Arizona Governor 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them
Katie Hobbs (Democrat), Andy Biggs (Republican), Risa Lombardo (Green) and Teri Hourihan (No Labels) are the candidates for governor of Arizona in the November 3, 2026 general election. Katie Hobbs is the incumbent. Semblen has analyzed 15 ads in this race; 11 used at least one manipulation technique, most often appeal to fear and name calling.
Katie Hobbs (DEM, incumbent), Andy Biggs (REP), Risa Lombardo (GRE), Teri Hourihan (NLP).
On the ballot as listed by Ballotpedia. 15 ads analyzed, 11 with at least one technique in the copy.
Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing. Updated 2026-10-08.
10 of 14 (71%) flagged · Appeal to Fear (6), Name Calling (5), Loaded Language (4)
YouTube
1 of 1 flagged · Appeal to Fear (1), Appeal to Prejudice (1), Exaggeration/Hyperbole (1)
Reported Meta spend
$9,600–35,847 on all ads, $9,200–27,725 on flagged ads · Meta reports ranges; these are the sums of their ends
Example
“a safer Arizona” — Appeal to Fear, paid for by TURNING POINT PAC INC.
· the flagged ad with the highest reported spend that shows the most common technique
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Leaving out the softer ones (loaded language, glittering generalities, slogans, exaggeration, repetition): 67% of ads.
The words doing the work
The words that show up most in phrases our model flagged as loaded language or name calling in this race's ads, by number of ads.
MAGAin 3 ads· e.g. “MAGA Republicans”, “MAGA allies”
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Money in this race
Candidates for governor report their fundraising to Arizona's state campaign-finance office, not the FEC. This page doesn't cover those reports yet, so it shows no money figures.
The ads
15 ads, newest first. Video transcripts are shown as the model read them, without caption cues like [music].
Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-10-0725 variantsspend $0–2,4750–2,475 impressions
Polls show Katie Hobbs and Andy Biggs neck and neck, and the winner will help oversee Arizona's 2028 presidential election.
That's why Trump and MAGA groups are going all in for Biggs. They're flooding the airwaves with attack ads on Katie, hoping voters mail their ballots before they ever hear the truth about Andy Biggs.
But in Arizona, the race won't be decided on Election Day. Nearly 80% of Arizonans vote early by mail, and October 27 is the recommended last day to mail a ballot.
Our Early Vote Fund pays for the door knocks, calls, and texts that reach those voters before their ballots are in. Our goal: $80,000 by October 27.
Arizona could decide 2028. The early vote decides Arizona.
Chip in $10, $15, or whatever you can to our Early Vote Fund today.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Living United for Change in Arizonafrom 2026-10-07 to 2026-10-08spend $0–996,000–6,999 impressions
Katie Hobbs is delivering for working families fighting to lower costs, creating good jobs, and shaping a stronger Arizona. Re-elect Katie for governor.
Glittering Generalities: Vague, emotionally positive phrases are used without specific policy details or evidence — for example: 'delivering for working families', 'good jobs', 'stronger Arizona'
Bandwagon Appeal: The imperative 're-elect' implies broad popular support and encourages conformity with an assumed consensus — for example: 'Re-elect Katie for governor'
Glittering Generalities
Bandwagon Appeal
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-10-0726 variantsspend $0–2,574200–4,374 impressions
🚨 Arizona is voting RIGHT NOW.
If Andy Biggs wins, an election denier will run a key swing state heading into 2028.
MAGA Republicans are spending millions on attack ads against Katie so voters never hear that.
Nearly 80% of Arizonans vote early, so every ballot mailed before voters know the truth is one we can't get back. Chip in now to get the truth to Arizona voters before it’s too late.
Name Calling: The label 'election denier' is used as a derogatory political label to discredit Andy Biggs rather than engage with his policy positions — for example: 'election denier'
Appeal to Fear: The sentence implies a threatening consequence — a discredited figure controlling a key swing state ahead of a major election — designed to create anxiety about the outcome — for example: 'an election denier will run a key swing state heading into 2028'
Name Calling
Appeal to Fear
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
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Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-10-0723 variantsspend $0–2,2771,300–6,877 impressions
If Andy Biggs wins Arizona’s governor's race, an election denier will help oversee a swing state’s 2028 presidential election.
And nearly 80% of Arizonans will vote before Election Day.
Our Early Vote Fund pays for the doors, calls, and texts that reach them before October 27, the recommended last day to mail a ballot.
Help us hit $80K for the 80%. Chip in now to the Early Vote Fund.
Loaded Language: The term 'election denier' is a politically charged label used to frame the subject negatively rather than describe his position neutrally — for example: election denier
Appeal to Fear: The sentence implies a threatening consequence — an 'election denier' overseeing a presidential swing state election — designed to create anxiety about electoral integrity — for example: an election denier will help oversee a swing state's 2028 presidential election
Loaded Language
Appeal to Fear
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-10-0727 variantsspend $0–2,673400–6,273 impressions
🚨 Voting has already started in Arizona — but MAGA Republicans will not stop until the last ballot is cast. We can’t afford to let up until then either.
Donald Trump is going all in for election-denier Andy Biggs. Outside MAGA groups are pouring money into Arizona to reach voters before we do.
Katie Hobbs won her last race by just 17,117 votes. This one will be just as close. We need every early voter to hear from us before they mail their ballots, and that means we need to raise a lot from grassroots donors right now.
We’re rushing resources to reach voters across Arizona, but we can’t do it without you. Will you donate $10 right now?
Name Calling: The label 'MAGA Republicans' is used as a derogatory political tag to frame the opposing group as a threat rather than addressing any specific argument — for example: MAGA Republicans
False Urgency: The emoji alarm and phrase 'can't afford to let up' create artificial time pressure to prevent deliberation and push immediate action — for example: We can't afford to let up until then either
Appeal to Fear: The framing implies that if the reader does not act, the opposing side ('MAGA Republicans') will succeed in some harmful outcome, creating anxiety to compel action — for example: MAGA Republicans will not stop until the last ballot is cast
Name Calling
False Urgency
Appeal to Fear
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-10-0725 variantsspend $0–2,475500–6,975 impressions
🐾 paws for a second – katie needs your help!
harley hobbs here. i’ve been sitting next to my mom at her desk, and she keeps talking about the importance of this “election day” that’s coming up in a few weeks.
i’m not exactly sure what that means, but here’s what i know for certain: my mom is working every single day to build an arizona where every human – and furry friend – has a chance to succeed.
while katie is busy fighting for arizonians and against andy biggs’ paw-ful agenda, i have a question for you: will you throw us a bone and chip in $10 to support katie today?
- harley, arizona’s FURst dog
Name Calling: The phrase 'paw-ful agenda' is a derogatory label used to mock and discredit Andy Biggs rather than engage with his actual positions — for example: paw-ful agenda
Name Calling
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-10-0724 variantsspend $0–2,376300–5,076 impressions
An election denier could help run Arizona's 2028 election, and nearly 80% of voters will decide it before Election Day.
Our Early Vote Fund reaches them first. Chip in now ➡️
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-10-0727 variantsspend $0–2,673300–5,373 impressions
🚨 Voting is now underway in Arizona — and with the 2028 election on the line, there’s no margin of error in our fundraising efforts.
If Andy Biggs becomes governor, he’ll help sign off on Arizona’s presidential results in 2028 — the same Andy Biggs who led the effort in Congress to throw out Arizona’s 2020 votes and contributed to the violent January 6th insurrection.
That’s exactly why Trump and his MAGA allies are working overtime to put their puppet behind the governor’s desk.
Our job is to make sure Arizona voters know what’s at stake before they cast their vote. And with nearly 80% of Arizonans voting early, we have to act NOW.
We’re rushing resources to reach voters while ballots are still in hand. Will you donate $10 or anything you can right now to reach and turn out voters before it’s too late?
Appeal to Fear: The sentence warns of a future threat to electoral integrity by linking Biggs's potential governorship to his past actions, creating anxiety about what he might do in 2028 — for example: 'he'll help sign off on Arizona's presidential results in 2028'
Loaded Language: The phrase 'violent January 6th insurrection' uses emotionally charged language to characterize events and Biggs's role in a way designed to trigger a strong negative reaction — for example: 'violent January 6th insurrection'
Name Calling: The term 'MAGA allies' is used as a derogatory label to discredit the group rather than address their arguments — for example: MAGA allies
Conspiracy Appeal: The phrase implies a hidden, coordinated scheme by Trump and allies to install a controlled figure in office, suggesting sinister behind-the-scenes manipulation — for example: working overtime to put their puppet behind the governor's desk
Appeal to Fear
Loaded Language
Name Calling
Conspiracy Appeal
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-10-0734 variantsspend $0–3,3661,500–9,766 impressions
hey, it’s harley hobbs. you may know my mom, governor katie hobbs.
katie and her pal, john giles, have been busier than ever lately – going all over arizona, talking with humans from every walk of life, and making sure andy biggs and his paw-ful agenda stay far away from the governor’s office.
seeing how hard she works, i wanted to be the best furry friend i could and help her out. so i’m asking: will you chip in a few bucks to support my mom’s campaign?
thanks fur having katie’s back!
Loaded Language: The phrase 'paw-ful agenda' is a loaded, derogatory characterization of Andy Biggs's political platform, designed to trigger a negative emotional reaction rather than describe it factually — for example: 'paw-ful agenda'
Loaded Language
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Glittering Generalities: The phrase uses vague, emotionally positive words ('healthy', 'educated') that sound noble but carry no specific policy meaning — for example: 'Make Arizona healthy and educated again'
False Urgency: The exclamatory imperative framing implies an urgent need to restore a lost state, pressuring action without deliberation — for example: 'Make Arizona healthy and educated again!'
Flag-Waving: Patriotic, religious, or in-group identity invoked to validate a position.
Slogans: Catchy phrase used to compress a complex position into an emotionally loaded shorthand.
Glittering Generalities
False Urgency
Flag-Waving
Slogans
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-10-058 variantsspend $0–792800–7,992 impressions
Katie Hobbs here. Will you stop scrolling for just one second?
The future of Arizona is on the line and I need your help to beat MAGA extremist Andy Biggs this November. Will you chip in $10 or whatever you can today?
Appeal to Fear: The phrase 'future of Arizona is on the line' implies dire consequences if action is not taken, creating anxiety to motivate a response — for example: 'The future of Arizona is on the line'
Name Calling: The label 'MAGA extremist' is used to discredit Andy Biggs rather than address his policy positions — for example: MAGA extremist Andy Biggs.
Loaded Language: The term 'extremist' is emotionally charged and designed to trigger a negative reaction toward the named individual — for example: MAGA extremist.
Appeal to Fear
Name Calling
Loaded Language
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Paid for by Andy Biggs for Arizona Governorvideo · 1:33from 2026-10-02
What is your opening statement? Governor Hobbs. Opening statements, Congressman Biggs.
Thank you. My fellow Arizonans, what a great state we live in. It is the greatest state in the union, in the greatest country in the history of the world.
That's Arizona. At least it should be the greatest. Under Katie Hobbs, we've gone from one of the most affordable states to one of the least affordable states.
We've gone from actually creating jobs to losing over 100,000 jobs last year in this state. And I will tell you this, a Biggs-Karr administration will make Arizona affordable again, make our housing affordable again. We're going to enforce our laws and make Arizona safe again.
And we're also going to enforce the border to make sure that we stop the scourge of fentanyl coming into our state. And we're also going to make sure that our education is tops in the country, that we are producing people who, if they choose to go to college, they're going to come in ready to go to college and not have to remediate. We're going to make sure that we have people who, if they want to go to a trade or a get certificated, so they can be a welder, a framer, we're going to make sure they get that opportunity, because Arizona has always been the land of creators, uh entrepreneurs, opportunists, idealists.
We've always been that leader. And we will once again be the leader under Andy Biggs and Sine Kerr.
Appeal to Prejudice: The phrase 'My fellow Arizonans' invokes in-group identity to create a sense of shared belonging and loyalty — for example: My fellow Arizonans
Glittering Generalities: Vague emotionally positive language about the state with no substantive content — for example: what a great state we live in and greatest country in the history of the world.
Exaggeration/Hyperbole: Absolute superlatives used to describe the state and country without any evidentiary basis — for example: the greatest state in the union, in the greatest country in the history of the world
Repetition: The phrase 'affordable again' is repeated twice in quick succession to reinforce the slogan through familiarity — for example: make Arizona affordable again, make our housing affordable again
Appeal to Fear: The implicit suggestion that Arizona is currently unsafe creates anxiety intended to drive support for the candidate — for example: make Arizona safe again
Loaded Language: The word 'scourge' is emotionally charged, framing fentanyl as a plague-like evil to provoke fear and urgency — for example: 'stop the scourge of fentanyl'
Appeal to Prejudice
Glittering Generalities
Exaggeration/Hyperbole
Repetition
Appeal to Fear
Loaded Language
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
Watch on YouTube ↗Transcript above is auto-generated; the analysis is of the spoken words.
Paid for by Elect Katie Hobbsfrom 2026-09-2915 variantsspend $0–1,4851,600–8,785 impressions
Arizona is one of the most important battlegrounds in the country — and right now, my race for governor is tied within a single point.
I'm Katie Hobbs. My opponent, Andy Biggs, tried to block the certification of the 2020 election and played a role in the lead-up to January 6th. If he wins, Arizona could hand a Trump ally control of a state that will shape 2028.
Help me hold this seat. Chip in $5 today.
no techniques found
Looks up the ad's factual claims in fact-checkers, primary sources and wire reporting. Takes up to a minute.
An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it ran mostly in AZ and names a nominee for governor — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office (a U.S. Senate or House campaign included), or it also names AZ's Senate nominees, in which case it is on the Senate race's page. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
The candidates are the ones certified for the November ballot, from the source linked at the top. Governors are state offices, so there are no FEC filings behind this page: no money figures, and outside groups are placed on a side only when they are a campaign or a party committee.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific manipulative move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. The check runs once and its result is shown to everyone afterwards. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
Claim verdicts say what the cited sources say. A verdict that an ad is wrong or misleading is shown only when it cites an established fact-checker or an institutional record — Congress, a federal agency, a court — and its confidence is not low; a weaker one is not shown at all. Each verdict shows what it rests on and how confident it is. If we got one wrong, press Disagree: a verdict that readers dispute and no one defends comes down.
Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.
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