Paul Gosar

Paul Gosar
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 4th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Ed Pastor
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 1st district
In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Ann Kirkpatrick
Succeeded by	Ann Kirkpatrick
Personal details
Born	Paul Anthony Gosar (1958-11-27) November 27, 1958 Rock Springs, Wyoming, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Maude Gosar (3 children)
Residence	Flagstaff, Arizona (1985–2012) Prescott, Arizona (2012–present)
Alma mater	Creighton University (B.S, D.D.S)
Profession	dentist, politician
Religion	Roman Catholicism[1]
Website	House website

Paul Anthony Gosar^[2] (born November 27, 1958) is an American politician and member of the United States House of Representatives from Arizona since 2011, representing Arizona's 4th congressional district. The district includes most of the rural western portion of the state, as well as a few outer suburbs of Phoenix. He represented the neighboring 1st district during his first term. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life, education and dental career

Gosar was born in Rock Springs, Wyoming in 1958,^[1] son of Antone John Gosar and Bernadette M. (Erramouspe) Gosar. His paternal grandparents were Slovenian and his maternal grandparents were Basque immigrants from Banca, France.^[3] He is the older brother of Pete Gosar, a former college football player at the University of Wyoming, who is a former chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party and was a candidate for governor of Wyoming, in 2010^[4] and 2014.^[5]

Gosar received his B.A. from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, and later, his D.D.S. from the Boyne School of Dentistry at Creighton. He owned his own dentistry practice in Flagstaff for twenty-five years. He was the Arizona Dental Association's “Dentist of the Year” in 2001, and was inducted into the ADA Hall of Fame, also serving as its president. He was also president of the Northern Arizona Dental Society and vice-chair of the ADA council on governmental affairs.^[6]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2010

In 2009, Gosar – who had never run for elected office before – announced he would challenge Democratic incumbent Ann Kirkpatrick in the 1st district in the 2010 elections. Gosar has been identified as a Tea Party candidate by The New York Times because the Arizona Tea Party features Gosar on its website.^[7] Libertarian nominee Nicole Patti was also on the ballot.

Gosar won the Republican primary. He was endorsed by Sarah Palin and three Arizona county sheriffs: Maricopa County sheriff, Joe Arpaio, Coconino County sheriff, Joe Richards, and Pinal County sheriff, Paul Babeu.^[8] Kirkpatrick challenged him to five debates across the district.^[9][10] Gosar initially agreed to one debate but later withdrew. Gosar released a statement explaining the decision to withdraw from the debate was based on the long drive to and from KAET in Phoenix, which organized the debate.^[11] A producer at KAET said Gosar's staff told the station the candidate could not participate in the debate because he would be attending a fundraiser instead.^[12]

Gosar defeated Kirkpatrick in the November 2, 2010, general election, taking 49.7 percent of the vote.

2012

Following changes made in redistricting, Gosar was going to seek re-election in the 1st district, which was made less favorable to Republicans.^[13] However, with Kirkpatrick priming for a rematch, Gosar changed his mind and announced in January 2012 he would run in the newly created 4th district, which is heavily Republican. As part of the move, he bought a second home in Prescott, which he claimed as his official residence.^[14][15]

Gosar initially faced a tough primary fight against Babeu. However, Babeu pulled out in May 2012 due to allegations of abuse of power.^[16] Gosar then easily defeated former state senator Ron Gould and businessman Rick Murphy in the Republican primary, all but assuring him of a second term.

In the November general election, he defeated Democratic challenger Johnnie Robinson, with 67 percent of the vote.^[17]

Tenure

Abortion

Paul Gosar describes himself as pro-life. On abortions, Gosar states, “These procedures undeniably rob the world of a human life in a most cruel fashion... The right thing to do is to ban these procedures.”^[18] These beliefs are reflected in his voting record. Gosar cosponsored the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, a bill that would make permanent restrictions on federal funding of abortions in the US.^[19] Gosar also cosponsored the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, an act placing restrictions on abortions in the District of Columbia.^[20] Gosar was given a 100% rating by the National Right to Life Committee, a pro-life interest group, and a 0% rating by NARAL (National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League), a pro-choice interest group.^[21]

Gun rights

Gosar has stated that the “Second Amendment is one of the most important rights set forth by the Bill of Rights” and has stated he will “continue to oppose efforts to restrict, infringe, or remove this constitutionally protected right.”^[22] Gosar cosponsored the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011, a bill that would allow noncitizens of a state to, with concealed carry permits, carry concealed weapons in that state.^[23] Gosar also sponsored the “Amendment to Restore 2nd Amendment Rights on Army Corps of Engineers Administered Recreational Lands”, which would allow citizens to carry weapons on land administered by the Army Corps of Engineers.^[24] Gosar was endorsed by the NRA (National Rifle Association) and given a rating of 92%. He was also endorsed by Gun Owners of America, and given a rating of 75%.^[25]

Immigration

Regarding immigration, Gosar has stated, “I strongly believe we need to immediately secure our border and oppose amnesty for anyone who blatantly violates our law.”^[26] Gosar has cosponsored multiple bills that would impose regulations on immigration. For example, Gosar cosponsored the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011, a bill that would eliminate birthright citizenship for children born in the US to undocumented immigrants.^[27] Gosar also cosponsored the Keeping the Pledge on Immigration Act of 2011, a bill that would increase border security.^[28] Gosar was given an “A” rating by NumbersUSA, an organization in support of immigration reduction.^[29]

Native Americans

In December 2014, Gosar drew controversy when he referred to American Indians as "wards of the federal government". He was responding to concerns from members of the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in eastern Arizona when he made the comment that stunned people at the round-table talk in Flagstaff, Arizona. The topic had addressed the proposal to swap 2,400 acres of southeastern Arizona's Tonto National Forest for about 5,300 acres of environmentally sensitive land. The proposal, which was attached as a rider to the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act, would give land sacred to the Apache in Arizona to Resolution Copper Mine, a joint venture owned by Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton. Troy Eid, a Republican and former U.S. Attorney in Colorado, responded to Gosar's comments and said: "In the heated context of what this represents, it's especially inappropriate to be resorting to what amounts to race baiting." A Gosar spokesperson said his comments were misconstrued.^[30]

Finance

In 2010 Gosar signed a pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity promising to vote against any Global Warming legislation that would raise taxes.^[31]

Attempt to Impeach EPA Administrator

On September 11, 2015, Gosar announced that he had filed articles of impeachment against EPA administrator Gina McCarthy for "high crimes and misdemeanors:", claiming that she had "lied to the American people in order to force misguided and overreaching regulations, which have no scientific basis, down our throats.".^[32] An EPA spokeswoman said Gosar's resolution "has zero merit and is nothing more than political theater" while fellow Republican and House majority leader, Kevin McCarthy confirmed that “There’s no plan to impeach Gina McCarthy." ^[33]

Boycott of Pope Francis

On September 17, 2015, in an op-ed on the conservative website Townhall.com, Gosar announced that he would not attend Pope Francis' planned address to Congress, unless the Pope spoke about issues such as "violent Islam" or Planned Parenthood, instead of global warming. While he stated that he remains proud to be a Catholic and to have attended a Jesuit university, where he learned to "think critically [and] welcome debate and discussion," nonetheless, he would treat the Pope the same way he believes "leftist politicians" should be treated. Fearing the possibility the Pope would discuss climate change, he said "I will not attend."^[34] According to Gosar, Pope Francis had “adopted all of the socialist talking points, wrapped false science and ideology into ‘climate justice’ and is being presented to guilt people into leftist policies,”^[35] and Laudato si', Francis's encyclical on the environment, had been "written with the consultation of that great seminary the EPA and its embattled head Gina McCarthy."^[34] Gosar did skip Pope Francis's September 24 address, the only member of Congress to do so;^[36] the gesture generated comment on television and the Internet.^[37] Shortly after the Pope's visit, Gosar sent out a fundraising email that focused on his recent action. The message repeated, four times, the Townhall op-ed's catchphrase, "When the Pope chooses to act and talk like a leftist politician, then he can expect to be treated like one." Citing criticism from Stephen Colbert, an article in Salon.com, and an unnamed website, the message positioned Gosar as the victim of "unprecedented attacks" from "the liberals, the left-wing media and the Obama political machine": "I chose not to attend the speech of Pope Francis. And then 'all hell broke loose.' Will you support me by giving $15 to my campaign today? Will you help me fend off the liberal sharks who are out for my blood?"^[37] Phoenix news station Fox 10 wrote, "The whole thing was part of Gosar's latest fundraising pitch."^[36]

Committee assignments

• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
  • Subcommittee on Water and Power
  • Subcommittee on Indian and Alaska Native Affairs
• Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
  • Subcommittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives, vice-chair
  • Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations
  • Subcommittee on Government Organization, Efficiency and Financial Management

Caucus memberships

Gosar is a member of several caucuses.^[38]

• GOP Doctors Caucus
• Oral Health Caucus
• Western Caucus
• Native American Caucus
• Immigration Reform Caucus
• Military Veterans Caucus
• Israel Allies Caucus
• Congressional Rural Caucus
• Republican Study Committee
• Congressional Cement Caucus
• Freedom Caucus^[39]

Electoral history

References

External links

Wikisource has original works written by or about: Paul Anthony Gosar

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paul Gosar.

• Congressman Paul Gosar official U.S. House site
• Paul Gosar for Congress
• Appearances on C-SPAN
• Paul Gosar at DMOZ
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Profile at Project Vote Smart
• Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress