Steve Montenegro | |
---|---|
Member of the ArizonaHouseofRepresentatives from the 29th district | |
Assumed office January 9, 2023 Servingwith Austin Smith | |
Preceded by | Richard Andrade |
Member of the Arizona Senate from the 13th district | |
In office January 9,2017 –December 15,2017 | |
Preceded by | Don Shooter |
Succeeded by | Sine Kerr |
Member of the ArizonaHouseofRepresentatives from the 13th district | |
In office January 14,2013 –January 9,2017 Servingwith Darin Mitchell | |
Preceded by | Martha Garcia |
Succeeded by | Don Shooter |
Member of the ArizonaHouseofRepresentatives from the 12th district | |
In office January 12,2009 –January 14,2013 Servingwith Jerry Weiers | |
Preceded by | John B. Nelson |
Succeeded by | Warren Petersen |
Personal details | |
Born | Steve Montenegro 1981 (age 42–43) El Salvador |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Melissa |
Children | 1 |
Education | Logos University Arizona State University (BS) |
Website | Campaign website |
Steve Montenegro is a Salvadoran-American Republican politician from Litchfield Park,Arizona who is a member of the Arizona House of Representatives,elected in 2022. He is a former member of the Arizona Senate. He was previously a member of the Arizona House of Representatives,from 2009 to 2017,where he was Speaker Pro Tempore. [1]
In 2014,Montenegro was chosen to serve as Majority Leader in the 2015–2017 session. [2] He resigned from the state senate on December 15,2017 to focus on his congressional campaign. He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Arizona's 8th congressional district special election,2018. [3]
Montenegro was born in El Salvador and at age four immigrated to the United States with his family. According to his official biography,he graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Political Science. He also holds an Associate of Arts in Theology from CBAN and Logos Christian University. [4]
Before his election to the state House,Montenegro was a district representative for Republican Congressman Trent Franks. [5]
Montenegro was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in November 2008,succeeding John B. Nelson. [6] He represents Legislative District 13 (the former District 12),which includes Goodyear,Litchfield Park,Avondale,and also Luke Air Force Base.
Montenegro was a Donald Trump delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention. [5] He was also a frequent defender of the President on national TV,where his status as a conservative Latino made him a popular foil for liberal hosts and guests like Jorge Ramos,Anna Navarro,Chris Cuomo,and Jake Tapper. [7]
He was the only Hispanic in the Arizona legislature to vote for the highly controversial Arizona SB 1070. In response to accusations of racial profiling of Hispanics,he replied by saying that "This bill has nothing to do with race or profiling. It has to do with the law. We are seeing a lot of crime here in Arizona because of the open borders that we have."
During the controversial 2021 audit,Montenegro was one of the people who had control over the combative and controversial “Audit War Room”Twitter account. [8] Montenegro has also appeared alongside Patrick Byrne,Michael Flynn,Jovan Hutton Pulitzer,and other election conspiracy theorists in his capacity as an executive with The America Project. [8]
In 2023,Montenegro filed a complaint alleging corruption in the Tempe Council race but withdrew his claims within 24 hours,the same day it was revealed through the public record disclosure of texts with CyberNinja's CEO Doug Logan that he had met privately with Logan while the audit was underway at a hotel in Scottsdale. [9]
Montenegro resigned his seat in the Arizona Senate in order to run full time for the Republican nomination to the U.S. House of Representatives in the special election in Arizona's 8th congressional district in 2018. [10] He had been endorsed by U.S. Representative Trent Franks (who held the seat until his resignation in 2017 following accusations of sexual misconduct). He was also endorsed by former Sheriff Joe Arpaio. [11] During his campaign,Montenegro emphasized his support for President Donald Trump. [5]
During the campaign,it was revealed that he had received nude selfies and other sexual pictures from a female capitol staffer,although her attorney confirmed there was no physical relationship between the two. [3] The staffer reportedly sent multiple sexual pics of herself,including a topless photo,to which Montenegro requested she send them on Snapchat,which deletes photos immediately. Montenegro initially called the story "false tabloid trash",but when texts of the files were presented indicating not only his acceptance of the photos,but being an active participant in the sexting,he admitted to the story and denied only a few parts. He ultimately said,"I am confident the voters will see through these deplorable pack of lies thrown out by a liberal attorney with a clear agenda of attacking conservatives." [3]
He was subsequently defeated in the GOP primary by former AZ State Senator Debbie Lesko,who went on to defeat the Democratic nominee Hiral Tipirneni. [12]
He has served on the Advisory Board of the Arizona Charter Academy. [13]
The 2008 congressional elections in Arizona were held on November 4,2008,to determine who would represent the state of Arizona in the United States House of Representatives,coinciding with the presidential election. Representatives are elected for two-year terms;those elected would serve in the 111th Congress from January 4,2009,until January 3,2011.
The 2012 United States Senate election in Arizona was held November 6,2012,alongside a presidential election,other elections to the United States Senate in other states,as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Senator Jon Kyl (R),the Senate Minority Whip,decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. U.S. Representative Jeff Flake (R) won the open seat. As of 2024,this was the last time that a Republican won Arizona's Class 1 Senate seat.
The 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona were held on Tuesday,November 6,2012,to elect the nine U.S. representatives from the state,one from each of the state's nine congressional districts,including the newly created 9th district following the 2010 United States census. The elections coincided with other federal and state elections,including a quadrennial presidential election,and a U.S. Senate election. Primary elections were held on August 28,2012.
The 2002 congressional elections in Arizona were elections for Arizona's delegation to the United States House of Representatives,which occurred along with congressional elections nationwide on November 5,2002. Arizona has eight seats,as apportioned during the 2000 United States census and thus gaining two since the previous election. Democrats and Republicans each gained a seat as result,with Republicans having six seats and Democrats having two seats.
The 2014 Arizona gubernatorial election was held on November 4,2014,to elect the Governor of Arizona,concurrently with elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona were held on Tuesday,November 4,2014,to elect the nine U.S. representatives from the state of Arizona,one from each of the state's nine congressional districts,with Democratic and Republican primaries taking place on August 26. The elections coincided with the elections of other federal and state offices,including governor of Arizona.
Darin Mitchell is an American politician and a former Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 13 since January 14,2013 until he was defeated for reelection.
Phil Lovas is an American politician and formerly a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 22. Lovas served consecutively in the District 4 seat from his appointment by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors February 21,2012 until January 14,2013,to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Judy Burges to take the Arizona Senate District 4 seat.
David Livingston is an American politician and a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 28. He previously served in the Arizona Senate representing District 22 from 2019 to 2023. He also served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019. During the 52nd Legislature of Arizona,Livingston was the House Majority Whip. Livingston announced that he was running for State Treasurer in 2022,but withdrew before the primary.
Justin Olson is an American politician who served as a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission. Olson is a former member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 25 from January 14,2013,until 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Heather Carter is an American politician and a former Republican member of the Arizona State Senate representing District 15 from 2019 to 2021. She previously served in the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 15 from 2013 to 2019. Carter also previously served consecutively from 2011 until 2013,in the District 7 seat.
Debra Kay Lesko is an American politician who has represented Arizona's 8th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2018. The district is in the West Valley portion of the Phoenix metropolitan area and includes Glendale,Surprise,Sun City,Peoria,and part of western Phoenix. A member of the Republican Party,Lesko previously served in the Arizona State Legislature from 2009 to 2018.
Franklin M. Pratt was an American politician who served as a Republican member of the Arizona State Senate. He had previously been a member of the Arizona House of Representatives,representing District 8. Pratt served consecutively from January 2009 until January 14,2013,in the District 23 seat.
Don Shooter is an American politician from Arizona. A Republican,Shooter was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives representing District 13 from January 14,2017,until February 1,2018,when he was expelled from the House after several women accused Shooter of sexual harassment.
The 2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Arizona were held on November 8,2016,to elect the nine U.S. representatives from the state of Arizona,one from each of the state's nine congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the House of Representatives,elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The primaries were held on August 30.
A special election for Arizona's 8th congressional district was held in 2018 subsequent to the resignation of Republican U.S. Representative Trent Franks. Governor Doug Ducey called a special primary election for Tuesday,February 27,2018,and a special general election for the balance of Franks' eighth term for Tuesday,April 24,2018.
Hiral Vyas Tipirneni is an Indian-American politician and physician. She worked for 10 years in Phoenix,Arizona area Emergency Departments,is a cancer research advocate,and serves on the board of directors of the Maricopa Health Foundation. In 2018,she was the Democratic nominee for special election for Arizona's 8th congressional district,which was called to fill the congressional seat after former GOP Representative Trent Franks resigned following a sexual misconduct scandal.
The 2018 Arizona Secretary of State election took place on November 6,2018,to elect the Secretary of State of Arizona,concurrently with the election of Arizona's Class I U.S. Senate seat,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2018 Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction election took place on November 6,2018,to elect the Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction,concurrently with the election of Arizona's Class I U.S. Senate seat,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2022 Arizona Secretary of State election was held on Tuesday November 8,to elect the next Secretary of State of Arizona. Incumbent Secretary of State Katie Hobbs declined to run for a second term to instead run for governor. Primary elections were held on August 2,2022. Democrat and former Maricopa County recorder Adrian Fontes defeated Republican representative Mark Finchem by 4.8%.