Andy Biggs on China's Land Acquisition in Arizona and Gubernatorial Race

Veto of China Land Acquisition Bill

• 🚫 Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed Senate Bill 1109, which aimed to prevent the Chinese government and its state-owned enterprises from acquiring significant interests in Arizona real estate.
• 🗣️ Hobbs cited ineffectiveness in counter-espionage as her reason, a justification that State Representative Andy Biggs argues ignores the reality of China as a cold war adversary.
• 🏛️ Despite the veto, lawmakers are attempting to push the legislation through, though they lack the supermajorities needed to override the governor's decision.

Concerns Over Chinese Land Purchases

• 📍 China is actively acquiring land across the United States, with a particular focus on areas near sensitive sites like military bases, dams, and critical infrastructure.
• 📈 Chinese holdings in US real estate doubled between 2020 and 2021, reaching over $3.5 billion, with current figures unknown due to a lack of tracking.
• ⚠️ An attempt was made to purchase land near Luke Air Force Base by a straw man, which was only discovered and halted when brokers realized the connection to China.

Legislative and Political Landscape

• 🇺🇸 Twenty states, primarily Republican-led, have already prohibited Chinese land acquisition.
• 🗣️ Democrats in Congress have historically opposed such measures, framing them as anti-Asian, a claim Biggs refutes, stating the opposition is to espionage from a geopolitical superpower.
• 🔍 There is a need for better tracking and auditing measures to identify who is purchasing land, as current methods, like using straw man LLCs, allow China to obscure its acquisitions.

Gubernatorial Race and Election Integrity

• 🚩 Andy Biggs is running for Governor of Arizona in 2026, aiming to unseat Katie Hobbs.
• 🗳️ Biggs addresses concerns about election integrity in Arizona, referencing Donald Trump's 180,000-vote win in the state as evidence that a large margin can overcome systemic issues.
• 📜 Hobbs also vetoed legislation that would have implemented Florida-style election integrity measures, which could have streamlined vote counting and reporting.

Governor Hobbs's Approach

• 📉 Biggs criticizes Hobbs for lacking a coherent plan on critical issues like border security and land acquisition, suggesting her actions are often reactive rather than proactive.
• ⚠️ He highlights the potential hazard to state infrastructure, including dams like Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam, which supply water and power to millions, suggesting Hobbs cannot process the potential risks.