Jan Brewer

Political Start

Later, when married with children, Brewer’s interest in politics sprung out of her concern for her three kids’ educations. She began attending school board meetings in Deer Valley Ariz., in 1981, and was unimpressed.Scarpinato, Daniel, “Brewer takes office with stimulus vow,” The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson), January 22, 2009 "I said that I could do a job just as well as those people were doing ... if not better," she told the Arizona Republic in late 2008.MacEachern, Doug, “Snapshots of the next governor,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), December 7, 2008

Brewer intended, then, to run for the board, but saw an opening in her local legislative district instead. "I thought, 'Well, maybe I could have bigger a impact on education by going to the Legislature,' " she told the Arizona Daily Star.Scarpinato, Daniel, “Brewer takes office with stimulus vow,” The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson), January 22, 2009

Nearly every race Brewer has run has been contested. Often, her opponents were more experienced; Brewer has acknowledged being “dumbfounded” when launching her first campaign and learning that politics required asking total strangers to sign her nominating petitions.MacEachern, Doug, “Snapshots of the next governor,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), December 7, 2008 She won her first election and became the state representative, a position she’d keep for three years before winning a position in the state Senate. Seven years later, she’d advanced to majority whip.

Brewer then became a Maricopa County supervisor, overseeing Phoenix and the surrounding area. She took office in the fourth-largest county in the nation when Governing magazine called it one of the worst-run counties in the nation.MacEachern, Doug, “Snapshots of the next governor,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), December 7, 2008 The county’s budget shortfall was so large, it was borrowing money to meet payroll.Duda, Jeremy, and Palmer, Christian, “Arizona Republicans optimistic about incoming Brewer administration.” Arizona Capitol Times, December 5, 2008 When she left that office, after serving as chairman of the board, Maricopa County’s “sparkling reputation” was “one of the best” in the country.MacEachern, Doug, “Snapshots of the next governor,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), December 7, 2008

Arizona Secretary of State

Media reports called the 2002 Arizona secretary of state race “often down-and-dirty”MacEachern, Doug, “Snapshots of the next governor,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), December 7, 2008 and noted that the two frontrunners had “been taking jabs at each other since the early days of the primary.”Revere, C.T., “ELECTION 2002: SECRETARY OF STATE” Tucson Citizen, August 16, 2002

Republican primary opponent Sal DiCiccio accused Brewer of raising property taxes as a county supervisor (she voted to lower the tax rate, but the county collected more revenue because of an increase in property valuations).
 
Brewer won the primary with 45 percent of the vote. Her opponents in the general election were Chris Cummiskey (D) and Sean Nottingham (Libertarian), whom she fought on a largely conservative, anti-abortion rights platform.Bodfield, Rhonda and Corella, Hipolito. “Cummiskey makes abortion an issue,” Arizona Daily Star (Tucson), October 30, 2002 She also supported reform of the state’s voting system, suggesting during her campaign ways to reduce fraud and tactics to increase voter turnout.Bodfield, Rhonda. “How to improve the voting process,” Arizona Daily Star (Tucson), October 8, 2002Brewer won by a narrow margin,Diaz, Elvia. “SLIM MARGINS MAKE RACES TOO CLOSE TO CALL,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix),  November 6, 2002just 23,000 votes away from Cummiskey.Scutari, Chip. “20,000 Votes And Counting,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), November 8, 2002

As secretary of state, Brewer instituted a vote-by-fax program for overseas military troops, which was later adopted by other municipalities, like San Francisco.Berry, Jahna. “Incumbent Brewer Dwells on Experience and Results,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), October 3, 2006 She also helped marshal the changes brought by 2004’s Proposition 200, which required Arizonans to show proof of citizenship before registering to vote and idenfication at the polls.Benson,  Matthew. “Likely Ariz. Governor seen as competent, partisan,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), Dec. 14, 2008

Governor

Brewer became governor when Janet Napolitano ascended to Homeland Security Department secretary in January 2009. She is running for a full-term in 2010, and faces a primary fight from State Treasurer Dean Martin (R) and Owen "Buz" Mills (R).

Immigration

In April 2010, Brewer threw herself into the cauldron of national politics when she signed a controversial immigration bill Text of Senate Bill 1070, Arizona Legislature that required Arizona police to enforce federal immigration law. The law is considered the toughest one in the country and drew a sharp rebuke from President Obama.

The law requires anyone suspected of being in the U.S. illegally to produce proof of citizenship and makes it illegal to block traffic by picking up day laborers for work.Craig Harris, Alia Beard Rau and Glen Creno, "Arizona governor signs immigration law; foes promise fight," April 24, 2010

"This bill strengthens the laws of our state, protects all of us, every Arizona citizen," Brewer said. "It does so while ensuring that the constitutional rights of all remain solid, stable."Craig Harris, Alia Beard Rau and Glen Creno, "Arizona governor signs immigration law; foes promise fight," April 24, 2010

The Economy

Generally a fiscal conservative, Brewer pledged in her inaugural gubernatorial address to keep taxes low, hoping to encourage growth as well as attract business from California.Inaugural Address

Yet fewer than two months into her term, Brewer did what many considered unthinkable: she proposed a tax increase in front of both houses of the legislature. Two Republicans walked out mid-speech.Benson, Matthew, “Brewer a bit of a surprise,” The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), May 1, 2009 Her fiscal year 2010 budget proposal, released later, detailed the tax increase as a temporary one percent sales tax hike, while the budget itself cut $600 million in spending.Jan Brewer's FY10 Budget Brewer said she was forced to ask for the tax because of the $4 billion state budget deficit during the 2008-2009 recession.

Mental Health and Homelessness

As a legislator and county supervisor, Brewer fought for spending on mental-health programs. She led efforts to build Maricopa County’s $23 million project that provided assistance for the homeless and people suffering from mental-health problems.Duda, Jeremy, and Palmer, Christian, “Arizona Republicans optimistic about incoming Brewer administration.” Arizona Capitol Times, December 5, 2008

She also introduced bills to establish procedures for trying mentally-ill defendants in court, to create commissions to study Alzheimer’s patient services and to appropriate money for crisis centers for the mentally ill.Duda, Jeremy, “Longtime Brewer priorities reflected in budget adjustments,” Arizona Capitol Times, February 6, 2009 After the state legislature hammered out a quick fix to Arizona’s crushing deficit in early January 2009, eliminating a $1.6 billion shortfall, she restored $9.7 million in funding for behavioral health services and homeless programs.Duda, Jeremy, “Longtime Brewer priorities reflected in budget adjustments,” Arizona Capitol Times, February 6, 2009