Arizona Republican Risa Lombardo filed as a Green Party candidate for governor, misrepresenting her affiliation to split the Democratic vote
Risa Lombardo, an elected Republican precinct committeewoman in Arizona's Legislative District 2, filed a statement of interest to run for governor as a Green Party candidate on March 5, 2025, days after leaving her GOP post. The Arizona Green Party disavowed her within months as a GOP-planted "sham" candidate meant to siphon left-leaning votes from Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. Lombardo went on to receive $1.1 million in public Clean Elections funds and paid 78% of it to a Nevada shell company incorporated 13 days before her first payment, with no disclosed subcontractors and no other clients.