Michele Reagan (born October 13, 1969) is a Republican and the 20th and current Arizona Secretary of State, succeeding Ken Bennett in 2015.
Early life
A native of Rockford, Illinois and a graduate of Illinois State University she first moved to Arizona in 1991 with her family and opened a FASTSIGNS.
Reagan graduated from Illinois State University and was named by the Aspen Institute to its Rodel Fellowship, a program designed to bring together elected officials who have demonstrated an outstanding ability to work responsibly across partisan divisions and bring greater civility to public discourse.
Career
Reagan was first elected to the Arizona State House in 2002. She was first elected to the Arizona State Senate in 2010. She was named Chair of the Commerce Committee in the House, and later, Chair of the Economic Development and Jobs Creation Committee in the Senate. Michele Reagan also contributed to the formation of the first Senate Elections Committee, of which she served as Committee Chair. Michele Reagan was elected to serve as Arizona's 20th Secretary of State in 2014.
Reagan voted in support of a bill that was referred as the “birther bill” in 2011, which required candidates to prove their citizenship to the secretary of state of Arizona, and bill 1062, a controversial religious freedom bill that was vetoed by Governor Jan Brewer.[1][2]
Reagan has earned her numerous awards and accolades including: Small Business Guardian from the National Federation of Independent Business, the Eye of the Eagle award from the Arizona Small Business Association and the Best Legislator in 2008 from the Arizona Capitol Times. Additionally, she was named one of the 50 most Influential Women in Arizona by AZBusiness Magazine in 2013. She has also received recognition from The Wish List, a Republican organization working to elect pro-choice Republican women, and that works closely with the Republican Majority for Choice.
In 2016, Reagan proposed a bill in the Arizona Legislature ostensibly simplify elections, which would allow dark money groups to spend twice as much money on ballot measures as legally allowed, and allow nonprofit groups to spend more on elections.[3]
Personal life
Michele Reagan and her husband, David, currently reside in Scottsdale. She has no relation to the family of Ronald Reagan.
Electoral history
Arizona House of Representatives District 8 Republican Primary Election, 2002 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan |
6,348 |
24.20 |
Republican |
Colette Rosati |
4,722 |
18.00 |
Republican |
Ron McCullagh |
4,554 |
17.36 |
Republican |
Robert Ditchey |
4,004 |
15.26 |
Republican |
Scott Steingard |
3,459 |
13.19 |
Republican |
Kathleen Gillis |
3,146 |
11.99 |
Arizona House of Representatives District 8 Election, 2002 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan |
33,251 |
39.68 |
Republican |
Colette Rosati |
25,607 |
30.56 |
Democratic |
Ginny Chin |
24,946 |
29.77 |
Arizona House of Representatives District 8 Republican Primary Election, 2004 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan (inc.) |
13,890 |
45.88 |
Republican |
Colette Rosati (inc.) |
9,199 |
30.38 |
Republican |
Royce Flora |
7,186 |
23.74 |
Arizona House of Representatives District 8 Election, 2004 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan (inc.) |
50,806 |
34.44 |
Republican |
Colette Rosati (inc.) |
41,496 |
28.13 |
Democratic |
Nancy Stein |
28,480 |
19.31 |
Democratic |
Nancy Buel |
26,737 |
18.12 |
Arizona House of Representatives District 8 Republican Primary Election, 2006 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan (inc.) |
11,302 |
35.81 |
Republican |
John Kavanagh |
7,979 |
25.28 |
Republican |
James Burke |
5,712 |
18.10 |
Republican |
Carolyn Schoenrock |
3,854 |
12.21 |
Republican |
Travis Junion |
2,717 |
8.61 |
Arizona House of Representatives District 8 Election, 2006 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan (inc.) |
40,118 |
32.89 |
Republican |
John Kavanagh |
35,260 |
28.90 |
Democratic |
Stephanie Rimmer |
26,684 |
21.87 |
Democratic |
William Sandberg |
19,931 |
16.34 |
Arizona House of Representatives District 8 Election, 2008 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan (inc.) |
54,780 |
38.29 |
Republican |
John Kavanagh (inc.) |
50,507 |
35.30 |
Democratic |
Stephanie Rimmer |
37,793 |
26.41 |
Arizona State Senate District 8 Election, 2010 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan |
52,532 |
69.95 |
Democratic |
Stuart Turnansky |
22,570 |
30.05 |
Arizona Secretary of State Republican Primary Election, 2014 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan |
217,741 |
43.24 |
Republican |
Justin Pierce |
174,422 |
34.63 |
Republican |
Wil Cardon |
111,444 |
22.13 |
Arizona Secretary of State Election, 2014 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
Republican |
Michele Reagan |
779,226 |
52.22 |
Democratic |
Terry Goddard |
712,918 |
47.78 |
References
External links
Current statewide political officials of Arizona |
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U.S. Senators | | |
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State government |
- Doug Ducey, Governor
- Michele Reagan, Secretary of State
- Mark Brnovich, Attorney General
- Jeff DeWit, Treasurer
- Diane Douglas, Superintendent of Public Education
- Joe Hart, Mine Inspector
- Andy Tobin, Bob Burns, Tom Forese, Doug Little, Bob Stump, Arizona Corporation Commission
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Political party affiliations:
italics indicate no secretary of state in this state, closest equivalent listed |
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Next-in-line of succession for states and territories without lieutenant governors:
Political party affiliation:
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