Ed Pastor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ed Pastor
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona |
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| In office October 3, 1991 – January 3, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Mo Udall |
| Succeeded by | Ruben Gallego |
| Constituency | 2nd district (1991–2003) 4th district (2003–2013) 7th district (2013-2015) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 28, 1943 Claypool, Arizona, U.S. |
| Died | November 27, 2018 (aged 75) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Verma Mendez
(m. 1965) |
| Education | Arizona State University, Tempe (BA, JD) |
Edward Lopez Pastor (June 28, 1943 – November 27, 2018) was an American politician. He served in the United States House of Representatives for Arizona from 1991 to 2015. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Ed Pastor represented different areas of Arizona during his time in Congress. These areas were mostly centered around Phoenix.
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Early Life
Ed Pastor was born in Claypool, Arizona. He was the oldest of three children. After high school, he studied chemistry at Arizona State University (ASU). He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree.
He then became a chemistry teacher at North High School in Phoenix. Later, he worked for a community service group called Guadalupe Organization Inc. He was the deputy director there.
Pastor returned to ASU to study law. He earned a J.D. degree, which means he became a lawyer. After that, he worked for Arizona Governor Raúl Héctor Castro. In 1976, Pastor was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. He served three terms as a county executive.
Serving in Congress
How He Was Elected
In 1991, Ed Pastor ran in a special election. This election was to replace Mo Udall, who was retiring from Congress. Udall had served for 28 years. Pastor won the Democratic primary election by a small number of votes.
A month later, he won the special election. He received 55 percent of the votes. This made him the first Latino person to represent Arizona in the U.S. Congress. He was reelected four more times. He always won with more than 60% of the votes.
After the 2000 census, the areas he represented changed. His home in Phoenix was now in a new district. This new district was called the 4th District. It had many Democratic voters and a large Latino population. Pastor was reelected six more times in this new district.
What He Did in Congress
Ed Pastor was a Chief Deputy Whip for the Democratic Party. This means he helped gather votes for important issues. He was known for his liberal views. This means he often supported social programs and government regulation.
He was also respected by members of both political parties. He was known for working well with everyone. This is called bipartisanship.
Pastor helped start the Congressional Progressive Caucus. This is a group of lawmakers who support progressive policies. He voted against the 2002 Iraq Resolution. This resolution started the Iraq War.
He also voted against a bill that would make it easier to carry guns across state lines. Pastor supported displaying "In God We Trust" in public places. He was also supported by groups that protect wildlife.
Ed Pastor strongly supported civil rights for all people. In 2007, he voted to stop job discrimination based on sexual orientation. In 2006, he voted against defining marriage as only between one man and one woman. He also voted against a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in 2004.
In February 2014, Pastor announced he would retire. He finished his term and left Congress.
His Committee Work
In Congress, lawmakers work in groups called committees. These groups focus on specific topics. Ed Pastor was a member of the Committee on Appropriations. This committee decides how the government spends money.
He was also part of these smaller groups within that committee:
- Subcommittee of Energy and Water Development
- Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government
- Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (He was the Ranking Member, meaning the top member from the minority party).
Groups He Joined
Ed Pastor was also part of several caucuses. These are groups of lawmakers who share interests or backgrounds.
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- International Conservation Caucus
His Lasting Impact
Many places and groups have been named after Ed Pastor. These include schools, parks, and the Ed Pastor Center for Politics and Public Service. A part of Loop 202 in Phoenix was also named in his honor.
Ed Pastor is remembered for inspiring many people to work in public service. One example is Arizona State House Democratic Leader Charlene Fernandez.
About His Family
Ed Pastor was married to Verma Mendez for 53 years. They had two daughters, Yvonne and Laura. He passed away on November 27, 2018, in Phoenix. He was 75 years old and died after a heart attack.
See also
