Immigration Drops as Top Issue for Arizona Voters, Economic Concerns on Rise
A new Emerson College Polling survey of Arizona Republican primary voters finds Representative Andy Biggs leading the gubernatorial field with 50% support, followed by Attorney Karrin Taylor Robson with 17%, and Representative David Schweikert with 8%. One in four voters (25%) remain undecided.
“Heading into 2026, Rep. Biggs is the early favorite for the Republican Nomination for Governor,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said. “Biggs holds 59% support among voters over 60 and 51% among those who backed Trump in 2024.”
Overall, 45% say President Trump’s endorsement of a candidate makes them less likely to support them, while 28% say it makes no difference and 27% more likely. Among Republican Primary voters, 54% say his endorsement makes them more likely to support a candidate, 38% no difference, and 8% less likely.
In a hypothetical general election between incumbent Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs and Rep. Biggs, 44% support Hobbs and 43% Biggs; 13% are undecided. Between Hobbs and Robson, 43% support Hobbs, 42% Robson, and 15% are undecided. In a matchup with Rep. Schweikert, 44% support Hobbs and 39% Schweikert; 16% are undecided.
Governor Hobbs holds a 39% job approval rating and 40% disapproval rating among Arizona voters, while 21% are neutral. President Donald Trump holds a 44% approval and 49% disapproval rating in Arizona.
When it comes to general favorability, 44% have a favorable view of Hobbs, and 40% an unfavorable view. Rep. Biggs holds a 35% favorable rating, while 30% have a favorable view of Robson and 25% Schweikert. Biggs’ unfavorable rating is at 33%, Robson at 31% and Schweikert at 32%.
The economy is considered the top issue facing the state for 34% of voters, followed by immigration (18%), threats to democracy (11%), housing affordability (10%), education (9%), and healthcare (9%).
“In a matchup between Hobbs and Biggs, voters who say the economy is their top issue break for Hobbs, 45% to 41%, while those who find immigration to be the top issue break for Biggs, 81% to 6%,” Kimball said.
Compared to the November 2024 Emerson College pre-election poll, areas where concern increased include the economy, from 27% to 34%, housing affordability, from 8% to 10%, and healthcare, from 5% to 9%, whereas concern for immigration decreased from 27% to 18%. Abortion access also decreased from 14% to 1%; notably in 2024, Prop. 139, providing a right to abortion in the state, was on the ballot and passed.
A majority of voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy: 54% disapprove and 38% approve. Voters are split on Trump’s handling of immigration: 48% approve of his handling of immigration and 47% disapprove.
“Arizona independent voters disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy by 34 points, 62% to 28%, and immigration by ten, 49% to 39%,” Kimball noted.
Nine in ten voters think it is important that candidates running for Governor participate in a debate prior to the November election. Prior to the 2022 gubernatorial election, 74% of voters found it important that candidates for Governor participate in a debate.
METHODOLOGY
The Emerson College Polling Arizona survey was conducted November 8-10, 2025. The sample of active registered voters, n=850, has a credibility interval, similar to a poll’s margin of error (MOE), of +/- 3.3 percentage points. The data sets were weighted by gender, education, race, age, party, and region based on U.S. Census parameters and voter file data.
It is important to remember that subsets based on demographics, such as gender, age, education, and race/ethnicity, carry with them higher credibility intervals, as the sample size is reduced. Survey results should be understood within the poll’s range of scores, and with a confidence interval of 95% a poll will fall outside the range of scores 1 in 20 times.
Data was collected by contacting a voter list of cellphones via MMS-to-web text of an opt-in probability panel of voters provided by the Consensus Panel, and additional online panel interviews provided by CINT. Panel responses were matched to the Aristotle voter file using respondents’ full name and ZIP code. The survey was offered in English.
All questions asked in this survey with the exact wording, along with full results, demographics, and cross tabulations can be found under Full Results. This survey was funded by Emerson College.
