Latest news with #TaylorRobson
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Karrin Taylor Robson just wasted millions to annoy Arizona voters
Approach your TV with caution, Arizona. The first campaign ads of the 2026 election season are out. With just 462 days until the Republican primary election, Karrin Taylor Robson is hitting the airwaves, explaining the many reasons why she should be the Republican nominee for governor. Cue the ad: 'Conservative businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson is running for governor, and she has President Trump's complete and total endorsement.' She may as well be piling her millions into a firepit and lighting a match. This is a mistake on two levels. No. 1. Nobody cares. Arizona's primary election is one year, three months and six days away. Most voters are too busy lamenting the state of their retirement accounts or taking out a loan to buy groceries to be focused on the Aug. 4, 2026, primary. And that's before Trump's tariffs hit our wallets. The inescapable candidate assault on our eyeballs and ear canals — and yes, at times to our intelligence — will come soon enough. But it shouldn't come fully 15 months before the election. If any voter remembers this ad, it's most likely going to be with irritation that she kicked off what already seems like an endless campaign season far, far too early. Not sure that's the kind of name ID any candidate should want. No. 2. Robson is repeating her error of the 2022 gubernatorial run, when she paraded as an America First candidate. But that lane was already taken, as Kari Lake marched forth to Donald Trump's tune. Now, four years and many bruises later, in a 30-second ad in which Trump is pictured or mentioned eight times, Taylor Robson is telling us that she has Trump's 'complete and total endorsement.' The problem is that U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, a darling of the MAGA crowd, also has Trump's 'complete and total endorsement.' Opinion: Biggs' take on Trump's first 100 days is delusional The other problem? Just four years ago, Trump's endorsed slate of statewide candidates got their heads handed to them in November, when all voters went to the polls. The other, other problem? Taylor Robson correctly diagnosed the dilemma in a 2022 post-election interview when Fox 10's John Hook asked her if she thought Trump was a drag on the Republican Party. 'I do,' she replied. 'Somebody said, and I like the analogy, there's fashion do's and fashion don'ts. Trump used to be a fashion do. Now overnight, he's become a fashion don't.' What? She doesn't think that clip will figure prominently in Biggs' campaign to portray her RINO traitor? Not everyone thinks Taylor Robson is making a tactical error by going full-on MAGA — again, that is. 'By vigorously attacking Andy ... she could make him a lot less attractive to portions of that audience,' longtime GOP strategist Chuck Coughlin said. 'Andy has never run a statewide campaign, and his name ID reflects that. 'We shouldn't make the mistake of assuming MAGA world writ large knows him as we think we do.' Republicans also shouldn't make the mistake of repeating 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2024, though Democrats would certainly love it if they do. Opinion: Taylor Robson says Trump is saving the economy (with a straight face) I understand why Taylor Robson wants to attach herself to Trump's hip. His endorsement has long been the golden ticket in Republican primaries in Arizona. But it's also why Arizona now has two Democratic senators and a Democratic governor. Someday, the pendulum is going to swing, and traditional conservatives within the once-Grand Old Party are going to grow a spine. Robson is — or used to be — one, in the vein of John McCain and Doug Ducey. The kind who ruled the state for decades, until Trump opened the door for Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego and Katie Hobbs. Just as in 2022, Taylor Robson is not going to get the ultra-right, populist vote. Her best hope is to offer a more traditional Republican view and hope that Trump's already flagging approval ratings continue to drop. Though, hopefully, without taking the entire economy down with him. Taylor Robson is no fringe candidate. She ought to quit acting like one. Reach Roberts at Follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @LaurieRobertsaz, on Threads at @LaurieRobertsaz and on BlueSky at @ Like this column? Get more opinions straight into your email inbox by signing up for our free opinions newsletter. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 2026 election prediction: Trump-filled AZ ad will backfire | Opinion
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
2026 Election: Karrin Taylor Robson launches 2nd run for Arizona governor
The Brief Karrin Taylor Robson has announced a run for Arizona governor in 2026. She ran for the Republican Party gubernatorial nomination in 2022, but lost to Kari Lake. PHOENIX - Another Republican has joined the race to be Arizona's next governor. In a post made on X on Feb. 12, Karrin Taylor Robson announced another run for Arizona's highest office. "I am running for Governor so we can defeat radical Katie Hobbs, support President [Donald Trump], lock down the border, and create jobs for Arizona," read a portion of the post, with Robson adding a mention for Trump's X account in the post. Taylor Robson is the second Republican to join the 2026 gubernatorial race. Dig deeper On Jan. 22, we reported that Congressman Andy Biggs filed what is known as a "Statement of Interest" for the governorship. "Arizona has a bright future but will need strong leadership to reach its full potential," a portion of the statement read. "I look forward to conversing with my fellow Arizonans as I consider this weighty decision." On Feb. 6, Rep. Biggs posted a formal announcement of a gubernatorial run on his X account, and asking people to sign his ballot petition. This marks the second time that Taylor Robson has mounted a run for a statewide office. The backstory According to the 2022 official primary election canvass, Taylor Robson is one of five named candidates on that year's Republican Party gubernatorial primary. There were three other write-in candidates listed as Republicans in that election, but all of them received less than 50 votes each. Robson, a lawyer for housing developers, spent millions from her family's vast fortune on her ultimately unsuccessful campaign for governor. She racked up endorsements from prominent establishment Republicans, including then-Gov. Doug Ducey and former Vice President Mike Pence, but lost to Kari Lake. As for Lake, she lost the race to Democrat Katie Hobbs. That election was Lake's first attempt at public office: she ran for the Senate seat that was being vacated by Kyrsten Sinema in 2024, and lost that race to Democrat Ruben Gallego. Democrats Respond Arizona Democratic Party Chairman Robert E. Branscomb II responded to the news, saying, in full: "Wealthy lobbyist and corporate developer Karrin Taylor Robson is more concerned about earning Trump's support than doing what's right for Arizona. Taylor Robson is in for a long, nasty primary fight that will force her to double down on her already extreme positions like criminalizing doctors who perform abortions and gutting funding for Arizona's public schools. Meanwhile, Gov. Hobbs is forgiving medical debt and welcoming hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs to Arizona– things that are actually helping working people. Under my leadership, the Arizona Democratic Party will do everything possible to support Governor Hobbs and her work to move Arizona forward." Arizona voters will decide on a number of races in 2026. Big picture view On a statewide level, elections will be held for the governorship, along with the Secretary of State, State Attorney General, State Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and State Mine Inspector. Of the incumbents in each statewide office, only State Treasurer Kimberly Yee is ineligible for reelection due to the state's limit of two consecutive terms. New in this election will be the position of lieutenant governor, which will be elected with the governor on a joint ticket. The post was established after voters approved Proposition 131 in 2022. Voters in each of Arizona's 30 state legislative districts will also select two state representatives and one state senator. Arizona voters will also decide on who will be their next representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 2027 to 2029, as all members of the U.S. House serve two-year terms, and are elected at the same time. Unlike recent elections, however, there will be no races for the U.S. Senate in Arizona, because none of the state's two Senators are at the end of their term by that time. The next U.S. Senate election in Arizona will take place in 2028, when the seat currently held by Democrat Mark Kelly will be up for election.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Karrin Taylor Robson launches run for Arizona governor, touting Trump's backing
Republican businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson announced Wednesday that she is running for governor in Arizona, touting support from President Donald Trump in the race. 'I thank President Trump for his strong endorsement and look forward to working with him to secure our border and make Arizona safe again,' Taylor Robson said in a statement announcing her run, which made repeated mention of the president. 'Katie Hobbs has made it harder to live, work, and raise a family safely in this state,' she added, referring to the state's Democratic governor, who is up for re-election next year. 'Like President Trump, I know how to create jobs. And like President Trump, I will not rest until our border is secure and Arizona families are safe.' Taylor Robson's press release pointed to Trump's comments at a Turning Point Action event in Arizona in December as evidence that she has Trump's backing in the race. 'Are you running for governor? I think so, Karrin. Because if you do, you're gonna have my support, okay? You're going to have my support,' Trump said at the time. Taylor Robson ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2022, losing the GOP primary to Trump's preferred candidate at that time, former newscaster Kari Lake. Lake went on to lose a close race to Hobbs, after which she made unfounded claims about voter fraud. Lake then lost a Senate run by a wider margin in 2024, even as Trump carried the battleground state by 5.5 percentage points. Although she is touting Trump's support this time around, Taylor Robson may not have the primary to herself. Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, the former chairman of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus and a longtime vocal Trump backer, is also weighing a run. When asked at the Capitol last month if he would be able to secure Trump's endorsement, given the president's comments about Taylor Robson, Biggs told reporters, 'That would be up to him entirely, obviously. I mean, I like to think we have a good relationship. But I think that the MAGA people in Arizona will support me. We'll find out.' The Arizona governor's race is expected to be one of the most competitive in the country. Hobbs won her first term in 2022 by less than 1 percentage point, and Trump's 2024 win in Arizona came after narrowly losing the state in 2020. This article was originally published on
NBC News
12-02-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
Karrin Taylor Robson launches run for Arizona governor, touting Trump's backing
Republican businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson announced Wednesday that she is running for governor in Arizona, touting support from President Donald Trump in the race. 'I thank President Trump for his strong endorsement and look forward to working with him to secure our border and make Arizona safe again,' Taylor Robson said in a statement announcing her run, which made repeated mention of the president. 'Katie Hobbs has made it harder to live, work, and raise a family safely in this state,' she added, referring to the state's Democratic governor, who is up for re-election next year. 'Like President Trump, I know how to create jobs. And like President Trump, I will not rest until our border is secure and Arizona families are safe.' Taylor Robson's press release pointed to Trump's comments at a Turning Point Action event in Arizona in December as evidence that she has Trump's backing in the race. 'Are you running for governor? I think so, Karrin. Because if you do, you're gonna have my support, okay? You're going to have my support,' Trump said at the time. Taylor Robson ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2022, losing the GOP primary to Trump's preferred candidate at that time, former newscaster Kari Lake. Lake went on to lose a close race to Hobbs, after which she made unfounded claims about voter fraud. Lake then lost a Senate run by a wider margin in 2024, even as Trump carried the battleground state by 5.5 percentage points. Although she is touting Trump's support this time around, Taylor Robson may not have the primary to herself. Republican Rep. Andy Biggs, the former chairman of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus and a longtime vocal Trump backer, is also weighing a run. When asked at the Capitol last month if he would be able to secure Trump's endorsement, given the president's comments about Taylor Robson, Biggs told reporters, 'That would be up to him entirely, obviously. I mean, I like to think we have a good relationship. But I think that the MAGA people in Arizona will support me. We'll find out.' The Arizona governor's race is expected to be one of the most competitive in the country. Hobbs won her first term in 2022 by less than 1 percentage point, and Trump's 2024 win in Arizona came after narrowly losing the state in 2020.
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Karrin Taylor Robson announces run for Arizona governor, touting Trump endorsement
Karrin Taylor Robson announces run for Arizona governor, touting Trump endorsement Karrin Taylor Robson is making her long-rumored candidacy official: She is running for Arizona governor next year. In announcing her second bid for the state's top post, the Republican businesswoman on Wednesday highlighted Donald Trump's endorsement, strongly linking herself to the president and his tough-on-the-border policies. 'I thank President Trump for his strong endorsement and look forward to working with him to secure our border and make Arizona safe again,' Taylor Robson said in a prepared statement. She mentioned Trump's name no less than seven times in her five-paragraph announcement. She made it clear she has her sights set on the November 2026 election, when she hopes to unseat Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. 'Katie Hobbs has made it harder to live, work, and raise a family safely in this state. Like President Trump, I know how to create jobs," Taylor Robson said in the statement. "And like President Trump, I will not rest until our border is secure and Arizona families are safe.' Trump's immigration policies and Elon Musk draw protesters in Phoenix People march, chant with signs in protest to President Donald Trump's policies in Phoenix on Feb. 5, 2025. (Obscenities on signs were blurred.) Taylor Robson, 60, sought the GOP nomination for governor in 2022 but lost to Kari Lake, who went on to lose by a narrow margin to Hobbs in the general election. In addition to border issues, Taylor Robson said she would focus on economic growth, innovation, and traditional values. A Phoenix native, Taylor Robson founded and is president of Arizona Strategies, a land use firm. Her career has included work on a number of master-planned communities and commercial properties in the state. She was a member of the Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees the state's three public universities, and has served on numerous education-related boards. Most recently, Taylor Robson has flexed her financial muscle in the political realm. She launched Arizona PAC, which poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into legislative campaigns last year, helping Republicans expand their majorities. In the news release, she said she helped raise more than $1 million for Trump campaigns in 2016 and 2020 and actively campaigned for him last year. She also participated in an Arizona roundtable event with then-vice presidential nominee JD Vance. Her announcement made no reference to U.S. Congressman Andy Biggs, who last month announced he would seek the GOP nomination for governor next year. Reach the reporter at or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on social media @maryjpitzl. Support local journalism. Subscribe to today.
