Anna Tovar
{{Short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Anna Tovar
|image = Anna Tovar by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg
|office = Member of the Arizona Corporation Commission
|term_start = January 11, 2021
|term_end = January 6, 2025
|predecessor = Bob Burns
|successor = Rachel Walden
|office1 = Minority Leader of the Arizona Senate
|term_start1 = October 29, 2013
|term_end1 = January 5, 2015
|predecessor1 = Leah Landrum Taylor
|successor1 = Katie Hobbs
|state_senate2 = Arizona
|district2 = 19th
|term_start2 = January 14, 2013
|term_end2 = January 5, 2015
|predecessor2 = Rich Crandall
|successor2 = Lupe Contreras
|state_house3 = Arizona
|district3 = 13th
|term_start3 = January 2009
|term_end3 = January 14, 2013
|predecessor3 = Steve Gallardo
|successor3 = Darin Mitchell
|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|education = Arizona State University, Tempe (BA)
|website = {{URL|tovarforarizona.com|Campaign website}}
}}
Anna Tovar is an American politician who served as a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission from 2021 to 2025. She previously served as Mayor of Tolleson, Arizona, as State Senator representing the 19th district, and as a State Representative. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Personal life and education
Tovar was raised in Tolleson, Arizona, where she met her husband, Juan Carlos Tovar.{{cite news |last=Westlake |first=Joan |title=Leading the Way |url=http://latinopm.com/features/leading-the-way-16267/3 |accessdate=September 5, 2013 |newspaper=Latino Perspectives Magazine |date=March 2013 |archive-date=March 31, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130331014611/http://latinopm.com/features/leading-the-way-16267/3 |url-status=live }} Tovar earned a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Arizona State University. Before going into politics, Tovar taught kindergarten and first grade.{{cite news |title=Anna Tovar |url=https://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/2012questionnaires/results.php?id=tovara |accessdate=September 5, 2013 |website=Arizona Republic |publisher=The Arizona Republic |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924044507/http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/2012questionnaires/results.php?id=tovara |url-status=dead }} She and her husband have two children.{{cite web |title=Anna Tovar |url=http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=125&Legislature=49&Session_ID=87 |accessdate=September 5, 2013 |publisher=Arizona State Legislature |archive-date=February 28, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228214722/http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=125&Legislature=49&Session_ID=87 |url-status=live }}
In 2002, Tovar was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, which required her to undergo chemotherapy and two bone-marrow transplants from her brother.{{cite web|last=Pitzl |first=Mary Jo |title=Arizona transplant policy personal for legislator |url=https://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/01/02/20110102arizona-transplant-policy-anna-tovar.html |accessdate=September 5, 2013 |publisher=The Arizona Republic|website=azcentral.com |date=January 2, 2011}}
Political career
Before being elected to the Arizona legislature, Tovar served on the Tolleson City Council and was also Tolleson's Vice Mayor.
Tovar was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2010. Tovar was elected to the Arizona Senate in 2012; she served on the Appropriations Committee and the Judiciary Committee. She was the Senate Democratic Minority Leader.{{cite web |title=Anna Tovar |url=http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=111&Legislature=51&Session_ID=110#bio |publisher=Arizona State Senate |accessdate=September 5, 2013 |archive-date=September 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916011423/http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=111&Legislature=51&Session_ID=110#bio |url-status=live }}
Tovar supports raising education spending, reforming the tax code, stopping the expansion of private prisons, and instituting stronger restrictions on gifts to legislators.
Tovar has been affiliated with JAG – Jobs for Arizona Graduates, WiLL/WAND – Women's Actions for New Directions, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, and the National Hispanic Caucus for State Legislators.
Tovar announced on February 9, 2024, that she would not seek reelection to the Corporation Commission.{{Cite news|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/2024/02/09/anna-tovar-arizona-corporation-commission-only-democrat-will-not-seek-new-term/72528007007/|work=Arizona Republic|date=February 9, 2024|first=Russ|last=Wiles|title=Tovar won't seek reelection to Arizona Corporation Commission, says it 'needs a shake-up'}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=87&Legislature=50&Session_ID=102 Official page] at the Arizona State Legislature
- [https://www.tovarforarizona.com/ Campaign Website]
- {{CongLinks | congbio= | votesmart=110962 | fec= | congress= }}
- [http://ballotpedia.org/Anna_Tovar Biography] at Ballotpedia
- [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/uniquecandidate.phtml?uc=144334 Financial information (state office)] at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-az-sen}}
{{s-bef|before=Leah Landrum Taylor}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the Arizona Senate|years=2013–2015}}
{{s-aft|after=Katie Hobbs}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Bob Burns}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Arizona Corporation Commission|years=2021–2025}}
{{s-aft|after=Rachel Walden}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tovar, Ann}}
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century members of the Arizona State Legislature
Category:Arizona city council members
Category:Arizona State University alumni
Category:Democratic Party Arizona state senators
Category:Democratic Party members of the Arizona House of Representatives
Category:People from Maricopa County, Arizona
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Women city councillors in Arizona