Biggs pitches tax cuts, water plan at Yuma campaign stop

The message landed in a county where water and farm economics are hard to separate. Yuma County sources say agriculture produces nearly $3.4 billion a year locally and about $4.4 billion statewide, while county and university figures show the region supplies roughly 90% of the nation’s winter vegetables. In a place that feeds grocery shelves across the country, any change in Colorado River policy reaches growers, irrigation districts, packing sheds and household budgets.

Biggs’ appearance also underscored how far ahead he already is in the Republican primary. A recent Emerson College Polling survey showed him with 50% support, compared with 17% for Karrin Taylor Robson and 8% for David Schweikert, with 25% still undecided. He has also drawn endorsements from Rep. Paul Gosar, state Rep. Nick Kupper and President Donald Trump. The primary is set for July 21.

Water policy was the sharper of the two issues for Yuma. Biggs said he wants to see funds released for projects tied to the Colorado River, including the Yuma Desalting Plant. The Bureau of Reclamation says the plant was authorized under the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 and completed in 1992. It was built to treat saline agricultural return flows from the Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation and Drainage District, with the goal of preserving freshwater in Lake Mead by replacing Mexico deliveries with treated water.

Reclamation says the plant has operated only twice and has otherwise remained largely idle because of surplus, then normal, water-supply conditions on the river. Even so, the plant remains part of the political debate as several Colorado River operating agreements are scheduled to expire at the end of 2026. The City of Yuma has already submitted formal comments to Reclamation on the post-2026 guidelines process.