Election 2026

2 candidates running to be Independent Party nominee for Arizona governor, but party backing one

Paul Johnson, right, chair of the Arizona Independent Party, endorsing Hugh Lytle, left, last week as the party’s choice for governor despite another candidate in the race.

Courtesy of the Hugh Lytle campaign

PHOENIX — There are two candidates currently running to be the Arizona Independent Party nominee for governor.

But the leaders of the state’s newest political party are openly backing only one of those. And party Chairman Paul Johnson asked one to get out of the race to provide a clear path to Hugh Lytle, the chosen contender, to be the party’s standard bearer in November.

Johnson, however, said there’s absolutely nothing wrong or unfair about it.

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2 candidates running to be Independent Party nominee for Arizona governor, but party backing one

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