. In 2015, Hobbs was selected by her Democratic colleagues as minority leader of the Arizona Senate, succeeding Anna Tovar. She held the minority leader position from January 5, 2015, until January 7, 2019, when she was succeeded by David Bradley.

As minority leader, Hobbs served as the chief spokesperson and strategist for the Democratic caucus in the Senate. She led the minority party during a period of Republican supermajorities in both chambers of the Arizona Legislature. Her tenure as minority leader gave her statewide visibility within the Democratic Party and positioned her for her subsequent run for statewide office.

Hobbs served in the Arizona Senate until January 7, 2019, when she departed to assume the office of Secretary of State. Her senate seat in the 24th district was subsequently filled by Lela Alston.

Secretary of State of Arizona (2019–2023)

2018 Election

In March 2017, Hobbs announced her candidacy for Secretary of State of Arizona, seeking to unseat the Republican incumbent, Michele Reagan. Reagan ultimately did not advance past the Republican primary, and Hobbs faced Republican nominee Steve Gaynor in the general election. The race proved to be one of the closest in Arizona's 2018 election cycle.

As ballots continued to be counted in the days following the November 6 election, the margin between Hobbs and Gaynor remained narrow. Hobbs was eventually declared the apparent winner, becoming the first Democrat elected as Arizona Secretary of State since 2006. She took office on January 7, 2019, succeeding Michele Reagan, and served under Governor Doug Ducey.

Administration of Elections and 2020 Aftermath

As Secretary of State, Hobbs served as Arizona's chief elections officer. Her tenure coincided with the 2020 United States presidential election, in which Arizona was one of several closely contested states. The state's electoral votes went to Democratic candidate Joe Biden, making it the first time Arizona had voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1996.

Following the 2020 election, the Arizona Senate, controlled by Republicans, authorized an audit of the Maricopa County election results. The audit, conducted by a firm called Cyber Ninjas, drew national attention and controversy. Hobbs, in her capacity as Secretary of State, was a prominent critic of the audit process. She raised concerns about the security and integrity of the audit methodology, including the handling of ballots and election equipment.

During the audit, claims circulated that Maricopa County election data had been deleted. These claims were characterized as false by multiple fact-checking organizations and by county officials, who stated the data had not been deleted but was stored on a different server. The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, which included a Republican majority, also pushed back against the audit's methods and claims.

Hobbs indicated that the voting machines used in Maricopa County during the audit might not be certifiable for future use due to chain-of-custody concerns, stating that her office might not allow the county to reuse the equipment. The audit became a significant national flashpoint in the broader debate over election integrity and election denial following the 2020 election.

2022 Gubernatorial Election

On June 2, 2021, Hobbs announced her candidacy for Governor of Arizona in the 2022 election. She won the Democratic primary and faced Republican nominee Kari Lake, a former television news anchor, in the general election.

The 2022 gubernatorial race attracted significant national attention. Lake, who had the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, made election integrity and border security central themes of her campaign. Hobbs focused on issues including reproductive rights, public education, and water policy. Hobbs notably declined to participate in a one-on-one debate with Lake during the general election, a decision that drew both criticism and commentary.

Hobbs won the general election, defeating Lake by a narrow margin. Lake contested the results through legal challenges, which were ultimately unsuccessful. Hobbs was inaugurated as the 24th governor of Arizona on January 2, 2023, succeeding Republican Doug Ducey. She became the first Democratic governor of Arizona since Janet Napolitano, who left office in 2009.

Governor of Arizona (2023–present)

Overview

Upon taking office, Hobbs assumed leadership of a state with a Republican-controlled legislature. This dynamic has defined much of her governorship, with frequent vetoes of legislation sent to her desk by the Republican majority. As one of five Democratic governors in states won by Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, Hobbs occupies a politically notable position in national politics.

Legislative Vetoes

Hobbs has exercised her veto power extensively during her tenure. In February 2026, she vetoed nine measures related to benefits and health care, including a bill that would have required Arizona hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status. In her veto letter, Hobbs criticized Republicans for what she described as a failure to understand the "basic functions of Medicaid."

Also in February 2026, Hobbs vetoed a package of Republican-sponsored bills that would have imposed stricter penalties on Arizona's food assistance program. Additionally, a tax conformity bill remained unsigned, prompting Arizona legislative Republicans to urge taxpayers to file their 2025 tax returns despite the absence of the signed legislation.

Ethics Reform

In February 2026, Hobbs unveiled what her office described as the "largest ethics reform package in modern Arizona history." The proposal comprised a comprehensive set of transparency and ethics reforms aimed at state government. The announcement was accompanied by a public dispute between Hobbs and Republican state Senator T.J. Shope, with Hobbs alleging that Shope had received unreported meals and entertainment from lobbyists in connection with government contracts.

2026 State of the State Address

In January 2026, Hobbs delivered her annual State of the State address to the Arizona Legislature. In the address, she outlined her administration's priorities, speaking before legislative leaders including Speaker Montenegro, President Petersen, and minority leaders De Los Santos and Sundareshan, as well as Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and other state officials.

Personal Life

Hobbs has two children. She has resided in Arizona throughout her life, having been born in Phoenix and educated at universities within the state. Additional details about her personal life beyond what has been publicly documented are limited in available sources.

Recognition

Hobbs's role in overseeing Arizona's 2020 election and her defense of election integrity during the subsequent Maricopa County audit brought her significant national media attention. Her 2022 gubernatorial victory, achieved in a state that has historically leaned Republican in statewide races, was covered extensively by national media outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and USA Today. Her position as a Democratic governor in a state carried by Donald Trump in 2024 has continued to draw political analysis and media coverage.