PHOENIX – Gov. Katie Hobbs blamed former President Joe Biden, a fellow Democrat, for what she described as “chaos” at the border while Rep. Andy Biggs emphasized working with tribal nations as the gubernatorial rivals outlined their border security plans.

The remarks at a public safety forum hosted by the Arizona Police Association on Aug. 25 were the latest example of both candidates courting independents rather than trying to stir up their base on one of the state’s most divisive issues.

“When I took office, the border was in chaos and the Biden administration had failed Arizonans on border security,” Hobbs said.  “It is not a Democratic or Republican issue.”

Hobbs said she took action on the border by deploying the Arizona National Guard and providing more than $200 million to local law enforcement, leading to the seizure of over 18 million fentanyl pills.

If reelected on Nov. 3, she said, she will continue those partnerships and work alongside the Trump administration, which she credited with helping make the border more “manageable.”

Hobbs' approval of Trump’s border policies distinguishes her from other national Democrats who have vehemently opposed his aggressive security agenda and mass deportation efforts.

Earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security – which enforces immigration laws – was partially shut down for 76 days as congressional Democrats refused to approve funding over those concerns.

Aligning herself with Trump on border security is not, however, an entirely new position for Hobbs. After his election to a second term In November 2024, Hobbs said she looked forward to working with him on border security, though she emphasized she “would not tolerate actions that harm Arizonans.”

Biggs’ border plan centers around reestablishing the Border Security Strike Force created by Hobbs’ Republican predecessor, Doug Ducey, which Hobbs dismantled soon after taking office in 2023.

Biggs also said he would appoint a “border czar” to coordinate with local authorities, and called for increased cooperation and “respect” toward tribal law enforcement agencies in an effort to identify trafficking routes on tribal lands.

That stance contrasted sharply from allegations he leveled during a 2025 Sun Lakes Republican Club meeting, where he said that as governor he would investigate tribal nations for aiding Mexican cartels and allowing illegal immigrants to cross through their land. Tribes, he said at the time, are “letting them in in some places.”

The candidates each spoke for roughly 15 minutes to a room full of representatives from some of the largest law enforcement agencies in Arizona, including the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, the Arizona Corrections Association and several city police departments from throughout the Valley.

Border security was one of six topics related to public safety discussed during the Aug. 25 forum, along with technology, recruitment and retention, pension reform, jail and prison staffing, and reducing the spread of fentanyl.

Hobbs has refused to appear publicly with her opponent and did not take the stage until Biggs left the room.

Neither candidate has explicitly said their shift in messaging or policy is designed to court independents.

State records from the July primary show that 34.6% of voters are not registered as either Republicans or Democrats. These unaffiliated voters outnumber registered Democrats and nearly surpass registered Republicans.

A recent poll from HighGround, a public affairs and lobbying firm, gives Hobbs a massive 35.5% lead over Biggs among independent voters.

This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.