Andy Biggs, a U.S. House Republican from Arizona, is running for governor in his home state next year. The incumbent gave him serious campaign fodder this week.

Governor Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, vetoed bipartisan state legislation that sought to prevent China from buying land next to strategic assets such as military bases. Hobbs argued that S.B. 1109 was “ineffective at counter-espionage” and did not “directly protect” American military assets in the state.

Arizona State Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp (R) slammed Hobbs, citing recent Chinese attempts to lease buildings alongside Arizona’s Luke Air Force Base where the U.S. military trains fighter pilots. (NOTE: Luke Air Force Base is about 15 minutes from my home. ~ Editor) Shamp, the bill’s author, called the veto decision “utterly insane” and challenged Hobbs for “every politically motivated veto of public safety legislation put on her desk by Republicans.”

What China learned from Ukraine

Gordon Chang, a China-U.S. relations analyst, told AFN that China’s interest in property near the Air Force base in the Grand Canyon State is a warning sign that could have implications similar to what the Russian miliary suffered in the drone attack by Ukraine.

“At Luke Air Force Base, a Chinese party tried to rent a warehouse which is close to the runways there. They were denied that ability and then they tried six months later to rent a warehouse space at the other end of the runway,” he explains. “So, we know that they are surveilling our runways. And as we saw what Ukraine did to Russia’s bombers, the Chinese are, I think, trying to put into place the infrastructure to attack our planes on our own runways with their drones.”

The threat level cannot be overstated, Chang said. He urges President Donald Trump to step in and use the emergency powers that would allow him to protect strategic assets.

“To prohibit Chinese ownership close to our military facilities, as well as there should be a prohibition on Chinese nationals renting facilities close to sensitive national security sites. We’re being overwhelmed right now, and a lot of people may say that these moves would be drastic. But if we don’t do something drastic, we’re not going to be able to save our country from this unrelenting, malicious assault by China,” Chang said.

Web searches for news on Hobbs’ veto yield much more bewilderment than support.

“There’s no excuse for Katie Hobbs to veto a bill that prohibits the CCP from buying Arizona land,” Biggs wrote on X Wednesday. “As governor, I’ll work with the state legislature to get this bill immediately signed into law to protect Arizonans and our military assets.”

In a letter to the legislature explaining her decision, Hobbs also said the bill “lacked clear implementation criteria and opens the door for arbitrary enforcement.”

But the bill was very specific, tightened from a broader version first introduced by Shamp. As initially passed by the Senate, it applied to the government, officials or businesses from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran and barred them from buying land or other property.

It also applied to any of those country’s citizens unless they were permanent U.S. residents. The only exemption was for a home on less than two acres – if it was at least 50 miles from a military base or 25 miles from a military practice range, meaning not in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, Flagstaff or Sierra Vista, Arizona’s Capitol Media Services reported.

“This isn’t arbitrary. It’s not like China and the CCP are not adversaries to us,” Biggs said on American Family Radio Thursday.

Earlier this week two Chinese nationals, Yunqing Jian and Zunyong Liu, were arrested and charged with smuggling a fungus described as a “potential agroterrorism weapon” into the United States. They are accused of attempting to bring the fungus into the country to conduct research at a University of Michigan lab.

It’s not surprising that China would have interest in Arizona land, Biggs told show host Jenna Ellis.

“Arizona is an interesting place because you’ve got two major dams. You got the Glen Canyon Dam and the Hoover Dam plus a whole host of other dams that give hydropower and water. You’ve got multiple military facilities where we do massive training. We control drone flights around the world from some of our bases. We train our allies there in Arizona.

“It’s mind-boggling that she [Gov. Hobbs] can sit there hermitized on the ninth floor of the Capitol building and say, ‘We’re not going to have any restrictions on the CCP coming in and buying land,” Biggs said.

Before the veto, eight Democrats joined Republicans in the passing the bill 41-17 in the Arizona House. The Senate passed it 17-11 long party lines. It’s unclear if Republicans have enough support to override the veto.

Impacting America, NOT Just Arizona

Hobbs’ veto is “anti-national security and anti-America,” but not surprising, according to Biggs.

“This is the same governor who, when she first got in, took away barriers that were on the border that had been placed by the previous governor. She disbanded the border security task force.”

Those actions – taken when Arizona was the leading U.S. entry point for both smuggled fentanyl and human trafficking – emphasize “political dogma above safety and security for Arizonans and the rest of the country,” Biggs argued.

Hobbs is the first Democratic governor after back-to-back Republicans in the Arizona governor’s cycle. Hobbs has also been weak on the budget, education and election integrity, Biggs said.

“Basically, she has a hard-left Marxist type of ideology, and it’s basically derailed and misdirected Arizona. It’s time to get Arizona back,” the GOP congressman said.

Second Opinion: Dem Governor Ripped as ‘Total Disgrace’ After Vetoing Bill Limiting Chinese Land Ownership Near Military Bases

Written by Parrish Alford and published by American Family News ~ June 5, 2025