John B. Nelson facts for kids

John B. Nelson was born on January 12, 1936. He is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party. Over the years, he has served in several important roles in Arizona. These roles include being a city councilman for Phoenix, a member of the Arizona House of Representatives, and a member of the Arizona Senate.

Early Political Career in Phoenix

Becoming a City Council Member

John Nelson began his political journey in 1983. He was elected as a council member for District 4 in Phoenix. A city council member helps make decisions for the city. They work on local laws and manage city services.

Serving as Mayor of Phoenix

In 1994, the mayor of Phoenix, Paul Johnson, decided to run for governor. He had to step down from his mayor's job. As the vice-mayor, John Nelson temporarily took over as mayor. He served for a short time, from March 17 to March 28, 1994. After that, the city council chose Thelda Williams to be the interim mayor.

Serving in the State Legislature

From City Council to State House

John Nelson was elected to the Phoenix City Council for a fourth time in 1999. He also served his third term as vice-mayor. However, in 2000, he decided to try for a new challenge. He resigned from the city council to run for a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives. He won this election and started his first term in the state legislature in 2001. He represented District 17.

Re-election to the State House

After some changes to the district maps, Nelson ran for election in District 12 in 2002. He won again, along with another representative named Jerry Weires. In Arizona, each legislative district is represented by two members in the House. Nelson and Weires were re-elected in 2004. They ran unopposed, meaning no one ran against them, in 2006.

Joining the Arizona Senate

In 2008, John Nelson decided to run for the Arizona Senate. He successfully won the election for District 12. He served in the Arizona Senate until January 14, 2013.