Steve Gaynor
{{Short description|American businessman and political candidate}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Steve Gaynor
|image = File:Steve Gaynor (44831689025) (cropped).jpg
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|4|27}}
|birth_place = New York, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican
|spouse = Dorothy Gaynor
|education = Swarthmore College (BA)
Harvard University (MBA)
}}
Steven Jeffrey Gaynor{{cite web |title=Steven Gaynor Political Campaign Contributions 2016 Election Cycle|url=https://www.campaignmoney.com/political/contributions/steven-gaynor.asp?cycle=16 |access-date=11 February 2022}} is an American businessman and political candidate in Arizona. He ran for Secretary of State of Arizona in 2018, and won the Arizona Republican Party nomination, but narrowly lost the general election to Democrat Katie Hobbs. Gaynor was a candidate in the Republican primary for the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election before he withdrew from the race in April 2022.
Early life and education
Gaynor is originally from New York. He graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School.{{Cite web|date=2018-10-01|title=Steve Gaynor: Campaigning to ensure better elections {{!}} Arizona Jewish Life|url=https://azjewishlife.com/steve-gaynor-campaigning-to-ensure-better-elections/|access-date=2021-06-26|language=en-US}} Gaynor is Jewish.{{cite web |last1=Enquist |first1=Nick |title=Jewish candidate could make state history |url=https://www.jewishaz.com/community/jewish-candidate-could-make-state-history/article_9cd09cac-ccb0-11e8-a792-ef7c7cbcc6c6.html |website=Jewish News of Greater Phoenix |access-date=14 February 2022}}
Business career
Gaynor moved to Arizona in 1981{{Cite web|last=Writer|first=Nick Enquist {{!}} Staff|title=Jewish candidate could make state history|url=https://www.jewishaz.com/community/jewish-candidate-could-make-state-history/article_9cd09cac-ccb0-11e8-a792-ef7c7cbcc6c6.html|access-date=2021-06-26|website=www.jewishaz.com|language=en}} and purchased a small printing company which he grew to employ 350 people by 2007. In 2014 his printing company paid $134,000 to settle claims of underpaid workers.{{cite web |last1=Gardiner |first1=Dustin |title=Steve Gaynor, Arizona secretary of state candidate, was accused of underpaying workers |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/09/28/steve-gaynor-arizona-secretary-state-candidate-settled-california-lawsuit-overtime/1426128002/ |website=The Arizona Republic}}
Political career
In 2018 he ran as the Arizona Republican Party for Secretary of State of Arizona, defeating Michelle Reagan for the nomination.{{cite web |last1=Whitman |first1=Elizabeth |title=Piecing Together Steve Gaynor |url=https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/who-is-steve-gaynor-gop-candidate-arizona-secretary-state-voter-id-10958608 |website=Phoenix New Times |date=2018-11-04}}{{cite web |last1=Gardiner |first1=Dustin |title=Steve Gaynor defeats Michele Reagan in GOP secretary of state primary |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/08/28/arizona-secretary-state-primary-election-results-2018/1047927002/ |website=The Arizona Republic}} He lost the general election narrowly to the Democratic candidate Katie Hobbs.{{cite web |title=Hobbs claims victory in Secretary of State race |url=https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/central-phoenix/katie-hobbs-defeats-steve-gaynor-in-secretary-of-state-race-per-ap |website=KNXV |language=en |date=2018-11-17}} The race was so close that numerous media outlets, including the Associated Press, reported Gaynor as the winner.{{cite web |last1=Forman |first1=Carmen |title=AP: Steve Gaynor Arizona's next Secretary of State |url=https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2018/11/06/arizona-katie-hobbs-steve-gaynor-secretary-of-states-race-is-close-as-election-results-pour-in/ |website=Arizona Capitol Times |date=2018-11-07}}{{cite web |title=Steve Gaynor to be Arizona's newest Secretary of State |url=https://www.azfamily.com/steve-gaynor-to-be-arizonas-newest-secretary-of-state/article_533a1d78-e13e-11e8-b3ff-bb6f7f24cd8e.html |website=AZFamily |language=en}} Gaynor ultimately conceded to Hobbs 11 days after the election.
In 2019 Gaynor founded of Fair Maps Arizona, a 501(c)(4) organization{{Cite web|title=Fair Maps Arizona - 501C Nonprofit - Phoenix, AZ - 842139847|url=https://www.taxexemptworld.com/organization.asp?tn=2776822|access-date=2021-06-28|website=www.taxexemptworld.com}} that has supported Republican political efforts in Arizona.{{cite web |title=Fair Maps Arizona |url=https://kdminer.com/news/2021/jun/12/fair-maps-arizona/ |website=Kingman Daily Miner |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Duda |first1=Jeremy |last2=August 26 |first2=Arizona Mirror |title=Partisan groups laying the groundwork to shape Arizona redistricting |url=https://www.azmirror.com/2020/08/26/partisan-groups-aiming-to-shape-arizona-redistricting-are-laying-the-groundwork/ |website=Arizona Mirror |date=2020-08-27}}{{cite web |last1=Duda |first1=Jeremy |last2=June 26 |first2=Arizona Mirror |title=Ex-GOP candidate looks to influence redistricting |url=https://www.azmirror.com/2019/06/26/ex-gop-candidate-looks-to-influence-redistricting/ |website=Arizona Mirror |date=2019-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815200233/https://www.azmirror.com/2019/06/26/ex-gop-candidate-looks-to-influence-redistricting/ |archive-date=August 15, 2020 |url-status=live}}
On June 25, 2021, Gaynor declared his candidacy for the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election as a Republican.{{Cite web|last=Latch|first=Lacey|title=Conservative businessman Steve Gaynor announces run for governor|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/06/25/steve-gaynor-announces-run-arizona-governor/5347971001/|access-date=2021-06-26|website=The Arizona Republic|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625205418/https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/06/25/steve-gaynor-announces-run-arizona-governor/5347971001/|archive-date=2021-06-25|url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Services |first1=Howard Fischer Capitol Media |title=Steve Gaynor joins crowded GOP race for Arizona governor |url=https://tucson.com/news/state-and-regional/steve-gaynor-joins-crowded-gop-race-for-arizona-governor/article_3a0f0c5e-d5e3-11eb-8c37-6f388724af3b.html |date=June 26, 2021 |website=Arizona Daily Star |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626002224/https://tucson.com/news/state-and-regional/steve-gaynor-joins-crowded-gop-race-for-arizona-governor/article_3a0f0c5e-d5e3-11eb-8c37-6f388724af3b.html |archive-date=June 26, 2021 |url-status=live}}
=Political positions=
Gaynor has been described as a social and fiscal conservative. He is reportedly pro-life, and is a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association of America.
= Electoral history =
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" |Arizona Secretary of State Republican Primary Election, 2018 |
| Party
!Candidate !Votes !% |
|---|
| Republican
|Steve Gaynor |414,332 |66.7 |
| Republican
|Michele Reagan |206,988 |33.3 |
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="4" |Arizona Secretary of State General Election, 2018{{Cite web|title=Arizona Election Results|url=https://results.arizona.vote/#/featured/4/0|access-date=2021-06-26|website=results.arizona.vote}} |
| Democratic
|Katie Hobbs |1,176,384 |50.43 |
| Republican
|Steve Gaynor |1,156,132 |49.56 |
Personal life
Gaynor is married to his wife Dorothy, who he met while studying at Harvard. Together they have three children.{{Cite web|last=Hines|first=Cary|title=Meet your state candidates|url=https://www.glendalestar.com/news/article_59a7a61a-73e5-11e8-89a7-9b237471ae1c.html|access-date=2021-06-26|website=The Glendale Star|language=en}}