# David Gowan

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{{short description|American politician}}
{{use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name          = David Gowan
|image         = David Gowan by Gage Skidmore 3.jpg
|office        = 52nd Speaker of the [Arizona House of Representatives](/source/Arizona_House_of_Representatives)
|term_start    = January 12, 2015 
|term_end      = January 9, 2017
|predecessor   = [Andy Tobin](/source/Andy_Tobin)
|successor     = [J. D. Mesnard](/source/J._D._Mesnard)
|office1       = Member of the [Arizona Senate](/source/Arizona_Senate)
|term_start1   = January 9, 2023
|term_end1     = 
|predecessor1  = [Lupe Contreras](/source/Lupe_Contreras)
|successor1    = 
|constituency1 = [19th district](/source/Arizona's_19th_legislative_district)
|term_start2   = January 14, 2019
|term_end2     = January 9, 2023
|predecessor2  = [Gail Griffin](/source/Gail_Griffin)
|successor2    = [Warren Petersen](/source/Warren_Petersen)
|constituency2 = [14th district](/source/Arizona's_14th_legislative_district)
|office3       = Member of the [Arizona House of Representatives](/source/Arizona_House_of_Representatives)
|constituency3 = 14th district (2013&ndash;2017)<br>[30th district](/source/Arizona's_30th_legislative_district) (2009–2013)
|alongside3   = [David Stevens](/source/David_Stevens_(politician))
|term_start3  = January 2009
|term_end3    = January 9, 2017
|predecessor3 = Jonathan Paton
|successor3   = [Becky Nutt](/source/Becky_Nutt)
| birth_date   =
| birth_place  =
| death_date   =
| death_place  =
| party        = [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))
| alma_mater   = [University of Arizona](/source/University_of_Arizona)
| website      = [http://www.gowanforaz.com/ Campaign website]
}}

'''David M. Gowan Sr.'''<ref name="AL">{{cite web |url= http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=14&Legislature=51 |title= David M. Gowan Sr. |publisher= [Arizona State Legislature](/source/Arizona_State_Legislature) |location= [Phoenix, Arizona](/source/Phoenix%2C_Arizona) |access-date= January 2, 2014 |archive-date= January 2, 2014 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20140102202412/http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=14&Legislature=51 |url-status= dead }}</ref> is an American politician currently serving as a member of the [Arizona Senate](/source/Arizona_Senate) from the [19th district](/source/Arizona's_19th_legislative_district) since 2023, having previously represented the 14th district from 2019 to 2023. A member of the [Republican Party](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)), Gowan served in the [Arizona House of Representatives](/source/Arizona_House_of_Representatives) from 2009 to 2017, serving as the House's speaker from 2015 to 2017.<ref name="PVS">{{cite web |url= http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/28241 |title= David Gowan's Biography |publisher= [Project Vote Smart](/source/Project_Vote_Smart) | access-date= January 2, 2014}}</ref>

On October 5, 2015, Gowan announced his candidacy for [Arizona's 1st congressional district](/source/Arizona's_1st_congressional_district), but withdrew before the Republican primary.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sander|first1=Rebekah L.|title=Arizona House Speaker Gowan enters race for Congress|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2015/10/05/arizona-house-speaker-gowan-enters-race-congress/73377894/|website=AZCentral|access-date=July 1, 2016}}</ref>

==Career before politics==
Prior to entering politics, Gowan was a magazine distributor and [karate](/source/karate) instructor.<ref name=StephensonOdds>Hank Stephenson, [https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2014/12/01/rep-david-gowan-defies-the-odds-to-become-speaker-of-the-arizona-house/ A man with a plan: David Gowan defies the odds to become speaker of the House], ''Arizona Capitol Times'' (December 1, 2014).</ref>

==Political career==
Gowan made three unsuccessful bids for elected office before gaining election to the state Legislature.<ref name=StephensonOdds/> He was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2008, representing Legislative District 30 which encompassed a large part of Southern Arizona, primarily [Santa Cruz County, Arizona](/source/Santa_Cruz_County%2C_Arizona).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Arizona State Legislature|title=Member Roster|url=http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp?Body=H|website=Arizona State Legislature|access-date=June 1, 2016|archive-date=May 3, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503034030/http://www.azleg.gov/MemberRoster.asp?Body=H|url-status=dead}}</ref> Between 2009–2010 he served as Vice Chair of the Military Affairs and Public Safety Committee. In 2010, he sponsored and introduced the House version of [Arizona SB 1070](/source/Arizona_SB_1070).<ref>{{cite web|last1=Arizona State Legislature|title=SB 1070|url=http://www.azleg.gov//FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070o.asp&Session_ID=93|website=Arizona State Legislature|access-date=July 1, 2016}}</ref>

In 2013 he was elected as Majority Leader of the Republican Caucus.<ref name=StephensonOdds/>

In late 2013, Gowan was one of a number of Republican lawmakers, represented by the [Goldwater Institute](/source/Goldwater_Institute) who sued Governor [Jan Brewer](/source/Jan_Brewer) in an attempt to block the state's acceptance of [Medicaid expansion](/source/Medicaid_expansion) under the [Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act](/source/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act). The [Arizona Supreme Court](/source/Arizona_Supreme_Court) ultimately rejected the suit (originally called ''Biggs v. Cooper'' and then ''Biggs v. Betlach'') in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=Complaint in Biggs v. Brewer|url=http://kjzz.org/sites/default/files/biggs%20v%20brewer%20complaint.pdf|website=Arizona Superior Court|access-date=July 1, 2016}}</ref><ref>''[https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=15641651657753409441 Biggs v. Betlach]'', 404 P. 3d 1243 (Ariz. 2017).</ref><ref>Joseph Flaherty, [https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/arizona-supreme-court-upholds-medicaid-expansion-9879597 Arizona Supreme Court Upholds Medicaid Expansion in Blow to GOP Challenge], ''Phoenix New Times'' (November 17, 2017).</ref> Gowan maneuvered to oust fellow Republican [Bob Robson](/source/Bob_Robson_(politician)) from the chairmanship of the powerful Rules Committee due to Robson's support for Medicaid expansion.<ref name=StephensonOdds/>

In the 2015 legislative session he was chosen as Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives.<ref name=Santos>{{cite news|last1=Santos|first1=Fernanda|title=Speaker David Gowan Reshapes Arizona House, From the Carpets on Up|work=The New York Times |date=April 16, 2016 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/17/us/speaker-david-gowan-reshapes-arizona-house-from-the-carpets-on-up.html|access-date=July 1, 2016}}</ref> In the internal party race for the position, he defeated [J.D. Mesnard](/source/J.D._Mesnard) and [Eddie Farnsworth](/source/Eddie_Farnsworth), and became the first state House speaker from southern Arizona in more than 30 years.<ref name=StephensonOdds/>

During his tenure as Speaker, Gowan faced controversy including for spending House funds on redecorating.<ref name=Santos/>

In 2016, the ''Arizona Capitol Times'' revealed that Gowan had used a state vehicle while campaigning, collected ''[per diem](/source/per_diem)'' pay while campaigning and not conducting governmental business, and received mileage reimbursements while driving a state vehicle.<ref name=BanDrop/> Gowan denied any intentional violation of the law, and repaid the state more than $12,000 after his use of travel funds was publicly reported.<ref name=BanDrop>Bob Christie, [https://apnews.com/article/104fb58f2ee24dd4846deddabcb23f02 Arizona lawmaker drops ban on journalists who refuse checks], Associated Press (April 12, 2016).</ref> Gowan referred himself to the [Arizona Attorney General](/source/Arizona_Attorney_General)'s Office; in a memorandum released in 2017, the AG's Office decided not to pursue charges, concluding that although the "substantial disregard for determining whether state funds for per diem, mileage and official travel were paid pursuant to proper authority" was potentially a violation of state law, "the violations were not undertaken knowingly or intentionally but were instead attributable to negligence" and therefore did not meet the [criminal intent standard](/source/Mens_rea) for a prosecution.<ref>Paul Davenport, [https://apnews.com/article/c0173b92699244df852b491b95dd86c0 Arizona AG: No prosecution of ex-speaker after expense probe], Associated Press (July 18, 2017).</ref>

As state House speaker, Gowan generated controversy in April 2016 for revoking access of reporters to the House floor unless they agreed to an extensive criminal and civil background check. The publisher of the ''Arizona Capitol Times'' suggested that Gowan's change in the rule was in retaliation for its [investigative journalism](/source/investigative_journalism).<ref name=BanDrop/> After the sudden changes in the rules was criticized by the press corps, Gowan rescinded his directive.<ref name=BanDrop/><ref name=Santos/> Gowan's former press aide, [Stephanie Grisham](/source/Stephanie_Grisham), later became a confidant to [Melania](/source/Melania_Trump) and [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump), and [White House press secretary](/source/White_House_press_secretary) during the Trump administration.<ref>Darlene Superville, [https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-asia-politics-melania-trump-6f80dd23a6c9408f8dd95d628c2685c2 First lady's spokeswoman to be White House press secretary], Associated Press (June 25, 2019).</ref>

In 2016, Gowan sought the Republican nomination for the seat in the [U.S. House of Representatives](/source/U.S._House_of_Representatives) from the [Arizona's 1st congressional district](/source/Arizona's_1st_congressional_district), but withdrew shortly before the Republican primary and endorsed [Gary Kiehne](/source/Gary_Kiehne).<ref>David Bell, [https://www.eacourier.com/news/gowan-drops-out-of-congressional-race/article_9f50b9ce-6008-11e6-aebb-cb19f1d7ea56.html Gowan drops out of Congressional race], ''East Arizona Courier'' (August 11, 2016).</ref>

In 2018, Gowan ran for and won seat in the Legislative District 14 seat in the [Arizona Senate](/source/Arizona_Senate), succeeding [Gail Griffin](/source/Gail_Griffin).<ref>Hank Stephenson, [https://tucson.com/news/local/despite-checkered-past-david-gowan-leads-in-arizonas-ld14-senate-race/article_9f027d35-3c14-5047-aa78-0ab7e5eb5202.html Despite checkered past, David Gowan leads in Arizona's LD14 Senate race], ''Arizona Daily Star'' (August 28, 2018).</ref>

In 2020, Gowan sponsored legislation to change the [Arizona Corporation Commission](/source/Arizona_Corporation_Commission) (the state's public utilities regulator) from being an elected body to being a body appointed by the governor with confirmation by the state Senate.<ref>Jonathan J. Cooper, [https://apnews.com/article/e44c29848e458c8126c0dea366d94b35 Arizona lawmaker wants appointed utility commission], Associated Press (February 10, 2020).</ref>

In 2021, Gowan sponsored legislation that would allow the Arizona state Legislature to [override election results](/source/Attempts_to_overturn_the_2020_United_States_presidential_election); he later dropped the bill.<ref>Howard Fischer, [https://tucson.com/news/state-and-regional/southern-arizona-legislator-dumps-bill-to-let-lawmakers-override-election-results/article_4a44fe41-a0db-58c0-b9ee-6ce965800b8f.html Southern Arizona legislator dumps bill to let lawmakers override election results], Capitol Media Services (February 25, 2021).</ref>

==Personal life==
Gowan graduated from the [University of Arizona](/source/University_of_Arizona) with a degree in Secondary Education and Social Studies. He is currently married with two children and lives in [Sierra Vista, Arizona](/source/Sierra_Vista%2C_Arizona).

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=14&Legislature=51 Official page] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20140102202412/http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=14&Legislature=51 |date=January 2, 2014 }} at the [Arizona State Legislature](/source/Arizona_State_Legislature)
* [http://www.gowanforaz.com/ Campaign site] Congressional Campaign Page
* {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=28241 | fec= | congress= }}
* [http://ballotpedia.org/David_Gowan Biography] at [Ballotpedia](/source/Ballotpedia)
* [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/uniquecandidate.phtml?uc=4342 Financial information (state office)] at the National Institute for Money in State Politics

{{Arizona State Senate}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gowan, David}}
Category:Republican Party members of the Arizona House of Representatives
Category:Republican Party Arizona state senators
Category:Living people
Category:People from Sierra Vista, Arizona
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Speakers of the Arizona House of Representatives
Category:University of Arizona alumni
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century members of the Arizona State Legislature

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [David Gowan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gowan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gowan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.