THATCHER — U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., was in Graham County on Monday, sharing his vision for the state if he were to be elected governor in 2026.
Biggs was the featured speaker at the Graham County Republican Committee’s annual Lincoln Day Luncheon, at the Activity Center on the Thatcher campus of Eastern Arizona College.
Biggs said he has three core issues on which he’s running for governor — securing the border, supporting school choice for parents, and reducing taxes.
“I love the Laffer curve; I believe in it,” Biggs said. “If you lower the taxes, you’re going to see economic stimulus. You’ll actually get more revenue that way.”
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central
He added that the state Legislature is “doing good things” at the moment, but that state currently has “a governor who says no.”
“Congress has to try to keep pace with the President of the United States,” he said.
Biggs added that he sees the country as experiencing a cultural shift, and he’s running on an America First agenda.
“Because of the type of leader that we have, we’re seeing the culture itself respond,” he said.
He said that President Trump has been doing a good job thus far, and now it’s time for Congress to act in support.
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central
The other speaker at Monday’s luncheon was Gina Swoboda, the chair of the Arizona Republican Party.
“There’s this weird combination of emotions where I’m horrified and upset but I’m so overjoyed that now we know where it’s going and it’s going to stop,” Swoboda said. “So I’m thankful to God, in this weird way of describing it, for the pain that we went through for the four years where we didn’t have Trump so that we could have him now.”
She also described Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs as “a very bad combination of not particularly bright, but incredibly Marxist and thinks she knows everything,” and Democratic Secretary of State Adrian Fontes as “dangerous” because “he’s very charismatic.”
The program also featured Graham County Republican Committee Chair Marianne Clonts presenting the Partiot Award to four people — volunteers Terri Laughlin and Jim Norton, and Trump Train organizers Michelle Wilson and Kelly Eller.
And the musical group The Jets — who are in the Gila Valley to perform at EAC on Monday night — performed two short songs acapella.
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central
