Trent Franks

Infobox Congressman
name=Trent Franks


width=
state=Arizona
district=2nd
party=Republican
term_start = January 3, 2003
preceded=Ed Pastor
succeeded=Incumbent
date of birth=birth date and age|1957|06|19
place of birth=Uravan, Colorado
residence=Glendale, Arizona
alma_mater=Ottawa University
spouse=Josephine Franks
religion=Baptist
occupation=oil executive, political researcher

Trent Franks (born June 19 1957), American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing ushr|Arizona|2| ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/az02_109.gifmap] ). The district takes in the entire northwestern corner of the state, including Kingman and Lake Havasu City, but most of its vote is cast in the Phoenix suburbs. Franks has been married to Josephine since 1980. On August 4, 2008, Josephine gave birth to twins. They are members of the Baptist Church.

He was born in Uravan, Colorado, a company town. Franks is a former member of the Arizona House of Representatives. While in the House, he served as vice-chairman of the House Commerce Committee and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Child Protection and Family Preservation.

In January 1987, Franks was appointed by the Governor to head the Arizona Governor's Office for Children, which is a Cabinet level division of the Governor's office responsible for overseeing and coordinating state policy and programs for Arizona's children.

Franks worked for and later became president of Liberty Petroleum Corporation, a small oil exploration company. He also served four and a half years as the Executive Director of the Arizona Family Research Institute, a nonprofit organization associated with James Dobson's Focus on the Family for the purpose of advocating public policy to protect children and families in Arizona. As executive director, he authored a bill to give a state income tax credit to help pay for private school tuition.

In the 1994 primary for the 4th District of Arizona, Franks was defeated by John Shadegg who went on to become a colleague in Congress.

When 3rd District Congressman Bob Stump decided to retire after 13 terms, Franks entered the race to succeed him. The district had been renumbered the 2nd after redistricting gave Arizona two additional seats. He defeated Stump's chief of staff, Lisa Atkins, whom Stump had endorsed as his successor. In 2004, he faced unusually strong primary competition from the more moderate Rick Murphy, but defeated him winning 65% of the primary vote, setting him on track for reelection.

Trent Franks is currently Chairman of the Children's Hope Scholarship Foundation and a Republican Member of The United States Congress. He serves on the Judiciary Committee and the Armed Services Committee. Franks is also a member of the Republican Study Committee, House Working Group on Judicial Accountability, House Working Group on Waste, Fraud and Abuse, the Congressional Hispanic Conference, the Republican Liberty Caucus, the DUI Caucus, the Human Rights Caucus, the India Caucus, the Refugee Caucus, and the Education Freedom Caucus. Franks has also been active with Operation Smile.

Franks has a 100% rating from the Club for Growth.Fact|date=February 2008__NOTOC__

Committee Assignments

*Armed Services Committee
**Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
*Judiciary Committee
**Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties (Ranking Member)
**Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law

Issues

Franks is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act [ [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.04411: Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411] ] and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act. [ [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.04777: Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777] ]

Electoral history

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"
+ ushr|Arizona|2|: Results 2002–2006cite web |url=http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html |title=Election Statistics |accessdate=2008-01-10 |publisher=Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives ] !|Year!!|Democrat!|Votes!|Pct!!|Republican!|Votes!|Pct!!|3rd Party!|Party!|Votes!|Pct!
-
2002|
Party shading/Democratic |Randy Camacho
Party shading/Democratic align="right" |61,217
Party shading/Democratic |37%|
Party shading/Republican |Trent Franks
Party shading/Republican align="right" |100,359
Party shading/Republican |60%|
Party shading/Libertarian |Edward Carlson
Party shading/Libertarian |Libertarian
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |5,919
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |4%
|*
-
2004|
Party shading/Democratic |Randy Camacho
Party shading/Democratic align="right" |107,406
Party shading/Democratic |38%|
Party shading/Republican |Trent Franks
Party shading/Republican align="right" |165,260
Party shading/Republican |59%|
Party shading/Libertarian |Powell Gammill
Party shading/Libertarian |Libertarian
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |6,625
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |2%
|*
-
2006|
Party shading/Democratic |John Thrasher
Party shading/Democratic align="right" |89,671
Party shading/Democratic |39%|
Party shading/Republican |Trent Franks
Party shading/Republican align="right" |135,150
Party shading/Republican |59%|
Party shading/Libertarian |Powell Gammill
Party shading/Libertarian |Libertarian
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |5,734
Party shading/Libertarian align="right" |2%
|*
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2002, William Crum received 7 votes. In 2004, write-ins received 12 votes. In 2006, write-ins received 5 votes.

References

External links

* [http://www.house.gov/franks/ U.S. Congressman Trent Franks] official House site
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Trent_Franks Profile] at SourceWatch Congresspedia
* [http://www.trentfranks.com/ Trent Franks for U.S. Congress] official campaign site
* [http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/may/03touch.htm Resolution on India's untouchables in US Congress] "Rediff', May 3, 2007