POLL: Arizona Voters Give Hobbs Credit for Education Budget Deal — Economy Concerns Persist

Arizona Voters Give Hobbs Credit for Education Budget Deal — Economy Concerns Persist

51% Positive on Budget Deal; Overall Approval Ticks Up to 46%

PHOENIX (July 10th, 2025) – Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is receiving positive marks for the 2025 state budget agreement, with 51% of Arizona registered voters saying the deal was good for the state, according to a new AZPOP survey from OH Predictive Insights. Twenty-eight percent call the outcome mixed, and 21% say it was a bad deal. The positive reaction to the budget resolution has provided a modest lift to Hobbs' overall job approval, which has ticked up to 46% from 44% in January — still in negative territory overall, but showing improvement.

The 2025 budget included $650 million in K-12 education funding — representing the largest single-year education investment in Arizona history — alongside water infrastructure funding and a modest reduction in the state's commercial property tax burden. The education investment, championed by Hobbs as her top priority, drew broad support even among Republicans, 44% of whom gave the budget deal positive marks.

"The education funding is Hobbs' strongest political card," says OHPI Chief of Research Mike Noble. "In a state where education has chronically been underfunded and where teacher recruitment is a persistent crisis, a $650 million investment resonates across partisan lines."

Hobbs' education approval has risen to 57% — her highest rating on any issue — following the budget deal. However, her overall approval remains constrained by persistent weaknesses on the economy (39% approve), where the tariff-driven inflation environment is creating headwinds beyond her control, and on immigration (33% approve).

The survey also found that 63% of Arizona voters are aware of the education funding increase — a high level of political salience for a budget item. Among parents of school-age children, awareness rises to 79%, and approval of the deal among parents reaches 67%.

"The political reward for large, visible education investments is real," says OHPI Data Analyst Jacob Joss. "Hobbs is clearly betting that her education legacy will be her re-election anchor, and the early signs suggest that's a reasonable strategy."

Methodology: AZPOP conducted July 5–7, 2025. n=600 Arizona Registered Voters. ±4.0% MOE.