People in the news

Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.)

U.S. Representative (since January 2007)

 

At a Glance

  • Career History: Arizona Senate (2002 to 2005); Arizona House of Representatives (2000 to 2002); CEO, El Campo Tire (1997 to 2000)
  • Birthday: June 8, 1970
  • Hometown: Tucson, Ariz.
  • Alma Mater: Scripps College, B.A., 1993; Cornell University, MS, 1996
  • Spouse: Mark E. Kelly
  • Religion: Jewish
  • DC Office: 1728 Longworth House Office Building; 202-225-2542
  • District Office: Tucson, 520-881-3588; Cochise, 520-459-3115
 

Path to Power

Giffords liked to talk about the accoutrements of Western life: her gun, her truck and her love of motorcycling (she was co-chair of the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus, after all). One of her first actions in Congress was to sponsor a resolution in support of a National Day of the Cowboy. As well as that played politically in Arizona, she had the biography to back it up.

Born and raised in Tucson, Giffords grew up working summers at the tire business that her grandfather founded in 1949. She didn't plan on taking over the family trade-instead, she studied Latin American history and sociology at Scripps College in California, and spent the next year in Chihuahua, Mexico, on a Fulbright scholarship.

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The Issues

In Congress, Giffords avoided the route of a partisan infighter. During the 111th Congress, Giffords has voted with a majority of her Democratic colleagues 89.6 percent of the time.

She declined to take shots at one of her own delegation members and the 2008 GOP presidential nominee -Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), whom she called "an independent thinking person, with a record of service that is second to none in regards to the military and public service."

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The Network

Giffords counts former Labor Secretary Robert Reich as a mentor (he also officiated at her wedding).

She has worked with Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) on immigration legislation, and frequently teams up with fellow Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva (D), head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus who nearly lost his seat in the 2010 elections because he pushed a boycott of his own state as a result of Gov. Jan Brewer's (R) controversial immigration law.

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Additional Resources

  1. Shacat, Jonathon, "Giffords hopes to secure funding for illegals program," San Pedro Valley News-Sun, February 5, 2008
  2. "Gabrielle Giffords: Top Donors," Opensecrets.org
  3. Grimes, Thelma, "Solar energy, immigration top congresswoman's priorities," Benson News-Sun, December 30, 2008
  4. "Solar Legislation," Gifford's House web site
  5. Rotstein, Arthur H. "Giffords Parlays Record, Timing to Ice 2nd Term," Associated Press, Nov. 5, 2008
  6. "Congress Votes database," The Washinton Post.
  7. Rafferty, Heidi, "Congresswoman's Heart is in the Stars," Military Spouse
  8. Grimes, Thelma, "Gabrielle Giffords Seeks Reelection," San Pedro Valley News-Sun, March 18, 2008
  9. Anderson, Judith, "Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly," The New York Times, December 2, 2007
  10. Duffy, Gary, "Giffords: Stimulus Will Soften Recession Blow in Arizona," Tuscon Citizen, February 27, 2009
  11. Ahearn, David, "Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Astronaut's Wife, Now Chairs House NASA Oversight Panel," Defense Daily, January 29, 2009
  12. Govtrack.us, H. Res. 984
  13. "Woman on the Move," Scripps Magazine, Spring 2007
  14. Swanson, Ian and Walter Alarkon, "Obama Budget Nixes Aid for Jailing Illegal Immigrants," The Hill, May 8, 2009
  15. Murray, Shailagh, The Washington Post, Rep. Giffords in Intensive Care, Doctor 'Optimistic,'" Jan. 8, 2011
  16. Libit, Daniel, "The Shuttle: Rep. Gabrielle Giffords," Politico, July 11, 2008
  17. Giffords, Gabrielle, "Fighting Terrorism in the Classroom," Marana Weekly News, April 30, 2008
  18. Gelles, David. "In Arizona, Giffords Tries to Find A Home in the Center," CongressDaily, May 23, 2007.
  19. Almanac of American Politics, 2007 edition.
  20. Nintzel, Jim, "Political Puppet Theater," Tucson Weekly, September 18, 2008
  21. Somashekhar, Sandra and Nakamura, David, The Washington Post, Gabrielle Giffords leaves Tucson, arrives in Houston for arduous rehabilitation, Jan, 21, 2011
  22. Statement on health-care reform, March 20, 2010
  23. "Giffords: A Driven Lawmaker," The Arizona Republic, October 23, 2008
  24. Moore, Miles. "Gabrielle Giffords: Red, white & true blue ...to tire industry, Congress," Tire Business, July 30, 2007
  25. Johnson, Sam and Gabrielle Giffords, "NEVA to the Rescue," Washington Times, June 28, 2008
  26. Burgess, Michael and Gabrielle Giffords. "Make rrrroom for motorcycle safety," The Washington Times, May 1, 2008
  27. "Military Personnel and Families," Gifford's House web site
  28. Rucker, Phillip, The Washington Post, Lawmakers concerned as health-care overhaul foes resort to violence, March 25, 2010