Arizona Sen. Hobbs Running For Secretary Of State

By Will Stone
Published: Thursday, March 9, 2017 - 5:05am

Secretary of State Michele Reagan will have some competition in her effort to get re-elected next year. Democratic state Sen. Katie Hobbs has announced she’ll run, too.

After years in the Legislature, the Senate minority leader, who represents parts of midtown Phoenix and south Scottsdale, will try to make a jump to statewide office.

Hobbs says she’d like to restore confidence in the state’s elections and push back against what she calls Republican efforts to suppress the vote. She believes Reagan’s office has made some missteps, such as failing to distribute publicity pamphlets ahead of the 2016 special election.

“I think Arizonans wants a choice, and I’m offering them that choice. And I think that she’s vulnerable because of the missteps she’s made in office,” Hobbs said.

It’s possible Hobbs won’t be the only Democrat running. Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton opened a campaign committee to run for the office but hasn’t said definitively whether he’ll run. Hobbs says she will run, either way.