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| | + | [[File:Arizona State Seal.jpg|right|150px]] |
| | + | {{USState |
| | + | |name=Arizona |
| | + | |flag=Arizona_State_Flag.gif |
| | + | |motto="Ditat Deus"(God Enriches) |
| | + | |nick=The Grand Canyon State |
| | + | |capital=Phoenix |
| | + | |language=English |
| | + | |governor=Janice K. Brewer |
| | + | |gparty=Republican |
| | + | |senator1=John McCain |
| | + | |s1party=Republican |
| | + | |s1phone=(202) 224-2235 |
| | + | |s1email=http://mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm Contact |
| | + | |senator2=Jon Kyl |
| | + | |s2party=Republican |
| | + | |s2phone=(202) 224-4521 |
| | + | |s2email=http://kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm Contact |
| | + | |population= |
| | + | |date=February 14, 1912 |
| | + | }} |
| | + | '''Arizona''' on February 14, 1912 became the forty-eighth state to enter the union. It is known as the [[Grand Canyon]] State. Its capital and largest city is [[Phoenix (city)|Phoenix]]. <ref> http://az.gov/ </ref> |
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| | + | Arizona has always been politically conservative, but until 1952 the conservative Democrats were in control. Thanks to [[Barry Goldwater]], Republicans built a strong base and controlled the electoral vote. In recent years, the state has gained population rapidly and the two parties are evenly matched. |
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| | + | The growth engine of large scale immigration from California and Mexico, and housing construction collapsed with the [[Recession of 2008]], and the economy is struggling. |
| | + | |
| | + | == Geography & Population == |
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| | + | *The state is bordered by the following states: [[California]], [[Nevada]], [[Utah]], [[Colorado]], and [[New Mexico]], as well as Mexico. |
| | + | [[File:Tucson1.jpg|thumb|120px]] |
| | + | *Total Land Area: 113,635 square miles |
| | + | |
| | + | *Highest Elevation: 12,633 ft (Humphreys Peak) |
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| | + | *Population (in 2005): 5,939,292 |
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| | + | *Most populated cities in Arizona: |
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| | + | :[[Phoenix (city)|Phoenix]], Population: 1,321,045 |
| | + | :[[Tucson]], Population: 486,699 |
| | + | :Mesa, Population: 396,375 |
| | + | :Glendale, Population: 218,812 |
| | + | :Scottsdale, Population: 202,705 <ref> http://www.theus50.com/arizona/cities.php </ref> |
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| | + | Arizona has a large population of people of [[Native American]] descent. The Indian tribes who inhabited the land that is now Arizona include the [[Apache]], [[Navajo]], [[Mojave]] and [[Yavapai]]. <ref> http://www.theus50.com/arizona/history.shtml </ref> |
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| | + | ==Political culture== |
| | + | In more recent years, the [[Republican Party]] has generally dominated Arizona politics and the [[Arizona legislature | state legislature]]. In 2004, President [[George W. Bush]] won the state's ten electoral votes by a margin of 10 percentage points with 55% of the vote, and in 2008 [[John McCain]] won the state with 54% of the vote. Republicans control both chambers of the state legislature. Their two [[United States Senator]]s are Republican and no Democrat holds statewide office. However, Arizona became the first U.S. state to vote against an anti-gay marriage amendment in the 2006 midterm elections. Although [[gay marriage]] is still illegal in Arizona, this amendment would have abolished civil unions and domestic partnerships for [[homosexual]] couples. Arizona has consistently been a [[red state]] in presidential elections since 1952, except in 1996 when [[Bill Clinton]] won the state. Excepting Clinton, the last [[Democrat]] to win Arizona in a presidential election was [[Harry Truman]] in 1948. |
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| | + | == Notable Arizonans == |
| | + | |
| | + | *[[Barry Goldwater]] (Conservative leader), GOP presidential nominee in 1964 |
| | + | * [[John McCain]] (Republican leader), GOP presidential nominee in 2008 |
| | + | *[[Frank Lloyd Wright]] (Architect) |
| | + | *[[Stewart Udall]] (former Congressman and Secretary of the Interior) |
| | + | *[[Erma Bombeck]] (Writer) |
| | + | *[[William Rehnquist]] (Supreme Court chief justice) |
| | + | *[[Sandra Day O'Connor]] (Supreme Court justice) |
| | + | *[[James Rhodes]] (Republican leader in Congress) |
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| | + | ==Elected Officials== |
| | + | ===Federal=== |
| | + | *Senator [[John McCain]] (R) |
| | + | *Senator [[Jon Kyl]] (R) |
| | + | *Rep. [[Paul Gosar]] [R, AZ-1] |
| | + | *Rep. [[Trent Franks]] [R, AZ-2] |
| | + | *Rep. [[Ben Quayle]] [R, AZ-3] |
| | + | *Rep. [[Edward Pastor]] [D, AZ-4] |
| | + | *Rep. [[David Schweikert]] [R, AZ-5] |
| | + | *Rep. [[Jeff Flake]] [R, AZ-6] |
| | + | *Rep. [[Raul Grijalva]] [D, AZ-7] |
| | + | *Rep. [[Gabrielle Giffords]] [D, AZ-8] |
| | + | [[Image:Jan Brewer.jpg|right|150px|thumb|Governor Jan Brewer]] |
| | + | ===Statewide=== |
| | + | *Governor [[Janice K. Brewer|Jan Brewer]] (R) |
| | + | *Attorney General [[Tom Horne]] (R) |
| | + | *Secretary of State [[Ken Bennett]] (R) |
| | + | *State Treasurer [[Doug Ducey]] (R) |
| | + | {{clear}} |
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| | + | ==References== |
| | + | {{reflist|2}} |
| | + | |
| | + | {{USstates}} |
| | + | [[Category:Arizona]] |
| | + | [[Category:Western United States]] |