Hobbs and Giles tout bipartisan vision at west Phoenix victory rally

Hundreds showed up at a west Phoenix victory rally for Gov. Katie Hobbs and Lt. Gov.-elect John Giles on Wednesday evening.

The gubernatorial ticket pulled in 55% of the vote, according to the AP, with more than 80% of precincts reporting.

What they're saying:

Voters reported that the issues brought them out to cast their ballots for the historic ticket, with the cost of living standing top of mind. Attendees also expressed hope that the ticket will embody what it means to reach across the aisle at the Capitol and put all Arizonans first.

"People power is important," one attendee said.

"What can I say? Blue wave!" another added.

Supporters of Hobbs and Giles showed up to the Carpenters Local 1912 hall in west Phoenix on Wednesday evening for the victory rally. The crowd celebrated not only the gubernatorial race, but also the "Democratic trifecta" expected at the Arizona Statehouse in January, with the House and the Senate both expected to have a Democratic majority for the first time in six decades.

"60 years. I want you to understand what that means to me. When I got to the Legislature in 2011, there were so few Democrats in the Senate that we joked that caucus could share a pizza," Hobbs said.

"I am so happy with everything that I saw, such a relief and just such a difference from two years ago when we saw Trump win," an attendee said.

"Just ecstatic. I mean I expected some of it, but to turn both the House and the Senate is just unbelievable, and it's time," another supporter noted.

Why the Hobbs-Giles ticket?:

Voters said they were drawn to the Hobbs and Giles ticket because of the promises made to listen to what Arizonans across the state care about.

"As a Latina, I feel that immigration, housing, affordable healthcare, I'm also on Social Security, and I'm gonna be watching to make sure all of the candidates, all the way up and down the ballot, are going to protect us," one voter said.

"Get some much-needed attention on the ICE facility out in Surprise, see what kind of action we can take legislatively," Brent Peak with Northwest Valley Indivisible stated.

"Supporting things like education, supporting Medicaid because we've got a lot of money we've got to fill in from the federal cuts, supporting affordable housing, abortion rights, absolutely," an attendee added.

A 'bipartisan effort':

Supporters say Giles, as a former Republican and now independent, represents a chance for both parties to come together in the Grand Canyon State.

"It's a bipartisan effort here, I'm excited to see some healing. I'm hoping that we can begin to see some folks come together that haven't felt like they could in a very long time," one supporter said.

"In this particular case, he can help reach across the aisle, but I think they can really show, between the two, the bipartisanship," another noted.

That bipartisanship was mentioned by both Hobbs and Giles during their rally speeches.

"I've seen what this state can do when we stop asking what side you're on and start asking what Arizona needs," Hobbs said.

"We come from different backgrounds and different parties, but we share the same north star, putting Arizona first," Giles said.

Both Hobbs and Giles addressed those who voted for their opponents as well, saying they will fight just as hard for what those voters need and hope to gain their trust and support.