the other Senator from Arizona

Jon Kyl

Senator Representing Arizona

When most people think of Arizona politicians – especially Republican politicians – their mind usually wanders to John McCain.  But standing in the shadows of McCain is frequently ignored Jon Kyl.  Recognized as one of the Time 100 most influential people in the world in 2010, Kyl is known for his ability to get things done.  His noted work ethic has been at the heart of a professional progression that began in Phoenix and will conclude on January 3, 2013 as a U.S. Senator representing Arizona.  In spite of being overshadowed by that other senator, he is our Member of the Week.

Born in Nebraska, but growing up in Iowa – from which his father was a representative in the U.S. House for 12 years – Jon Kyl was destined for politics from day one.  After graduating from high school in 1960, Kyl attended the University of Arizona.  In 1963, during Kyl’s junior year, his father took him to Washington, D.C. for a summer and coached him in public speaking.  He graduated in 1964 with honors and immediately attended University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law, from which he graduated in 1966.  After law school, he joined the Phoenix law firm Jennings, Strouss and Salmon, where he served as a lawyer/lobbyist concentrating on water issues within the Arizona legislature.

His transition into politics was as straightforward as it gets.  As with many of the members profiled in the previous weeks, Kyl’s main competition in his initial bid for Congress was from his own party.  With deep ties in the business community, Kyl easily overcame John Conlan in the Republican primary.  He then was elected with %64.5 of the votes to represent the Republican-leaning 4^th district.  Elected to the House in 1987, Kyl served with little opposition until 1995.

The opportunity to upgrade to the marble-lined premises of Senate came in 1994.  With Senator Dennis DeConcini retiring in large part because of the Keating Five scandal, Kyl saw his chance.  He won the Republican nomination easily and faced Samuel G. Coppersmith, then a member of the House of Representatives, in the general election.  Like his election to the House in 1987, Kyl won his bid for Senate with little fuss.  His electoral history in the Senate started out relatively easy.  In 2000, he won reelection with 79% of the vote.  In 2006, he faced legitimate competition for the first time.  In large part to his strong support of George W. Bush and the war in Iraq, Kyl faced a difficult challenge from real-estate developer Jim Pederson.  In what would become the most expensive Senate race in Arizona history, Kyl raised more than $15 million, with Pederson raising just shy of that amount, and won with 53.3% of the vote.

In the Senate, Jon Kyl has been a leading conservative.  Through out his Senatorial career he has been rumored to be a candidate for openings on the U.S. Supreme Court and as attorney general.  He became GOP Steering Committee chairman in 2001 and then served as GOP Senate Policy Committee chairman from 2003 through 2007.  His rise through the Republican Party has been opportunistic.  In the 2006 elections, Senator Rick Santorum – then the Republican Conference chairman – was one of the many Republicans expunged from Senate.  Kyl soon became the Republican Conference chairman.  When then-Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott announced his retirement at the end of 2007, Kyl won that post without opposition.  His ascension to Minority Whip made him the only Arizona Republican to hold such a powerful leadership position.

A powerful Republican tasked with maintaining party discipline in the Senate, it is surprising that Kyl has voted with the Republican Party only 83% of the time.  In spite of his ability to compromise with Democrats, Kyl is considered a staunch conservative on most issues ranging from taxes to national defense and social programs.  His conservative leanings have recently made news.  During budget debates on April 8, 2011, Kyl spoke on the Senate floor and claimed that performing abortions was “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.”  After the remarks were shown to be false, a spokesperson for Kyl claimed that the statement “was not intended to be a factual statement.”  This led to well-documented ridicule by figures in the media, including Stephen Colbert.

Jon Kyl’s appeal, and the reason we featured him this week, lies in his role within politics.  He has made an effort throughout his career to stay out of the spotlight.  In return he has been successful and, most importantly, a politician capable of getting things done.  Jon Kyl represents the backroom dealings of politics, the same dealings that we are quick to villanize.  Yet these dealings, as Senator Jon Kyl has shown, are at the core of being productive in Congress.

– Amendment202

Enjoy our article on Jon Kyl, check out our other Members of the Week!