John Kavanagh

John Kavanagh

Republican Party

Arizona State Senate District 3

Tenure

2023 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

2

Predecessor

Sally Ann Gonzales

Prior offices

Arizona House of Representatives District 23

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Arizona State Senate District 23

Predecessor: Michele Reagan

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Compensation

Base salary

$24,000/year

Per diem

For legislators residing within Maricopa County: $35/day. For legislators residing outside of Maricopa County: $251.66.

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

New York University, 1973

Graduate

Rutgers University, 1995

Ph.D

Rutgers University

Military

Service / branch

U.S. Army National Guard

Years of service

1971 - 1976

Personal

Birthplace

New York, N.Y.

Religion

Catholic

Profession

Professor

Contact

Official website

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Personal Facebook

Personal YouTube

Personal LinkedIn

John Kavanagh (Republican Party) is a member of the Arizona State Senate, representing District 3. He assumed office on January 9, 2023. His current term ends on January 11, 2027.

Kavanagh (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Arizona State Senate to represent District 3. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

John Kavanagh was born in New York, New York. Kavanagh served in the U.S. Army National Guard from 1971 to 1976. He earned a bachelor's degree from New York University in 1973, a graduate degree from St. John's University in 1976, a graduate degree from Rutgers University in 1995, and a doctorate from Rutgers University.

Kavanagh's career experience includes working as a college professor and police detective sergeant. He has been affiliated with the American Legion, Knights of Columbus, and Friends of the Chamber of Commerce.

Committee assignments

Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.

2023-2024

Kavanagh was assigned to the following committees:

• Senate Appropriations Committee, Chair
• Senate Elections Committee (Decommissioned)
• Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee, Vice Chair
• Joint Committee on Capital Review (Decommissioned), Chair 2023
• Joint Legislative Budget Committee, Chair 2024

2021-2022

Kavanagh was assigned to the following committees:

• Government and Elections Committee, Chair
• House Appropriations Committee, Vice-Chair
• Federalism, Military Affairs, and Elections Committee

2019-2020

Kavanagh was assigned to the following committees:

• House Appropriations Committee, Vice Chairman
• Government and Higher Education Committee, Chairman
• Public Safety Committee (Decommissioned)

2017 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:

Arizona committee assignments, 2017
• Appropriations, Vice chair
• Government, Chair

2015 legislative session

At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Kavanagh served on the following committees:

Arizona committee assignments, 2015
• Appropriations, Vice chair
• Government, Chair
• Public Safety, Military and Technology, Vice chair
• State Debt and Budget Reform

2013-2014

At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Kavanagh served on the following committees:

2011-2012

In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Kavanagh served on these committees:

Arizona committee assignments, 2011
• Appropriations, Chair
• Employment and Regulatory Affairs
• Capital Review, Vice Chair

2009-2010

In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Kavanagh served on these committees:

Arizona committee assignments, 2009
• Appropriations, Chair

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Elections

2024

See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2024

General election

General election for Arizona State Senate District 3

Incumbent John Kavanagh won election in the general election for Arizona State Senate District 3 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Kavanagh (R)	100.0	110,048

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 110,048
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona State Senate District 3

No candidate advanced from the primary.

		Candidate	%	Votes
	Submit photo	John Skirbst (Write-in)	100.0	219

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Vote totals may be incomplete for this race.
	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 219
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Arizona State Senate District 3

Incumbent John Kavanagh advanced from the Republican primary for Arizona State Senate District 3 on July 30, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Kavanagh	100.0	43,471

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 43,471
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Kavanagh in this election.

Pledges

Kavanagh signed the following pledges.

• U.S. Term Limits

2022

State Senate

See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Arizona State Senate District 3

John Kavanagh defeated Thomas Dugger in the general election for Arizona State Senate District 3 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Kavanagh (R)	63.2	84,365
		Thomas Dugger (D)	36.8	49,145

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 133,510
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona State Senate District 3

Thomas Dugger advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona State Senate District 3 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Thomas Dugger	100.0	20,719

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 20,719
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Arizona State Senate District 3

John Kavanagh defeated Jan Dubauskas in the Republican primary for Arizona State Senate District 3 on August 2, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Kavanagh	51.5	27,391
		Jan Dubauskas	48.5	25,839

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 53,230
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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State House

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2022

John Kavanagh did not file to run for re-election.

2020

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2020

General election

General election for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 (2 seats)

Incumbent John Kavanagh and Joseph Chaplik defeated Eric Kurland and Joe Romack in the general election for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Kavanagh (R)	37.2	86,307
✔		Joseph Chaplik (R)	34.6	80,264
		Eric Kurland (D)	28.1	65,257
		Joe Romack (R) (Write-in)	0.0	56

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 231,884
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 (2 seats)

Eric Kurland advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Eric Kurland	100.0	27,296

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 27,296
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 (2 seats)

Incumbent John Kavanagh and Joseph Chaplik defeated incumbent Jay Lawrence in the Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 on August 4, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Kavanagh	43.8	29,942
✔		Joseph Chaplik	28.6	19,521
		Jay Lawrence	27.6	18,855

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 68,318
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jaqueline Fox (R)

2018

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2018

General election

General election for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 (2 seats)

John Kavanagh and incumbent Jay Lawrence defeated Eric Kurland in the general election for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Kavanagh (R)	36.6	62,797
✔		Jay Lawrence (R)	33.2	57,099
		Eric Kurland (D)	30.2	51,893

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 171,789
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 (2 seats)

Eric Kurland advanced from the Democratic primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 on August 28, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Eric Kurland	100.0	18,677

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 18,677 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 (2 seats)

John Kavanagh and incumbent Jay Lawrence advanced from the Republican primary for Arizona House of Representatives District 23 on August 28, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John Kavanagh	55.7	27,994
✔		Jay Lawrence	44.3	22,256

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 50,250 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

2016

See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Arizona State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 30, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2016.

Incumbent John Kavanagh ran unopposed in the Arizona State Senate District 23 general election.

Arizona State Senate, District 23 General Election, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	John Kavanagh Incumbent (unopposed)	100.00%	88,099
Total Votes				88,099
Source: Arizona Secretary of State

Incumbent John Kavanagh ran unopposed in the Arizona State Senate District 23 Republican Primary.

Arizona State Senate, District 23 Republican Primary, 2016
Party		Candidate
	Republican	John Kavanagh Incumbent (unopposed)

2014

See also: Arizona State Senate elections, 2014

Elections for the Arizona State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 26, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was May 28, 2014. Paula Pennypacker was unopposed in the Democratic primary. John Kavanagh defeated Jeff Schwartz in the Republican primary. Kavanagh defeated Pennypacker in the general election.

Arizona State Senate District 23, General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	John Kavanagh	61%	46,649
	Democratic	Paula Pennypacker	39%	29,810
Total Votes				76,459

Arizona State Senate, District 23 Republican Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
John Kavanagh	53.3%	17,227
Jeff Schwartz	46.7%	15,075
Total Votes		32,302

2012

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2012

Kavanagh won re-election in the 2012 election for Arizona House of Representatives District 23. He and incumbent Michelle Ugenti defeated Jennifer Petersen in the Republican primary on August 28, 2012. He won the general election on November 6, 2012.

Arizona House of Representatives, District 23, General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	John Kavanagh Incumbent	50.6%	68,527
	Republican	Michele Ugenti Incumbent	49.4%	66,827
Total Votes				135,354

Arizona House of Representatives, District 23 Republican Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
John Kavanagh Incumbent	41.3%	20,922
Michelle Ugenti Incumbent	35.7%	18,106
Jennifer Petersen	23%	11,672
Total Votes		50,700

2010

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2010

Kavanagh won re-election to the 8th District seat in 2010. He and Michelle Ugenti won the August 24 primary election. They then defeated Democrat John Kriekard in the November 2 general election.

Arizona House of Representatives, District 8 General Election (2010)
Candidates		Votes
John Kavanagh (R)		42,867
Michelle Ugenti (R)		38,055
John Kriekard (D)		28,084

Arizona House of Representatives, District 8 Republican Primary (2010)
Candidates		Votes
John Kavanagh (R)		17,256
Michelle Ugenti (R)		9,146
Michael Blaire (R)		5,680
Paula Pennypacker (R)		5,657
Ray Mahoubi (R)		2,582
Eric Ulis (R)		2,570

2008

See also: Arizona House of Representatives elections, 2008

On November 4, 2008, Kavanagh and Michele Reagan were elected to the 8th District Seat in the Arizona House of Representatives, defeating opponent Stephanie Rimmer (D).

Kavanagh raised $72,786 for the campaign, Reagan raised $82,856, and Rimmer raised $73,382.

Arizona State House, District 8 (2008)
Candidates		Votes
Michele Reagan (R)		54,780
John Kavanagh (R)		50,507
Stephanie Rimmer (D)		37,793

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

John Kavanagh did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

John Kavanagh completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kavanagh's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is John Kavanagh and I have spent a lifetime advancing conservative Republican principles.

Educationally I received a BA degree from NYU, a master’s degree in government from St. John’s University and a PhD in criminal justice from Rutgers. Occupationally, I served 20 years as a police officer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, retiring as a detective sergeant. Upon moving to Arizona, I began my college teaching career at Arizona State University and finally for 20 years at Scottsdale Community College.

I have always been interested in public policy and even while a police officer, I served two terms on the town council of the small town where I lived. Upon moving to Arizona after retiring from the police, I served six years on the Fountain Hills town council. I then ran for the state legislature in 2005 and have served there in both the House and Senate ever since.

My conservative credentials are impeccable. I have a lifetime A+ rating from the NRA, a lifetime A rating from the American Conservative Union and a perfect voting record with the Arizona Center for Arizona Policy on pro-life, school choice and family issues.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• America’s southern border is under attack aided by the complacency or, perhaps, the support of the Biden administration. Millions of illegal aliens are crossing our border. One of the prime motives for my running for the legislature in 2005 was to stop the illegal immigration onslaught we were experiencing then. I am proud to say that I was a co-author and cosponsor of SB1070, Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration law. Today, I continue the fight and have pushed for and will get over half a billion dollars in budgetary expenditures for more border security and more border wall. My opponent has no experience in this area.
• While Arizona does a good job of educating our children, district and charter schools are still suffering from the budget cuts we were forced to make during the great recession. While we have restored almost all of those cuts, our schools still could use some additional funding, which I support. I also support the expansion of school choice because students and parents should be allowed to select the best educational option available.
• Arizona is getting deeper and deeper into a water crisis and we need to take action now before draconian measures are necessary later to deal with shortages. I support the appropriation that we will be making two bowls find new out-of-state sauces for water, advanced conservation measures within the state, and place pumping restrictions in aquifers that are suffering depletion.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate in many areas of public service. Having spent all 16 years of my legislative time as a member of the appropriations committee, many times as its chairman, I am especially interested in the budget. I have acquired great knowledge in this area and hope to continue serving and using that knowledge to produce fiscally sound and conservative budgets.

I am also a champion of humane animal legislation. I am the only legislator to have been awarded the United States Humane Societies "Legislator of the Year" award three times. I have written and passed into law many humane animal bills and hope to continue this mission in the future.

As a retired police officer and a person with a PhD in criminal justice, I also pay attention to criminal justice issues. I am often troubled by the criminal justice reform measures that can go too far and threaten public safety. I hope to be retained in the legislature so that I can continue to keep a close eye on them to protect public safety. While some prisoners can safely be released from prison, others have no place back in society where they will victimize us.

Our nation and our state are in trouble times. Liberal Democrats control Washington, much of the media, much of our educational institutions and they pose a threat to our lifestyle, culture, economy and safety. Now is not the time to entrust lawmaking to inexperienced first timers. Experience counts.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Politically, I look up to Ronald Reagan who I believe held sound conservative beliefs, was a great communicator, and a decent person.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The two characteristics that are best would be knowledge and honesty. In terms of principles, because I am a conservative I would obviously say the conservative principles of limited government, free enterprise, individual freedom and pro-life.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am intelligent, honest, easy-going, transparent and committed. I also have a good sense of humor.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To be true to the principles that he or she told the voters who elected him or her. A legislator also has a responsibility to be well researched in the bills that they vote on and transparent and communicative with their constituents. I meet with everyone who asks.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I would like people to say that I sponsored good bills, voted for good laws and opposed bad legislation.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I was 10 years old and sitting at my desk in elementary school when the loudspeaker in the front of the room came on with the radio coverage of the assassination of John F Kennedy.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a paperboy in New York City and I did it for several years.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Uptown Girl

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I have been blessed not to have been confronted with any excessive burdens that amount to a struggle.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

I believe that the ideal relationship is one of communications and mutual respect. I believe that communications prior to passing bills is a good thing because then vetos can be avoided because problems can be dealt with before the bills are transmitted to the governor.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Without a doubt, water. Arizona is in the midst of a severe drought and some of the aquifers are being dangerously depleted. While most of the negative impacts will be on farming, some will spill over into business and residential uses, if the situation gets bad enough.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

The benefit is that it will be easier to pass legislation out of a legislature. However that is also a major drawback because having two houses requires that there be an additional check and opportunity to correct bills, as problems become apparent. I think two chambers are the best.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I do. It's nice to say that all it takes is common sense to do this job but that is not true. This job requires extensive knowledge of public policy and governmental procedure. I have been involved in politics since high school. I love public policy and have elective office experience on two town councils and in the state legislature for the last 16 years. However, I have always been employed elsewhere to support my family. I am not a career politician. I am a committed citizen-legislator.

I am in effective legislator and I am among a small group that pass a large number of bills into law each year. My experience and knowledge help me do this but I have also become the go to person for people who need laws to protect them, such as persons persecuted by rogue homeowners associations or the humane animal community.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely. One of the reasons why I get many of bills past is because I have worked with many of the members in both chambers and have developed relationships with them. They know that I produce quality legislation and they trust me not to lie to them. It's a big plus.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

While I have problems with the current redistricting situation, I must admit that it is far superior to the traditional one where the party in power gets drawn lines that give them a tremendous undemocratic advantage.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

I like the appropriations committee because it is very influential. After all, where you spend the money is, in reality, what makes public policy. In addition, I get to influence policy in a manner consistent with my conservative Republican beliefs. I also serve on the public safety committee and as a retired police officer and a person with a PhD in criminal justice this obviously is an area that I have great knowledge of and great interest in.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

While he is best known for his role as the mayor of New York City and was a Democrat and early in his career a liberal one to boot, I do have a great deal of respect for former NYC mayor Ed Koch. In particular, I like the way he was always transparent, frank and honest with people about his reasons for or against different policies. I think people deserve the truth and public policy can best be crafted in an atmosphere where everybody is on the level and not being deceptive.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

No. I am quite happy doing what I do because I do it well and it makes a difference.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I was recently asked to run a bill to make college and other organizational hazing a crime. I'm not talking about juvenile hazing that is not dangerous but serious hazing like making people drink full bottles of alcohol that can kill them. The family I was running the bill for was the family whose son died from being forced to drink too much alcohol as part of hazing and whose body was found by the Mesa Riverwalk area.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

I believe that the legislature should share emergency powers with the governor. In fact, I crafted a constitutional amendment to allow that. Putting too much power in one person without any check can be a problem. I think the governor should be allowed to swiftly and act using emergency powers but that the legislature should come in a reasonable time afterwards, say 30 days, and have the ability to either amend or cancel it, with perhaps a 2/3 vote.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I believe that compromise is necessary, so long as it does not compromise or violate one's firmly held political philosophy.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2020

John Kavanagh did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2012

Kavanagh's campaign website highlighted the following campaign themes:

• No Tax Increases

Excerpt: "Representative Kavanagh opposes tax increases. In these difficult economic times government must allow the people to keep as much of their money as possible. Taking money from the private sector to unreasonably grow government will only slow down the recovery."

• Jobs Creation

Excerpt: "Representative Kavanagh helped write and supported individual and business tax cuts and other incentives to stimulate the economy and create more jobs. These policies have made Arizona's economic comeback amoung the fastest in the nation."

• Fiscal Conservative

Excerpt: "Representative Kavanagh is a strong fiscal conservative. As chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, he crafted budgets that cut over $3 billion in government spending and has opposed tax increases."

• Stop Illegal Immigration

Excerpt: "Representative Kavanagh co-sponsored and helped write SB1070, Arizona's tough anti-illegal immigration law. Kavanagh also wrote the law requiring that all levels of government check for proof of legal presence before issuing anyone a license of any type"

• Quality Education

Excerpt: "Representative Kavanagh believes that educationis the foundation of our future and should be properly funded with accountability and enforced standards. Whed education funding needed to be reduced due to the recession, Kavanagh kept most cuts out of the classroom."

Medicaid expansion lawsuit

See also: Can Arizona conservatives beat the clock to block Medicaid expansion from taking effect Jan. 1?

John Kavanagh was one of the 36 Republican members of the Arizona State Legislature who signed onto a lawsuit brought by the Goldwater Institute in September 2013 against Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) over the expansion of Medicaid in Arizona under provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Brewer announced her support for Medicaid expansion in Arizona in 2013, and by June of that year the legislature passed a bill expanding Medicaid in the state . In September 2013, the Goldwater Institute, a conservative think tank, filed a lawsuit seeking to block the law's implementation. They argued that the law contained a tax, and its implementation under the control of the executive branch violated state laws enforcing the separation of powers. In 2015, a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled against the 36 Republican lawmakers and the Goldwater Institute, saying that the law contained an assessment, not a tax. The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the Superior Court's 2015 ruling on March 16, 2017.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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John Kavanagh campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Arizona State Senate District 3	Won general	$73,792	$31,327
2022	Arizona State Senate District 3	Won general	$120,724	$131,604
2020	Arizona House of Representatives District 23	Won general	$49,165	N/A**
2018	Arizona House of Representatives District 23	Won general	$41,450	N/A**
2016	Arizona State Senate, District 23	Won	$50,820	N/A**
2014	Arizona State Senate, District 23	Won	$73,051	N/A**
2012	Arizona State House, District 23	Won	$45,693	N/A**
2010	Arizona State House, District 8	Won	$39,343	N/A**
2008	Arizona State House, District 8	Won	$72,786	N/A**
2006	Arizona State House, District 8	Won	$85,647	N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Arizona

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Arizona scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

2024

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show].

In 2024, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 8 to June 15. Americans for Prosperity - Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on economic issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Club for Growth Foundation Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The Arizona Center for Economic Progress Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic policy.

2023

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show].

In 2023, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 9 to July 31. Arizona Free Enterprise Club: Senate and House Legislators are scored on their votes on the association's policy platform. Center for Arizona Policy Action Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Progress Arizona Legislators are scored on their votes on the association's policy platform. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. The Arizona Center for Economic Progress Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic policy.

2022

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show].

In 2022, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 10 to June 25. Arizona Free Enterprise Club: Senate and House Legislators are scored on their votes on the association's policy platform. Center for Arizona Policy Action: Senate and House Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Club for Growth Foundation Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. Progress Arizona Legislators are scored on their votes on the association's policy platform. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. The Arizona Center for Economic Progress Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic policy.

2021

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show].

In 2021, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 11 to June 30. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Club for Growth Foundation Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2020

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show].

In 2020, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 13 to May 26. Club for Growth Foundation Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to economic issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2019

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show].

In 2019, the Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 14 through May 28. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2018

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show].

In 2018, the 54th Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 8 through May 4. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2017

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show].

In 2017, the 53rd Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 9 through May 4. Americans for Prosperity Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. Tucson Metro Chamber Legislators are scored on their support of business policies.

2016

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show].

In 2016, the 52nd Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 11 through May 7. Americans for Prosperity Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy. Arizona Small Business Association Legislators are scored on their votes on ASBA's legislative priority bills. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. National Federation of Independent Business Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to business issues. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on policies related to reproductive health issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues. Tucson Metro Chamber Legislators are scored on their support of business policies.

2015

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show].

In 2015, the 52nd Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 12 to April 2. Americans for Prosperity Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy. Arizona Republican Assembly Legislators are scored on how they vote in relation to the Republican Party platform. Arizona Small Business Association Legislators are scored on their votes on ASBA's legislative priority bills. Center for Arizona Policy: Senate and House Voting Records Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Legislators' votes are recorded by the Center for Arizona Policy on bills related to family issues. Children's Action Alliance Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to family issues. Humane Voters of Arizona Humane Voters of Arizona] Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona Legislators were scored on their stances on policies related to reproductive health issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2014

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show].

In 2014, the 51st Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 13 to April 24. Arizona Small Business Association Legislators are scored on their votes on ASBA's legislative priority bills. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. National Federation of Independent Business in Arizona Legislators are scored on their votes on small business issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy. Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental policy. The American Conservative Union Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.

2013

To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show].

In 2013, the 51st Arizona State Legislature was in session from January 14 to June 14. Arizona Free Enterprise Club - Senate and House Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association Legislators are scored on their stances on conservative fiscal policy. Arizona Small Business Association Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to small business issues. Goldwater Institute Legislators are scored on their votes related to policies concerning the size of government. Humane Voters of Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on animal issues. Secular Coalition for Arizona Legislators are scored on their stances on secular policy.

Endorsements

Presidential preference

2012

See also: Endorsements by state officials of presidential candidates in the 2012 election

John Kavanagh endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election.

Kavanagh is a member of the American Legion, Civic Association, Community Center Volunteers, Fountain Hills Republican Club, Friends of the Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society, Scottsdale Republican Forum and the Senior Services Board of Directors.

Noteworthy events

Recall efforts

See also: John Kavanagh recall, Arizona House of Representatives (2013)

The group Raise The Bar Arizona started a recall campaign against Kavanagh in March 2013 for allegedly breaking his campaign promises. Supporters of the recall were required to collect 16,920 signatures by July 22, 2013 in order to force a recall election. There were no reports of the outcome of the signature drive, however, and the campaign was assumed to have been abandoned.

See also

2024 Elections

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Candidate

Arizona State Senate District 3

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Officeholder

Arizona State Senate District 3

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Sally Ann Gonzales (D)	Arizona State Senate District 3 2023-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Arizona House of Representatives District 23 2019-2023	Succeeded by Mariana Sandoval (D)
Preceded by Michele Reagan (R)	Arizona State Senate District 23 2015-2019	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Arizona House of Representatives District 23 2007-2015	Succeeded by -

[show]

Current members of the Arizona State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Warren Petersen

Majority Leader:Janae Shamp

Minority Leader:Priya Sundareshan

Senators

District 1

Mark Finchem (R)

District 2

Shawnna Bolick (R)

District 3

John Kavanagh (R)

District 4

Carine Werner (R)

District 5

Lela Alston (D)

District 6

Theresa Hatathlie (D)

District 7

Wendy Rogers (R)

District 8

Lauren Kuby (D)

District 9

Kiana Sears (D)

District 10

David Farnsworth (R)

District 11

Catherine Miranda (D)

District 12

Denise Epstein (D)

District 13

Javan Mesnard (R)

District 14

Warren Petersen (R)

District 15

Jake Hoffman (R)

District 16

Thomas Shope (R)

District 17

Vince Leach (R)

District 18

Priya Sundareshan (D)

District 19

David Gowan (R)

District 20

Sally Gonzales (D)

District 21

Rosanna Gabaldón (D)

District 22

Eva Diaz (D)

District 23

Brian Fernandez (D)

District 24

Analise Ortiz (D)

District 25

Tim Dunn (R)

District 26

Flavio Bravo (D)

District 27

Kevin Payne (R)

District 28

Frank Carroll (R)

District 29

Janae Shamp (R)

District 30

Hildy Angius (R)

Republican Party (17)

Democratic Party (13)