Steve Montenegro

Montenegro was born in El Salvador and at age four immigrated to the United States with his family. According to his official biography, he graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Political Science. He also holds an Associate of Arts in Theology from CBAN and Logos Christian University.[https://www.azleg.gov/House/House-member/?legislature=51&legislator=1260 Steve Montenegro], Arizona Legislature (last accessed December 28, 2017).

Before his election to the state House, Montenegro was a district representative for Republican Congressman Trent Franks.{{Cite news|url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2017/12/11/state-senator-steve-montenegro-joins-race-replace-congress-trent-franks/940667001/|title=Crowded race to replace Rep. Trent Franks reshapes state's political landscape|work=azcentral|access-date=2017-12-28|language=en}}

Montenegro was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in November 2008, succeeding John B. Nelson.{{cite web |url=http://www.azsos.gov/election/2006/General/Canvass2006GE.pdf |title=State Of Arizona Official Canvass |access-date=2010-10-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428114245/http://www.azsos.gov/election/2006/General/Canvass2006GE.pdf |archive-date=April 28, 2011}} He represents Legislative District 13 (the former District 12), which includes Goodyear, Litchfield Park, Avondale, and also Luke Air Force Base.

Montenegro was a Donald Trump delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention. He was also a frequent defender of the President on national TV, where his status as a conservative Latino made him a popular foil for liberal hosts and guests like Jorge Ramos, Anna Navarro, Chris Cuomo, and Jake Tapper.{{cite web|title=State senator, Jorge Ramos debate Arpaio pardon|publisher=CNN |location=Phoenix, Arizona |url=https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/08/27/joe-arpaio-pardon-entire-steve-montenegro-jorge-ramos-debate-sotu-sot.cnn/video/playlists/atv-road-to-the-white-house-automated/|date=August 27, 2017 }}

He was the only Hispanic in the Arizona legislature to vote for the highly controversial Arizona SB 1070. In response to accusations of racial profiling of Hispanics, he replied by saying that "This bill has nothing to do with race or profiling. It has to do with the law. We are seeing a lot of crime here in Arizona because of the open borders that we have."

In 2025, Montenegro was elected Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives.{{cite web |url=https://www.azfamily.com/2024/11/13/rep-steve-montenegro-elected-arizona-house-speaker-despite-controversial-past/ |title=Rep. Steve Montenegro elected Arizona House Speaker despite controversial past |publisher=AZ Family |accessdate=January 14, 2025 |date=November 12, 2024 |author=Prelutsky, Zach}}

During the controversial 2021 audit, Montenegro was one of the people who had control over the combative and controversial “Audit War Room” Twitter account.{{cite web | url=https://www.azmirror.com/2023/01/26/border-event-with-lawmakers-to-feature-speakers-connected-to-qanon-hate-group/ | title=Border event with lawmakers to feature speakers connected to QAnon, hate group | date=26 January 2023 }} Montenegro has also appeared alongside Patrick Byrne, Michael Flynn, Jovan Hutton Pulitzer, and other election conspiracy theorists in his capacity as an executive with The America Project.

In 2023, Montenegro filed a complaint alleging corruption in the Tempe Council race but withdrew his claims within 24 hours, the same day it was revealed through the public record disclosure of texts with CyberNinja's CEO Doug Logan that he had met privately with Logan while the audit was underway at a hotel in Scottsdale.{{cite web | url=https://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2023/04/28/tempe-assures-lawmaker-city-is-funding-election/ | title=Tempe assures lawmaker city is funding election | Arizona Capitol Times | date=28 April 2023 }}

Montenegro resigned his seat in the Arizona Senate in order to run full time for the Republican nomination to the U.S. House of Representatives in the special election in Arizona's 8th congressional district in 2018.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/allegations-on-voters-minds-in-arizona-race-for-us-house/2018/02/27/e04c64b0-1c2b-11e8-98f5-ceecfa8741b6_story.html

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180228044445/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/allegations-on-voters-minds-in-arizona-race-for-us-house/2018/02/27/e04c64b0-1c2b-11e8-98f5-ceecfa8741b6_story.html

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|newspaper=The Washington Post

|first1=Bob|last1=Christie|first2=Anita|last2=Snow

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|date=February 28, 2018

|title=GOP winner of Arizona primary expected to win US House seat}} He had been endorsed by U.S. Representative Trent Franks (who held the seat until his resignation in 2017 following accusations of sexual misconduct). He was also endorsed by former Sheriff Joe Arpaio.{{Cite news|url=http://ktar.com/story/1867044/trent-franks-joe-arpaio-endorse-arizona-senator-for-franks-former-seat/|title=Trent Franks, Joe Arpaio endorse Arizona senator for Franks' former seat|date=2017-12-11|publisher=KTAR|access-date=2017-12-28|language=en-US}} During his campaign, Montenegro emphasized his support for President Donald Trump.

During the campaign, it was revealed that he had received nude selfies and other sexual pictures from a female capitol staffer, although her attorney confirmed there was no physical relationship between the two. The staffer reportedly sent multiple sexual pics of herself, including a topless photo, to which Montenegro requested she send them on Snapchat, which deletes photos immediately. Montenegro initially called the story "false tabloid trash", but when texts of the files were presented indicating not only his acceptance of the photos, but being an active participant in the sexting, he admitted to the story and denied only a few parts. He ultimately said, "I am confident the voters will see through these deplorable pack of lies thrown out by a liberal attorney with a clear agenda of attacking conservatives."

He was subsequently defeated in the GOP primary by former AZ State Senator Debbie Lesko, who went on to defeat the Democratic nominee Hiral Tipirneni.{{cite news | publisher = 12news.com | date = February 21, 2018 | title = Arizona candidate got topless selfie from legislative staffer, messages reveal | author = Brahm Resnik | url = https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/arizona-candidate-got-topless-selfie-from-legislative-staffer-messages-reveal/75-520359163}}

He has served on the Advisory Board of the Arizona Charter Academy.{{cite web |url=http://www.montenegroaz.com/aboutsteve.html |title=Steve Montenegro for Arizona House of Representatives |publisher=Montenegroaz.com |date= |access-date=2010-10-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714113147/http://www.montenegroaz.com/aboutsteve.html |archive-date=2011-07-14 }}

• 2016 Term limited, and with incumbent Senator Don Shooter running for the house instead, Montenegro ran for the Arizona senate, defeating Diane Landis in the Republican Primary and was unopposed in the general election.{{cite web |url= https://www.azsos.gov/sites/azsos.gov/files/2016_1205_official_final_signed_state_canvass_for_2016_gen.pdf |title= State of Arizona Official Canvass 2016 General Election November 8, 2016 |publisher= Secretary of State of Arizona |location= Phoenix, Arizona |page= 15 |access-date= December 9, 2016 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20161220203745/https://www.azsos.gov/sites/azsos.gov/files/2016_1205_official_final_signed_state_canvass_for_2016_gen.pdf |archive-date= December 20, 2016 }}
• 2014 Montenegro and Darin Mitchell defeated Diane Landis in the Republican primary. Mitchell and Montenegro defeated Steve Hansen in the general election.{{cite web |url= http://apps.azsos.gov/election/2014/General/Canvass2014GE.pdf|title= State of Arizona Official Canvass 2014 General Election November 4, 2014 |publisher= Secretary of State of Arizona |location= Phoenix, Arizona |page= 9 |accessdate= March 18, 2016}}
• 2012 Redistricted to District 13, Montenegro ran in the three-way August 28, 2012 Republican Primary; Montenegro placed first, Darin Mitchell placed second with 8,572 votes, and Representative Russell Jones, who was redistricted from District 24, placed third;{{cite web|url=http://www.azsos.gov/election/2012/Primary/Canvass.pdf |title=State of Arizona Official Canvass 2012 Primary Election August 28, 2012 |publisher=Secretary of State of Arizona |location=Phoenix, Arizona |page=10 |access-date=December 23, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112230133/http://www.azsos.gov/election/2012/Primary/Canvass.pdf |archive-date=November 12, 2013 }} Montenegro won the first seat in the 2012 general election.{{cite web|url=http://www.azsos.gov/election/2012/General/Canvass2012GE.pdf |title=State of Arizona Official Canvass 2012 General Election November 6, 2012 |publisher=Secretary of State of Arizona |location=Phoenix, Arizona |page=10 |access-date=December 23, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112235642/http://www.azsos.gov/election/2012/General/Canvass2012GE.pdf |archive-date=November 12, 2013 }}

{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Biography}}

• {{C-SPAN}}
• [http://www.stevemontenegro.com/ Campaign site]
• [http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=38&Legislature=48 Legislative homepage]
• [https://ballotpedia.org/Steve_B._Montenegro Biography] at Ballotpedia

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{{s-ttl|title=Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives|years=2025–present}}

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{{Current Arizona statewide political officials}}

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Category:1981 births

Category:2012 United States presidential electors

Category:21st-century members of the Arizona State Legislature

Category:American Pentecostal pastors

Category:American politicians of Salvadoran descent

Category:Arizona State University alumni

Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Arizona

Category:Living people

Category:Republican Party members of the Arizona House of Representatives

Category:Salvadoran emigrants to the United States