Americans for Prosperity's (AFP)Arizona chapter director Stephen Shadegg shared his 2026 Arizona gubernatorial election predictions with Cactus Politics, suggesting Karrin Taylor Robson (R) is the current frontrunner in the Republicans' challenge to Governor Katie Hobbs (D-AZ).
Shadegg said Robson, Kari Lake's one-time rival in the 2022 Republican primary for Governor, has been drawing MAGA Republicans into her camp.
"She has done a really good job of bringing everybody into the tent, but I think she still has work to do there," said Shadegg.
After all, Shadegg says he views the Republican Party as three groups: "You've got your moderates, then you got your conservatives, and then you got your hard right MAGA."
It looks as if all the Arizona Republican factions are coalescing behind Robson.
Robson had previously discussed running for Governor with Cactus Politics in October after endorsing Lake's run for Senate against Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) but did not give a firm "yes" or "no."
However, she emphasized the "need to strengthen and support" Arizona's law enforcement agencies since "they are under attack. They don't believe anybody has their back. You know there are attempts to eliminate their qualified immunity, so they go out, and every door they knock on or every car they go up to, they run the risk of not going home that night."
However, Shadegg also noted that "Outside of [Robson] on the Republican side, there have been rumors about conservative activist Charlie Kirk."
President-elect Donald Trump has already expressed his support for Robson, so Kirk will most-likely not enter the potential gubernatorial race.
Publisher Javier Manjarres contributed to this article
