Paul Gosar

Paul Gosar
U.S. House of Representatives · Public domain · source
Name	Paul Gosar
Birth date	27 November 1958
Birth place	Rock Springs, Wyoming
Occupation	Dentist; politician
Party	Republican Party
Spouse	Marcia Gosar
Alma mater	Creighton University School of Dentistry; Arizona State University

Paul Gosar is an American politician and former dentist serving as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Arizona since 2011. Affiliated with the Republican Party, he has represented Arizona's congressional districts in the Phoenix metropolitan area through several redistricting cycles. Gosar is known for conservative positions on immigration, energy policy, and fiscal policy, and for involvement in high-profile disputes with members of both major parties and federal institutions.

Early life and education

Gosar was born in Rock Springs, Wyoming and raised in a family with roots in Syracuse, New York and the Mountain West. He attended Camp Verde High School in Camp Verde, Arizona before matriculating at Arizona State University where he studied biology and related preprofessional coursework. Gosar earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska, completing clinical training that prepared him for practice in the Phoenix metropolitan area and rural Arizona communities.

Professional and dental career

After dental school, Gosar established a private practice in Flagstaff, Arizona and later in Prescott, Arizona, providing general dentistry and oral surgery services to local patients. His clinical work placed him in contact with health institutions such as Banner Health facilities and regional clinics, and his practice management intersected with regulatory frameworks from the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners and federal health programs like Medicare and Medicaid. Gosar's experience in small-business ownership and health-care delivery informed his later positions on health policy, business regulation, and tax policy while serving in elective office.

U.S. House of Representatives

Gosar was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in the 2010 midterm elections, joining the incoming Republican majority led by figures such as John Boehner and Eric Cantor. He has served on committees such as the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, participating in hearings on federal land management, Indigenous affairs involving the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe, and oversight of executive-branch agencies including the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency. Across successive terms, Gosar navigated redistricting influenced by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission and national partisan strategies associated with the Republican National Committee and conservative groups like the Club for Growth.

Political positions and legislative actions

Gosar's voting record and public statements align with conservative and libertarian-leaning organizations such as the Heritage Foundation, the Club for Growth, and the Americans for Prosperity. On immigration, he has advocated for stricter border enforcement through agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection and supported legislation to change asylum procedures debated in committees with participation from members such as Dianne Feinstein and Lindsey Graham. On energy policy, Gosar has backed expanded oil and gas development on federal lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management and opposed regulatory actions by the Environmental Protection Agency that he argues affect the Coal and Petroleum industry and states with fossil-fuel interests like Texas and Wyoming. Fiscal positions include support for lower income tax rates influenced by proposals from leaders such as Paul Ryan and opposition to expansions of federal spending championed by Democrats including Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.

Gosar sponsored and co-sponsored bills addressing water resources tied to the Colorado River Compact and infrastructure projects impacting the Central Arizona Project. He has participated in debates over Native American policy with representatives from the Native American Rights Fund and tribal leadership. On social issues, Gosar has aligned with conservative groups like the Family Research Council and opposed initiatives advanced by organizations such as Planned Parenthood and the Human Rights Campaign.

Controversies and ethics investigations

Gosar's tenure has included multiple controversies drawing criticism from figures including Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, and Joe Biden, and scrutiny from federal and congressional ethics authorities. He faced backlash over a 2018 social-media post that compared a Democratic opponent to historical authoritarian figures, prompting rebuke from Republican leaders including Paul Ryan and discussion in outlets covering congressional norms. The House Ethics Committee has been invoked in responses to alleged campaign-finance and lobbying-related matters, and the Office of Congressional Ethics conducted reviews related to statements and expenditures tied to his staff and campaigns.

Gosar was censured by the House of Representatives in 2021 following a posting of an animated video criticizing an elected member and depicting violent imagery; the action followed investigation into the conduct and coordinated responses from leadership across party lines. His relationship with conservative activist groups and endorsements from figures associated with the Tea Party movement and later social-media movements contributed to periodic intra-party disputes highlighted during speeches involving leaders like Mitch McConnell and public events featuring personalities such as Steve Bannon.

Gosar's interactions with electoral controversies, including positions on the 2020 presidential election contested by Donald Trump and legal challenges pursued in venues like state supreme courts and the United States Supreme Court, further intensified public and institutional attention. Ethics inquiries and congressional disciplinary measures remain part of his congressional record, intersecting with debates presided over by committee chairs from both parties and legal counsel representing the House.

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Arizona Category:American dentists Category:1958 births Category:Living people