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- calendar_today October 12, 2026
Lieutenant Governor Candidate Responds to Publicity Over Traffic Violations
John Giles, the Democratic nominee for Arizona lieutenant governor, is facing scrutiny after public records surfaced showing multiple traffic violations, including speeding tickets and red light infractions, during his tenure as mayor and councilman in Mesa. Giles, selected by Governor Katie Hobbs as her running mate in her reelection bid, addressed the attention in a prepared statement on Thursday, dismissing it as political posturing.
Public Records Highlight Mesa Traffic Citations
The controversy began when the website FOIAzona, which promotes transparency through public records research, published enforcement camera photos depicting Giles allegedly committing traffic violations. According to the documents, Giles received several citations in Mesa, mainly during 2021 and 2022, with one additional speeding ticket reported as recently as February of this year. The citations included both speeding tickets and red light violations—one at Broadway and Extension roads in 2021, and another at University and Mesa drives in 2023.
Giles Calls Attention a ‘Political Distraction’
In his response, Giles downplayed the significance of the citations, stating, “I’ve lived in Arizona my entire life, and we’ve all seen that camera flash and realized we were going a little too fast.” He maintained that the timing of the publicity, coinciding with the start of early voting, was evidence of “out of touch” politics. “The fact that the other side wants to talk about a handful of traffic tickets the week early voting starts shows how out of touch they are with what Arizonans are facing,” Giles said in his statement.
Details of Citations and Court Records
The available court records do not specify how much Giles exceeded the speed limit in the cited incidents. Notably, all the traffic citations listed were ultimately dismissed, with court records providing no explanation for the dismissals. Giles did not address whether his status as mayor of Mesa had any influence over the outcomes. Attempts by reporters to contact him by phone and text for further clarification regarding the red light violations went unanswered.
Opposition and Broader Context
FOIAzona, the website that originally uncovered the documents, primarily focuses on activities of Democratic officials. The release of the images showing Giles behind the wheel at the time of the red light violations added to the public attention surrounding the case. Meanwhile, a search of a statewide database found no record of traffic citations for the Republican lieutenant governor nominee, Sine Kerr. However, a spokesperson for Kerr’s campaign acknowledged she received a photo radar speeding ticket the previous year in Scottsdale and paid the associated fine, though specific details were unavailable.
First Gubernatorial Race with Running Mates
This election cycle marks the first time in Arizona’s history that gubernatorial candidates have selected running mates, similar to the model used for the presidency. Giles, a former Republican who became an independent three months before being chosen as Katie Hobbs’ running mate, remains in the spotlight as early voting begins, with questions about the implications—if any—of his traffic violations continuing to be debated.
Source: azcapitoltimes.com.
