2026 Arizona General Election

Andy Biggs earned a bachelor's degree in Asian Studies from Brigham Young University, a master's degree in political science from Arizona State University, and a law degree from the University of Arizona. He is a married father of six.

GILBERT, ARIZONA- Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) joined U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon at the East Valley Institute of Technology for a tour and press conference, highlighting the Education Freedom Tax Credit, which was included in the One Big Beautiful Bill signed into law last year.

biggs.house.gov homepage

Andy Biggs currently serves as U.S. representative for Arizona's 5th Congressional District.

Congressman Andy Biggs |

Andy Biggs currently serves as U.S. representative for Arizona's 5th Congressional District and was first elected in 2016. He previously served in the Arizona State House of Representatives for eight years and in the Arizona State Senate for six years. 

### Make Arizona Affordable

Bring down costs for Arizona families and businesses by growing our economy, lowering taxes, encouraging job growth, and reducing government interference.

Issues - Andy Biggs for Governor

Advocates lowering taxes, encouraging job growth, and reducing government interference to lower costs for Arizona families and businesses.

- Advocates lowering taxes, encouraging job growth, and reducing government interference to lower costs for Arizona families and businesses.

Economy

### Protect School and Health Choice

Protect the rights and freedoms of Arizonans to make their own education and health choices, supporting school choice policies and enacting the MAHA agenda at the state level.

U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, the Republican nominee for Arizona governor, said improved funding alone does not cause the education system to improve. Biggs told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Monday the focus should be on parents, students and teachers.

“Educational attainment and funding have very little correlation with each other. I mean, an example is to look at what Louisiana [and] Mississippi have done. They’ve gone from the lowest attainment to some of the highest attainment. Look at what’s happened in Massachusetts. They spend more than anybody else and they’re now dropping like a stone,” said Biggs.

Arizona governor hopeful Andy Biggs says more funding doesn’t mean better schools - KTAR.com

Believes increased education funding alone does not improve educational attainment.

- Supports school choice policies.
- Believes increased education funding alone does not improve educational attainment.

Education

### Keep Arizona Safe

Partner with President Trump and local law enforcement officials to completely secure our Southern Border, crack down on drug and human traffickers, and fully fund our public safety departments.

Plans to work with President Trump and local law enforcement to secure the southern border and crack down on drug trafficking and human trafficking.

- Plans to work with President Trump and local law enforcement to secure the southern border and crack down on drug trafficking and human trafficking.

Foreign Policy and Immigration

### Ensure Election Integrity

Sign election integrity legislation to deliver election results in a timely fashion and ensure only legal Arizona citizens participate in our elections.

Key proposals in the Ethics and Transparency Platform include:

1. **Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)** – Biggs supports reforms to make it easier for citizens to access government records and hold officials accountable.

2. **Ending the practice of 'dark money' in politics** – Biggs advocates for legislation that would require organizations involved in political spending to disclose their donors.

3. **Implementing term limits for Congress** – Biggs believes that limiting the number of terms a member of Congress can serve will help reduce corruption and promote fresh ideas in government.

Biggs for Arizona Releases Ethics and Transparency Platform - Andy Biggs for Governor

Key proposals in the Ethics and Transparency Platform include:

2. **Ending the practice of 'dark money' in politics** – Biggs advocates for legislation that would require organizations involved in political spending to disclose their donors.

3. **Implementing term limits for Congress** – Biggs believes that limiting the number of terms a member of Congress can serve will help reduce corruption and promote fresh ideas in government.

4. **Increasing transparency in lobbying** – Biggs calls for stricter regulations on lobbyists to ensure that their activities are transparent and accountable to the public.

Plans to sign election legislation intended to speed election results and limit participation to Arizona citizens.

Plans to sign election legislation intended to speed election results and "ensure only legal  Arizona citizens participate in our elections."

Advocates requiring organizations making political expenditures to disclose their donors.

Believes Congress should have term limits.

- Plans to sign election legislation intended to speed election results and "ensure only legal  Arizona citizens participate in our elections."
- Advocates requiring organizations making political expenditures to disclose their donors.
- Believes Congress should have term limits.

Voting & Elections

Plans to fully fund public safety departments and crack down on drug trafficking and human trafficking.

- Plans to fully fund public safety departments and crack down on drug trafficking and human trafficking.

Public Safety

### Secure Arizona’s Energy Future

Prioritize the use and expansion of reliable and affordable energy sources to reduce rising utility costs and gas prices for every Arizonan.

### Restore Sensible Water Policy

Responsibly manage our water and land resources to ensure long-term growth and an increased supply of single-family homes.

Prioritizes expanding reliable and affordable energy sources to reduce utility and gasoline costs.

Plans to manage water and land resources to support long-term growth and increase the supply of single-family homes.

- Prioritizes expanding reliable and affordable energy sources to reduce utility and gasoline costs.
- Plans to manage water and land resources to support long-term growth and increase the supply of single-family homes.

Energy & the Environment

As of August 26, 2026, Andy Biggs’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Healthcare

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

YouTube

Andy Biggs

- Believes Congress should have term limits.

Andy was elected to the State Senate in November 2010. He previously represented Legislative District 22 in the State House of Representatives for eight years.

- Plans to lower taxes, encourage job growth, and reduce government interference to help lower costs for Arizona families and businesses.

- :null
- Plans to manage water and land resources to support long-term growth and increase the supply of single-family homes.

Walter Ley

Isaac Brickman

Buket Urgen

Katie Hobbs attended Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in social work. She is a mother.

She earned scholarships and worked her way through NAU and ASU, earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. Her first job out of college was working with homeless youth in Phoenix, and then she went on to help run one of the largest domestic violence shelters in the country.

Meet Katie

Katie Hobbs worked with homeless youth in Phoenix and later helped run a domestic violence shelter.

Katie worked with homeless youth in Phoenix and later helped run a domestic violence shelter.

Office of the Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs

Katie is the current Governor of Arizona and was first elected in 2022. She was previously elected Secretary of State in 2018 and served in the Arizona House and Arizona State Legislature from 2010 to 2018.

KATIE IS COMMITTED TO SOLVING ARIZONA’S BIGGEST CHALLENGES

Katie always puts Arizona first, and that means working across the aisle to get things done. That’s why she eliminated the tax on rent, helped working Arizonans with down payment assistance to buy their first homes, and slashed red tape to make housing more affordable.

She secured the largest investment in child care since the Great Recession and gave 750,000 Arizona families a tax rebate to put more money back in the pockets of hardworking Arizonans so their family budgets have more room to spend on what matters most to them.

As Governor, eliminated Arizona's tax on rent.

As Governor, provided down payment assistance for working Arizonans buying their first homes.

As Governor, reduced regulations to make housing more affordable.

As Governor, provided a tax rebate to 750,000 Arizona families.

- As Governor, eliminated Arizona's tax on rent.
- As Governor, provided down payment assistance for working Arizonans buying their first homes.
- As Governor, reduced regulations to make housing more affordable.
- As Governor, provided a tax rebate to 750,000 Arizona families.

She’s invested in public education from kindergarten through higher education, and she’s expanding apprenticeships and career training so more Arizonans can be first in line for good-paying jobs that don’t require a four-year degree.

As Governor, secured more investment in child care.

As Governor, invested in public education and expanded apprenticeships and career training.

- As Governor, secured more investment in child care.
- As Governor, invested in public education and expanded apprenticeships and career training.

Where Washington politicians have failed, Katie has delivered. She created a Border Coordination Office within the Arizona Department of Homeland Security to ensure local, state, and federal governments work together to secure the border.

She deployed the Arizona National Guard to the border and launched Task Force SAFE to keep communities safe and stop fentanyl from flooding our streets.

During her term, she has delivered more than $100 million in border security funding to local law enforcement agencies, and she secured well-deserved pay raises for our brave state police and firefighters.

As Governor, created a Border Coordination Office to coordinate local, state, and federal border-security efforts.

As Governor, deployed the Arizona National Guard to the border and launched Task Force SAFE to address fentanyl trafficking.

As Governor, provided more than $100 million in border-security funding to local law-enforcement agencies.

- As Governor, created a Border Coordination Office to coordinate local, state, and federal border-security efforts.
- As Governor, deployed the Arizona National Guard to the border and launched Task Force SAFE to address fentanyl trafficking.
- As Governor, provided more than $100 million in border-security funding to local law-enforcement agencies.

In 2020, she delivered a historically secure election for Arizona. In the dangerous aftermath of the Big Lie conspiracy – amidst threats to herself, her family, and her colleagues – Katie stepped up and fearlessly defended the will of Arizona voters.

When Katie became the first Democrat elected secretary of state in Arizona in almost thirty years, she had tough challenges to tackle. She promised to bring trust and accountability to the office – and she did. Katie modernized the office, fixed broken systems, and battled misinformation from foreign and domestic sources.

As Secretary of State, defended the will of Arizona voters after the 2020 election.

As Secretary of State, "defended the will of Arizona voters" after the 2020 election.

As Secretary of State, modernized office systems and battled election misinformation from foreign and domestic sources.

- As Secretary of State, "defended the will of Arizona voters" after the 2020 election.
- As Secretary of State, modernized office systems and battled election misinformation from foreign and domestic sources.

As Governor, provided more than $100 million in border-security funding to local law-enforcement agencies and secured pay raises for state police and firefighters.

As Governor, launched Task Force SAFE to address fentanyl trafficking and deployed the Arizona National Guard to the border.

- As Governor, provided more than $100 million in border-security funding to local law-enforcement agencies and secured pay raises for state police and firefighters.
- As Governor, launched Task Force SAFE to address fentanyl trafficking and deployed the Arizona National Guard to the border.

Katie knows that securing Arizona’s water future isn’t a partisan issue—and that protecting our water supply means bringing everyone to the table to get results. She hammered out a strong water policy compromise hailed as the most consequential Arizona water legislation since the Groundwater Management Act of 1980—one that will create jobs, lower housing costs, and conserve water.

As Governor, ended leases held by a foreign corporation that was pumping Arizona groundwater unchecked.

As Governor, negotiated a water-policy compromise intended to conserve water.

- As Governor, negotiated a water-policy compromise intended to conserve water.

Katie is also canceling two billion dollars in medical debt for one million Arizonans because no family should have to choose between life-saving medical care and putting food on the table.

Fulfilling her promise to protect Arizonans’ healthcare, in 2024 Katie repealed Arizona’s 1864 total abortion ban, made birth control available over the counter, and protected women and doctors from prosecution.

While Washington politicians work to take healthcare away from hundreds of thousands of Arizonans, Katie protected the healthcare of over 60,000 Arizonans with autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and intellectual disabilities.

As Governor, canceled $2 billion in medical debt for one million Arizonans.

As Governor, repealed Arizona's 1864 total abortion ban, expanded over-the-counter birth control, and protected women and doctors from prosecution.

As Governor, protected healthcare for more than 60,000 Arizonans with developmental disabilities and certain neurological conditions.

- As Governor, canceled $2 billion in medical debt for one million Arizonans.
- As Governor, repealed Arizona's 1864 total abortion ban, expanded over-the-counter birth control, and protected women and doctors from prosecution.
- As Governor, protected healthcare for more than 60,000 Arizonans with developmental disabilities and certain neurological conditions.

Katie Hobbs

- As Secretary of State, modernized office systems and battled election misinformation from foreign and domestic sources.

Katie Hobbs earned bachelor's and master's degrees in social work. She lives in Phoenix with her husband and has two adult children.

Katie Hobbs previously served as chief compliance officer for Sojourner Center. She also worked with homeless youth in Phoenix and helped run a domestic violence shelter.

Katie currently serves as Arizona’s governor and was elected in 2022. She was elected Secretary of State in 2018. She was elected to the Arizona House in 2010 and served four terms in the Arizona State Legislature.

- As governor, eliminated the tax on rent and reduced housing regulations to make housing more affordable.
- As governor, is canceling $2 billion in medical debt for one million Arizonans.
- As governor, secured an investment in child care and provided tax rebates to 750,000 Arizona families.

- Supports public education from kindergarten through higher education and expanding apprenticeships and career training.

- Created a Border Coordination Office to coordinate local, state, and federal border-security efforts.
- Deployed the Arizona National Guard to the border and launched Task Force SAFE to stop fentanyl trafficking.

- As secretary of state, modernized the office, addressed election misinformation, and oversaw Arizona’s 2020 election.
- Defended Arizona voters’ will following the 2020 election amid threats to herself, her family, and colleagues.

- As governor, provided more than $100 million in border-security funding to local law-enforcement agencies and secured pay raises for state police and firefighters.
- Deployed the Arizona National Guard to the border and launched Task Force SAFE to stop fentanyl trafficking.

- Says the Arizona Residential Utility Consumer Office will continue advocating for reliable, affordable energy services.
- As governor, negotiated a water-policy compromise intended to conserve water and ended groundwater leases held by a foreign corporation.

- Said she repealed Arizona’s 1864 total abortion ban, made birth control available over the counter, and protected women and doctors from prosecution.

Risa Lombardo - Ballotpedia

Risa Lombardo is a first-time candidate for political office.

Social Justice
Falling wages and rising bills are hitting most of us, and the most vulnerable are hit the hardest. We demand a living wage and a real safety net.

Issues – Risa Lombardo For Arizona

6. Community-Based Economics
We support redesigning our work structures to encourage employee ownership and workplace democracy. We support developing new economic activities and institutions that allow us to use technology in ways that are humane, freeing, ecological, and responsive and accountable to communities.

6. Community-Based Economics
We support redesigning our work structures to encourage employee ownership and workplace democracy. We support developing new economic activities and institutions that allow us to use technology in ways that are humane, freeing, ecological, and responsive and accountable to communities. We support establishing a form of basic economic security open to all.

We support restructuring our patterns of income distribution to reflect the wealth created by those outside the formal monetary economy – those who take responsibility for parenting, housekeeping, home gardens, community volunteer work, and the like. We support restricting the size and concentrated power of corporations without discouraging superior efficiency or technological innovation.

Demands a living wage and a social safety net.

Supports redesigning work structures to encourage employee ownership and workplace democracy.

Supports establishing a form of basic economic security available to everyone.

Supports limiting corporate size and concentrated corporate power while preserving efficiency and technological innovation.

- Demands a living wage and a social safety net.
- Supports redesigning work structures to encourage employee ownership and workplace democracy.
- Supports establishing a form of basic economic security available to everyone.
- Supports limiting corporate size and concentrated corporate power while preserving efficiency and technological innovation.

As of August 26, 2026, Risa Lombardo’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Peace
Our country's long wars and worldwide military presence are immoral and unsustainable. Our military budget must be cut dramatically.

4. Non-Violence
It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society's current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in danger.

Calls for dramatically reducing the military budget.

Plans to pursue demilitarization and eliminate weapons of mass destruction while recognizing a need for self-defense.

- Calls for dramatically reducing the military budget.
- Plans to pursue demilitarization and eliminate weapons of mass destruction while recognizing a need for self-defense.

Democracy
We demand public financing of elections, open debates, and more representative voting systems.

1. Grassroots Democracy
All human beings must be allowed a say in decisions that affect their lives; no one should be subject to the will of another. We work to improve public participation in every aspect of government and seek to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the people who elect them. We also work to create new types of political organizations that expand the process of participatory democracy by directly including citizens in decision-making.

Demands public financing of elections, open debates, and more representative voting systems.

Advocates greater public participation, accountable elected representatives, and political organizations that directly include citizens in decision-making.

- Demands public financing of elections, open debates, and more representative voting systems.
- Advocates greater public participation, accountable elected representatives, and political organizations that directly include citizens in decision-making.

4. Non-Violence
It is essential that we develop effective alternatives to society's current patterns of violence. We will work to demilitarize and eliminate weapons of mass destruction, without being naive about the intentions of other governments. We recognize the need for self-defense and the defense of others who are in danger. We promote non-violent methods to oppose practices and policies with which we disagree, and will guide our actions toward lasting personal, community and global peace.

Promotes nonviolent methods of opposing policies and practices.

- Promotes nonviolent methods of opposing policies and practices.

Ecology
The human cost of climate change is too high. We need to get off fossil fuels and on to renewable energy.

3. Ecological Wisdom
Human societies must function with the understanding that we are part of nature, not separate from nature. We must maintain an ecological balance and live within the ecological and resource limits of our communities and our planet. We support a sustainable society that utilizes resources in such a way that future generations will benefit and not suffer from the practices of our generation.

To this end we must practice agriculture that replenishes the soil, move to an energy-efficient economy, and live in ways that respect the integrity of natural systems.

8. Respect For Diversity
We believe it is important to value cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and spiritual diversity, and to promote the development of respectful relationships across the human spectrum. We believe that the many diverse elements of society should be reflected in our organizations and decision-making bodies, and we support the leadership of people who have been traditionally closed out of leadership roles.
We encourage respect for all life forms, and increased attention to the preservation of biodiversity.

10. Future Focus And Sustainability
Our actions and policies should be motivated by long-term goals. We seek to protect valuable natural resources, safely disposing of or 'unmaking' all waste we create, while developing a sustainable economics that does not depend on continual expansion for survival. We must counterbalance the drive for short-term profits by assuring that economic development, new technologies, and fiscal policies are responsible to future generations who will inherit the results of our actions.

Calls for transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

Supports sustainable resource use, soil-replenishing agriculture, and an energy-efficient economy.

Encourages preserving biodiversity and respecting all life forms.

Seeks to protect natural resources, safely dispose of waste, and develop an economy not dependent on continual expansion.

- Calls for transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
- Supports sustainable resource use, soil-replenishing agriculture, and an energy-efficient economy.
- Encourages preserving biodiversity and respecting all life forms.
- Seeks to protect natural resources, safely dispose of waste, and develop an economy not dependent on continual expansion.

Risa Lombardo

## Born and Raised in Glendale, Fighting for Arizona

I was born and raised in Glendale, Arizona, and I have proudly called Glendale home my entire life. The neighborhoods, schools, businesses, and families that helped shape me are the same communities I continue to serve today. Arizona is not just the state I live in—it is my home, and the people of Arizona are my neighbors.

Campaign Hustle — Teri Ann 4 AZ Governor

Teri Ann Hourihan is a proud Arizona native, devoted mother, small business owner of an integrated health care company, and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). Since becoming licensed in 2017 and earning her Ph.D. in 2018, she has dedicated her career to helping individuals, families, and communities navigate challenges and build stronger futures.

Teri Ann 4 AZ Governor | Get Involved Now — Support Change

Teri Ann Hourihan is from Glendale, Arizona, where she has lived her entire life. She is a mother.

Teri is a licensed professional counselor and owns an integrated health care company.

Teri Hourihan - Ballotpedia

Teri is a first-time candidate for political office.

I will promote affordable housing through adaptive reuse of vacant buildings, strengthen homelessness services, explore universal childcare options, and evaluate data center tax revenues to support affordability initiatives and public education.

My administration will work to lower utility costs, reduce inflationary pressures, increase wages, and expand opportunities for Arizonans to live within their means without needing multiple jobs. I will pursue stronger oversight of fuel pricing, expand rebate programs for teachers, first responders, public servants, farmers market vendors and shoppers, and incentivize water-efficient landscaping.

Plans to evaluate data center tax revenues for affordability initiatives and public education.

Plans to lower utility costs, reduce inflationary pressures, and increase wages.

Proposes reusing vacant buildings to promote affordable housing.

- Plans to evaluate data center tax revenues for affordability initiatives and public education.
- Plans to lower utility costs, reduce inflationary pressures, and increase wages.
- Proposes reusing vacant buildings to promote affordable housing.

Her priorities include addressing the rising cost of living, implementing a universal childcare program, protecting school choice and ensuring tax payer dollars going into the education system is accounted for, securing Arizona’s water future, reducing the homelessness, removing public encampments by providing safe shelters and resources, improving the court systems for families, supporting rural communities, ensuring an effective legal immigration process, and promoting government accountability.

Supports school choice and accounting for taxpayer dollars spent in the education system.

- Supports a universal childcare program.
- Supports school choice and accounting for taxpayer dollars spent in the education system.

Supports an effective legal immigration process.

Wants an effective legal immigration process.

- Wants an effective legal immigration process.

And when the time comes to make decisions that affect everyday Arizonans, too often the people are placed second behind those powerful interests. As Governor of Arizona, I will not take corporate PAC money, billionaire donations, or special-interest endorsements. My loyalty will be to the people of Arizona—not to those seeking favors, influence, or access. Arizona deserves leadership that cannot be bought.

Pledges not to accept corporate political action committee money, billionaire donations, or special-interest endorsements.

- Pledges not to accept corporate political action committee money, billionaire donations, or special-interest endorsements.

Plans to remove public encampments by providing safe shelters and resources.

- Plans to remove public encampments by providing safe shelters and resources.

As of August 26, 2026, Teri Ann Hourihan’s website did not contain information on this issue.

My administration will pursue innovative solutions that increase affordability and expand access to care. This includes developing employer rebate and incentive programs that help businesses provide healthcare coverage to their workforce, increasing transparency in healthcare pricing, and strengthening oversight to ensure insurance companies are not engaging in unfair pricing practices that drive up costs for consumers.

I will also work to create additional healthcare options for Arizonans by encouraging competition, supporting independent healthcare providers, expanding access to preventive and mental health services, and reducing unnecessary administrative barriers that increase costs without improving patient care.

Plans to develop employer rebate and incentive programs to help businesses provide employee health coverage.

Plans to increase health care price transparency and oversee insurance pricing practices.

Plans to expand access to preventive and mental health services.

Plans to encourage competition and support independent health care providers.

- Plans to develop employer rebate and incentive programs to help businesses provide employee health coverage.
- Plans to increase health care price transparency and oversee insurance pricing practices.
- Plans to expand access to preventive and mental health services.
- Plans to encourage competition and support independent health care providers.

Teri Ann Hourihan

- Plans to lower utility costs, reduce inflationary pressures, and increase wages.
- Proposes reusing vacant buildings to promote affordable housing.

Arizona

A former federal Special Agent, nonprofit executive, and small business owner, Angela successfully championed bipartisan legislation that became Arizona law to strengthen benefits for our first responders and their families. She has also served as an Honorary Commander at Luke Air Force Base, reflecting her deep commitment to Arizona's military community.

Angela Harrolle Mohan — We Are Independent USA

Angela Harrolle Mohen has served as an Honorary Commander at Luke Air Force Base.

Angela Harrolle Mohen earned a bachelor's degree in justice studies and business administration from Arizona State University.

LinkedIn

Angela has been the CEO of a non-profit supporting first responders for the past nine years. She previously worked as a special investigator for the U.S. Department of State for over 15 years and as a special agent for the U.S. Department of State for over eight years.

As of August 26, 2026, Angela Harrolle Mohen did not have a website or any information online.

I continue to advocate for the benefit of our line of duty death surviving families. Today we celebrate TWO successes: not only did our legislative initiatives SB1156 & SB1157 successfully pass the Arizona Senate, but they’ve also received a unanimous “due pass” recommendation in the Government subcommittee of the House of Representatives. Full steam ahead.

Advocates for benefits for surviving families of people killed in the line of duty.

- Advocates for benefits for surviving families of people killed in the line of duty.

Angela Harrolle Mohen

As of August 26, 2026, Angela Harrolle Mohen’s website did not contain information on this issue.

A native of Mesa, John graduated from Mesa Public Schools and attended Brigham Young University where he was on the track team and served as Student Body Finance President. He earned his J.D. at ASU and has practiced law in Mesa for over 30 years. He and his wife Dawn have 5 children and 8 grandchildren.

Meet Mayor John Giles

John Giles is a native of Mesa. He graduated from Mesa Public Schools, attended Brigham Young University, and earned a law degree from Arizona State University. He and his wife, Dawn, have five children and eight grandchildren.

Article

He currently serves as a volunteer Adjunct Faculty Associate at ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law where he teaches classes in Government Law.

John currently serves as a volunteer adjunct faculty associate at Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, where he teaches Government Law, and practices government relations law with Udall Shumway.

Arizona Governor

Candidates (4)

Compare candidates