Ed Pastor

Ed Pastor
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arizona's 7th district
In office
January 3, 2013  January 3, 2015
Preceded by Raúl Grijalva
Succeeded by Ruben Gallego
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arizona's 4th district
In office
January 3, 2003  January 3, 2013
Preceded by John Shadegg
Succeeded by Paul Gosar
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arizona's 2nd district
In office
October 3, 1991  January 3, 2003
Preceded by Mo Udall
Succeeded by Trent Franks
Personal details
Born (1943-06-28) June 28, 1943
Claypool, Arizona, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Verma Mendez
Alma mater Arizona State University

Edward Lopez "Ed" Pastor (born June 28, 1943) is an American politician who was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Arizona from 1991 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in Congress from 1991 to 2015. He represented Arizona's 2nd congressional district from 1991 to 2003, and Arizona's 7th congressional district from 2003 to 2015. The latter district was numbered as the 4th district from 2003 to 2013.

Early life, education, and early career

Pastor was born in Claypool, Arizona, as the oldest of three children. After high school, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry from Arizona State University.[1] He became a chemistry teacher at North High School in Phoenix and later went on to work as deputy director of the community service group Guadalupe Organization Inc. After returning to ASU to earn a law degree, he became an assistant to Arizona Governor Raul Castro. In 1976, Pastor was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, and he served three terms in that role as a county executive.

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

In 1991, Pastor entered a special election to succeed retiring 28-year incumbent Democrat Mo Udall in the 2nd District, which then comprised the southwestern part of Arizona including parts of Phoenix and half of Tucson. In the Democratic primary—the real contest in what was then the only Democratic bastion in Arizona—he was the only candidate from Phoenix, while the other three candidates were all from Tucson. Due to the Tucsonites splitting that area's vote, Pastor won a narrow victory, defeating his closest challenger, Tucson mayor Tom Volgy, by 1,800 votes. He then won the special election a month later with 55 percent of the vote to become the first Latino to represent Arizona in Congress. He easily won a full term in 1992. He was reelected four times without substantive Republican opposition, never dropping below 60% of the vote.

After the 2000 United States Census, Arizona gained two congressional districts. Pastor's former territory was renumbered as the 7th District, but his home in Phoenix was drawn into the newly created 4th District. Rather than move to the Phoenix portion of the reconfigured 7th, Pastor opted to run in the 4th. The newly created district was heavily Democratic and majority-Latino, like Pastor's old district; Democrats have a nearly 2-to-1 advantage in registration.[2] He easily won in November. He was reelected six times against nominal Republican opposition.[3] His district was renumbered as the 7th after the 2010 census.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Pastor endorsed former U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) for President.

Tenure

Ed Pastor introducing President Bill Clinton in Phoenix in March 2016.

Pastor was one of the nine Chief Deputy Whips for the Democratic Caucus.[4] Following in Udall's footsteps, his voting record was decidedly liberal; for most of his tenure, he was the most liberal member of the Arizona congressional delegation. He was a founding member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, was pro-choice, and in 2006 supported the interests of the Planned Parenthood 100 percent, according to their records. In 2006, NARAL Pro-Choice America-Endorsements endorsed Representative Pastor.[5] He did not support the Iraq War.

In 2011, Pastor voted against the National Right to Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011.[6] He also voted against several bills that would encourage trade between countries such as Panama.[6] Furthermore, he voted to encourage the display of "In God We Trust" in public buildings and schools.[6]

In 2009-2010, Pastor was backed by the National Farmers Union. However, he was not supported by the National Council of Agricultural Employers.[6]

Pastor supported the rights of animals and opposed hunting. He was supported by the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund. This fund strives to protect wildlife and wild areas while opposing those who do not.[7]

Around the mid-1990s, Pastor was backed by the Americans for the Arts Action Fund.[6] However, since then, their support has dwindled somewhat.[6]

Pastor had a strong stance on Civil Rights regarding sexual orientation and race.[8] For example, in 2007, he voted to prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation and, in 2006, he voted against defining marriage as one man-one woman.[8] Finally, in 2004, he voted against a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.[8] In fact, in 2002, the ACLU rated Pastor at 93% for a pro-civil rights voting record.[8]

In February 2014, Pastor announced that he would not seek reelection and would instead retire upon the completion of his term. [9]

Committee assignments

Caucuses

Electoral history

Arizona's 2nd congressional district: Results 19912000[10]
Year Democratic Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
1991 Ed Pastor 32,289 55.54% Pat Conner 25,814 44.40% Bruce A. Friedemann Independent 33 0.06%
1992 Ed Pastor* 90,693 66.02% Don Shooter 41,257 30.03% Dan Detaranto Libertarian 5,423 3.95%
1994 Ed Pastor* 62,589 62.31% Robert MacDonald 32,797 32.65% James Bertrand Libertarian 5,060 5.04%
1996 Ed Pastor 81,982 65.01% Jim Buster 38,786 30.76% Alice Bangle Libertarian 5,333 4.23%
1998 Ed Pastor* 57,178 67.78% Ed Barron 23,628 28.01% Rick Duncan Libertarian 2,646 3.14% Gregory R. Schultz Reform 911 1.08%
2000 Ed Pastor* 84,034 68.54% Bill Barenholtz 32,990 26.91% Geoffrey Weber Libertarian 3,169 2.59% Barbara Shelor Natural Law 2,412 1.97%
Arizona's 4th congressional district: Results 20022010[10]
Year Democratic Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
2002 Ed Pastor 44,517 67.38% Jonathan Barnert 18,381 27.82% Amy Gibbons Libertarian 3,167 4.79%
2004 Ed Pastor* 77,150 70.12% Don Karg 28,238 25.67% Gary Fallon Libertarian 4,639 4.22%
2006 Ed Pastor* 56,464 72.86% Don Karg 18,627 23.57% Ronald Harders Libertarian 2,770 3.57%
2008 Ed Pastor* 89,721 72.11% Don Karg 26,435 21.25% Joe Cobb Libertarian 3,807 3.06% Rebecca DeWitt Green 4,644 3.59%
2010 Ed Pastor* 61,524 66.94% Janet Contreras 25,300 27.53% Joe Cobb Libertarian 2,718 2.96% Rebecca DeWitt Green 2,365 2.57%
Arizona's 7th congressional district: Results 2012
Year Democratic Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct 3rd Party Party Votes Pct
2012 Ed Pastor 104,489 81.74% Joe Cobb Libertarian 23,338 18.25%

Personal life

Pastor serves on the Board of Directors of Neighborhood Housing Services of America. He is also an Honorary Director to Timber Trails Children's Project, Inc.

References

  1. "Ed Pastor's Biography". Project Vote Smart.
  2. azsos.gov
  3. azsos.gov
  4. majoritywhip.house.gov
  5. vote-smart.org
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Edward Pastor - Ratings and Endorsements - Project Vote Smart". Votesmart.org. 1991-09-24. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  7. "Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund - Project Vote Smart". Votesmart.org. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Ed Pastor on the Issues". Ontheissues.org. 2012-06-10. Retrieved 2012-08-17.
  9. "Congressman Ed Pastor announces retirement". The Arizona Republic. 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2042-08-25. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  10. 1 2 "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by
Mo Udall
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arizona's 5th congressional district

1991–2003
Succeeded by
Trent Franks
Preceded by
John Shadegg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arizona's 4th congressional district

2003–2013
Succeeded by
Paul Gosar
Preceded by
Raúl Grijalva
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Arizona's 7th congressional district

2013–2015
Succeeded by
Ruben Gallego
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