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Revision as of 16:16, 7 December 2006
| Janet Napolitano | |
|---|---|
| File:Janet Napolitano.jpgTemplate:Unverifiedimage | |
| 25 Governor of Arizona | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Jane Dee Hull |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 29, 1957 New York City, New York |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | single |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Janet Napolitano (b. November 29, 1957) is the current governor of the U.S. state of Arizona, originally elected in 2002, and re-elected in 2006. She is Arizona's third female governor, and the first female to win re-election. Born in New York City of partial Italian heritage (on her father's side), and raised a Methodist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, she graduated from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California, where she won a Truman Scholarship, and then from the University of Virginia School of Law (Juris Doctor). Napolitano is a member of the Democratic Party. Her early professional career was as a Phoenix-area prosecuting attorney as a U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona.
In November 2005, Time magazine named her one of the five best governors in the U.S. In February 2006, TheWhiteHouseProject.org named Janet Napolitano one of its "8 in '08", a group of eight female politicians who could possibly run and/or be elected president in 2008.
In May 2006, she received an honorary doctor of laws degree presented by Peter Likins, president of the University of Arizona, on behalf of Toni Massaro, dean of the James E. Rogers College of Law.
Political career
In 1993, Napolitano was appointed by President Bill Clinton as United States attorney for the District of Arizona. As U.S. attorney, she was heavily involved in the investigation of Michael Fortier of Kingman, Arizona, in connection to the Oklahoma City bombing. She ran for and won the position of state attorney general in 1998. Her tenure focused on consumer protection issues and improving general law enforcement. Later on, Napolitano was diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent a mastectomy.
She won the gubernatorial election of 2002 with 46 percent of the vote, succeeding Republican Jane Dee Hull and defeating her Republican opponent, former congressman Matt Salmon, who received 45 percent of the vote. Her strongest electoral support came from low-income, women, and Latino voters. Napolitano was the first female US governor to succeed another.
Some initially considered Napolitano to be a possible running mate for presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry in the 2004 U.S. presidential election but Sen. John Edwards was selected instead. She appeared at Kerry campaign events and spoke out against passage of Proposition 200, an initiative to limit state benefits to illegal immigrants that would go on to be approved by voters.
On major issues, Napolitano supports legal abortion and the death penalty for serious crimes. In early 2005 she proposed that a possible future vote on a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage be held that year instead of in 2006, citing her questioning of the validity of such a measure given that it was already banned under state law. This move instigated controversy with conservative legal groups planning to campaign for the measure.
She was the recruitment chair for the Democratic Governors Association for 2005-2006. She is also the current chair of the National Governors Association, the first female governor and first governor of Arizona ever to serve in that position.
In November, 2006, Napolitano swept to victory, defeating Republican Len Munsil, a Christian conservative, by a nearly 2-1 ratio. Prominent Arizona Republicans opted to not challenge her in the election.
Administration policies
As governor, Napolitano has promoted all-day kindergarten, restricted water usage, and increased public health spending. She supports the development of biotechnology and public-private collaboration on related projects, especially within the state university system. She also supports universal health care.
Arizona's security has been a prominent theme in light of recent events affecting her administration. In March 2003, amidst fears of a terrorist attack in Arizona following the Iraq war, Napolitano dispersed US National Guard troops to the Palo Verde nuclear power plant facility west of Phoenix. Continued and growing illegal immigration along the U.S.-Mexico border has led her to increase efforts in this area; however she has vetoed much of the border protection legislation sent to her. In August 2005, Napolitano declared a state of emergency effective in Arizona's Mexican border counties, following a similar declaration by New Mexico governor Bill Richardson. Neither of these efforts have seen much result and both are largely considered to be political grandstanding. The continuing statewide drought, reforming the troubled Child Protective Services system, and the January 2004 hostage crisis at Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis (the longest in US history) have presented serious challenges to her as well.
Napolitano's usual position on budget issues has been to defend education and health expenditures as "investing in what matters," citing the benefits of economic growth and some improvements in Arizona's generally low social indicators. Faced with a conservative State Legislature, she issued her 115 veto on June 6, 2006, breaking the record previously held by former Governor Bruce Babbitt. By the end of June 2006 her total had grown to 127 vetoes.
Napolitano is a supporter of the Arizona 9/11 Memorial located in Phoenix adjacent to the State Capitol. The memorial consists of concentric rings that have written statements inscribed in them that, with sunlight, reflect on the pavement below. The memorial has raised controversy due to charges that it is political in context.
Quotes
"Renewing our schools, building a better economy, being good stewards of our water and our land, increasing the availability of health care and improving the security of our state: these are my goals and dreams for Arizona." (State of the State Address, January 10, 2005)
2006 re-election campaign
Pre-election polling
Cronkite-Eight - October 24, 2006, registered voters, +/-3%
| Polls | % |
| Janet Napolitano | 67% |
| Len Munsil | 24% |
| Barry Hess | 1% |
Zogby/Wall Street Journal - September 19-September 25, 2006, likely voters, +/-4%
| Polls | % |
| Janet Napolitano | 50.4% |
| Len Munsil | 41 |
| Barry Hess | 4% |
Cronkite-Eight - September 21-24, 2006, registered voters, +/-3%
| Polls | % |
| Janet Napolitano | 64% |
| Len Munsil | 28% |
| Barry Hess | 2% |
Rasmussen Reports - September 18, 2006, likely voters
| Polls | % |
| Janet Napolitano | 56% |
| Len Munsil | 38% |
Survey USA - September 16-18, 2006, likely voters, +/-4.6%
| Polls | % |
| Janet Napolitano | 56% |
| Len Munsil | 40% |
2006 Election
Napolitano turned back a challenge from Republican Len Munsil, becoming the first female Arizona governor in history to win re-election.
See also
- Arizona gubernatorial election, 2006
- AHCCCS: Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (state Medicaid program)
- AIMS: Arizona's Instrument to Measure Standards (state standardized test for high school students)
- Protect Arizona Now: Proposition 200
- Arizona-Mexico Commission
- Matt Salmon
- Western Governors University Napolitano is one of two current governors on the WGU board.
References
- Benson, Matthew (2006-06-29). "Governor vetoes 9 of final 28 bills". Arizona Republic.
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External links
- Janet Napolitano for Governor Official website
- Arizona Citizen's Clean Elections website
- 2002 Election
- Napolitano Biography
- CBS News Article
- Impact of Napolitano's goals Jan. 11, 2005 The Arizona Republic
| Preceded byGrant Woods | Attorney General of Arizona 1999–2003 |
Succeeded byTerry Goddard |
| Governors of Arizona | ||
|---|---|---|
| Territorial (1863–1912) |  | |
| State (since 1912) | ||