Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs 'absolutely thrilled' by VP pick

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Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services

PHOENIX — She won’t get a chance to name the state’s next senator.

And no one from Arizona will be on the ticket.

But Gov. Katie Hobbs pronounced herself “absolutely thrilled’’ Tuesday that Kamala Harris had chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly was a finalist.

“I’ve had the chance to work with him directly on many issues and have seen first-hand his dedication to the American people,’’ Hobbs said of Walz.

And Hobbs said that Walz, given his position, brings something to the table.

“I know the governors know what it takes to deliver for their states,’’ Hobbs said. “And I am confident Gov. Wallz and Vice President Harris will deliver for Arizona.’’

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That still leaves the question of what Walz brings to the ticket.

Kelly could have helped Harris deal with questions about security and immigration coming from a border state. There also are the state’s 11 electoral votes.

And Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who also had been on the potential veep short list, comes from a battleground state with 19 electoral votes.

By contrast, Minnesota is generally considered a more reliable blue state. And it brings only 10 electoral votes to the table of what Harris would need to reach 270.

Hobbs, however, said she sees the pick of Walz through a different lens.

“He is America,’’ she said. “He’s a former high school teacher, a football coach, he’s a hunter, he’s a runner.’’

The governor said she is taking nothing away from those who fell into the also-ran category.

“The vice president had a lot of great people to choose from,’’ Hobbs said. “And it was not an easy choice for her.’’

If Kelly had joined the ticket and Harris won in November, that would have been the first time in U.S. history that a vice president had come from Arizona.

No Arizonan ever has been president, either.

In fact, there has been a joke going around for years that Arizona is the one state where a parent can’t tell a child he or she could grow up to be president, a fact attested to by losses by Barry Goldwater in 1964, Mo Udall in 1976, Bruce Babbitt in 1988 and John McCain two decades later.

A Harris victory with Kelly as her running mate also would have created the opportunity for Hobbs to pick his replacement who would serve until 2026 when he or she would have to run for the balance of the six-year term to which Kelly was first elected.

So, all things taken into account, is she disappointed Kelly won’t be on the ticket?

“Sen. Kelly would have been a great choice,’’ the governor responded.

“I have worked with him a lot to deliver for Arizona,’’ she said. “I know as vice president he would have continued that.’’

But the governor sidestepped a question of whether she believes that failing to choose Kelly undermines Harris’ chances of snagging the popular vote in Arizona?

“Honestly, I think that, again, she had a lot of good choices,’’ Hobbs responded.

“And they’re going to do everything they can to make the case to voters across America, including here in Arizona,’’ she continued. “We’re going to see that first-hand on Friday.’’

That’s the day Harris and Walz are scheduled to stop here after a multi-state tour that began Tuesday in Philadelphia. There also are stops planned in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Detroit; Durham, North Carolina; Savanna, Georgia, before Phoenix and then on to Las Vegas.

As to her own attendance on Friday, the governor said she does not yet know her schedule for that day.

One thing Hobbs did make clear: If Harris and Walz win, she’s not looking for a slot in their administration.

“I’m governor of Arizona, and that’s my plan for the next six years,’’ she said, predicting her own reelection in 2026.

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