Arizona’s first lieutenant governor would help ensure continuity if a governor leaves office, Republican Sine Kerr and No Labels candidate Angela Harrolle Mohan said during a debate Monday, Oct. 5. The candidates differed, however, on how the state should handle large data center proposals. Voters approved the new office, which has never been held. Kerr, a former state senator and running mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs, said the job’s purpose is to preserve continuity with the governor voters elected. She said she would not identify a specific policy portfolio before the election. Mohan, a former federal special agent and running mate of gubernatorial candidate Teri Hourihan, said she would be prepared to serve as chief of staff but wanted to first assess the administration’s needs. She said a lieutenant governor and governor need not agree on every issue, adding that they should not simply echo one another. On data centers, Mohan supported a temporary pause on applications for new large-scale projects. Kerr opposed state subsidies for the facilities and said they should provide their own water and power—issues with direct implications for Arizona’s strained water resources and energy supply. Hobbs’ running mate, John Giles, declined the debate invitation. Candidate Lisa Castillo did not respond, according to organizers. Kerr criticized Hobbs and Giles for not participating. Afterward, Hobbs campaign manager Nicole DeMont said Kerr had debated a group of candidates for an office she would not hold, and said Hobbs and Giles would continue meeting voters around the state. The debate came ahead of a scheduled gubernatorial debate Tuesday featuring Biggs, independent candidate Risa Lombardo and Hourihan. Arizona’s general election is Nov. 3.