Laura Knaperek
Encyclopedia
Laura Knaperek is a Republican
public official in Arizona
. She was first elected to the Arizona state House of Representatives in 1994. She compiled a conservative record while taking an avid interest in youth and family issues. In 2002, she ran for the state Senate, but lost the general election to Democrat Harry Mitchell
. In 2004, she made a comeback, returning to the state House of Representatives, but was defeated for reelection in 2006. While out of office, she became Executive Director of United Families International, a conservative advocacy group. She recently announced that she would seek election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 but lost to David Schweikert
in the primary election.
Laura Knaperek was born in Chicago, IL in 1955. She and her husband moved to Arizona in 1979 and have six children. Laura Knaperek was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 1994. She served previously as a school board member for Kyrene School District and worked as the Executive Director for the Arizona Consortium for Children with Chronic Illness. Knaperek served for 10 years in the House where she chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee as well as the Higher Education Committee. She worked on health care, human services and education. After being term limited out of office in 2002, Knaperek ran against incumbent Harry Mitchell as an alternative to his liberal voting record. Mitchell voted to pass the Alternate Fuels fiasco that cost Arizona residents over 500 million dollars. The loss represented the change in voter registration and redistricting methods of the most liberal portion of the city of Tempe. Knaperek went to work as a columnist for the East Valley Tribune and was recruited to run again in 2004 to take back her former Republican seat. She served for two more years and was voted out due to voter displeasure with Republicans in Congress, the Presidency and the war on terror in Iraq. She then worked on family issues as the Executive Director of United Families International and ran for Congress to regain the seat from her old friend, Harry Mitchell. David Schweikert won the Primary in 2008 and ultimately lost to Harry Mitchell in the General. Knaperek now uses her experience and expertise as a political consultant.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
public official in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. She was first elected to the Arizona state House of Representatives in 1994. She compiled a conservative record while taking an avid interest in youth and family issues. In 2002, she ran for the state Senate, but lost the general election to Democrat Harry Mitchell
Harry Mitchell
Harry E. Mitchell is a former U.S. Representative who represented from 2007 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career :...
. In 2004, she made a comeback, returning to the state House of Representatives, but was defeated for reelection in 2006. While out of office, she became Executive Director of United Families International, a conservative advocacy group. She recently announced that she would seek election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 but lost to David Schweikert
David Schweikert
David Schweikert is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously served two terms in the Arizona State House of Representatives , was chairman of the state Board of Equalization , and was the elected Maricopa County Treasurer . He ran for the U.S...
in the primary election.
Laura Knaperek was born in Chicago, IL in 1955. She and her husband moved to Arizona in 1979 and have six children. Laura Knaperek was first elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 1994. She served previously as a school board member for Kyrene School District and worked as the Executive Director for the Arizona Consortium for Children with Chronic Illness. Knaperek served for 10 years in the House where she chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee as well as the Higher Education Committee. She worked on health care, human services and education. After being term limited out of office in 2002, Knaperek ran against incumbent Harry Mitchell as an alternative to his liberal voting record. Mitchell voted to pass the Alternate Fuels fiasco that cost Arizona residents over 500 million dollars. The loss represented the change in voter registration and redistricting methods of the most liberal portion of the city of Tempe. Knaperek went to work as a columnist for the East Valley Tribune and was recruited to run again in 2004 to take back her former Republican seat. She served for two more years and was voted out due to voter displeasure with Republicans in Congress, the Presidency and the war on terror in Iraq. She then worked on family issues as the Executive Director of United Families International and ran for Congress to regain the seat from her old friend, Harry Mitchell. David Schweikert won the Primary in 2008 and ultimately lost to Harry Mitchell in the General. Knaperek now uses her experience and expertise as a political consultant.