Paul Fannin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Fannin
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Fannin as U.S. Senator
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| United States Senator from Arizona |
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| In office January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1977 |
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| Preceded by | Barry Goldwater |
| Succeeded by | Dennis DeConcini |
| 11th Governor of Arizona | |
| In office January 5, 1959 – January 4, 1965 |
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| Preceded by | Ernest McFarland |
| Succeeded by | Samuel Pearson Goddard, Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Paul Jones Fannin
January 29, 1907 Ashland, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | January 13, 2002 (aged 94) Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| Resting place | Greenwood/Memory Lawn Mortuary/Cemetery Phoenix, Arizona |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Lorenza Brown Elma Addington |
| Children | 4, including Bob |
| Alma mater | Stanford University (BA) |
Paul Jones Fannin (born January 29, 1907 – died January 13, 2002) was an American businessman and a leader in politics. He was a member of the Republican Party. He served as a U.S. Senator for Arizona from 1965 to 1977. Before that, he was the 11th Governor of Arizona from 1959 to 1965.
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Paul Fannin's Early Life
Paul Fannin was born in Ashland, Kentucky. His parents were Thomas Newton and Rhoda Catherine Fannin. His father worked as a dairy farmer and also owned a shop that made harnesses. When Paul was only eight months old, his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona. They moved because of his father's health.
Paul went to Kenilworth Elementary School. He then graduated from Phoenix Union High School in 1925.
Education and Business Career
Fannin studied at the University of Arizona for two years. Then, he moved to Stanford University. He earned a degree in business administration in 1930. After college, he returned to Phoenix. There, he joined his family's hardware business.
Later, Paul and his brother Ernest started their own company. It was called Fannin Gas and Supply Company. This company sold gas and petroleum equipment. Paul was the president of the company from 1945 until 1956. Then, he and his brother sold the business.
In 1934, Fannin married Elma Addington. They were married until she passed away in 2001. They had one daughter and three sons, including Bob Fannin.
Governor of Arizona
Paul Fannin was a conservative Republican. In 1958, he was elected Governor of Arizona. He won against Attorney General Robert Morrison. He took office on January 5, 1959. He was re-elected two more times, in 1960 and 1962.
Key Achievements as Governor
During his time as governor, Fannin made several important changes:
- He increased money for public schools. He did this by raising sales taxes.
- He made property taxes fairer for everyone.
- He helped create the first medical school in Arizona.
- He started the Arizona-Mexico Commission. This group worked to improve tourism and trade between Arizona and Mexico.
Fannin also led the Western Governors Association. He was a member of other important groups, too.
Serving as a U.S. Senator
In 1964, Senator Barry Goldwater decided not to run for re-election. Instead, Goldwater ran for President of the United States. Paul Fannin then ran to become a U.S. Senator. He won the election against Democrat Roy Elson.
Fannin was re-elected for a second term in 1970. He decided not to run for a third term in 1976.
Senatorial Work and Policies
As a Senator, Fannin was a strong conservative. He often voted like Senator Goldwater. For example, he voted against the Equal Rights Amendment in 1972.
He was a key Republican on the Senate Interior Committee. He spoke for Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford on energy issues. He did not support new rules that would limit strip mining or control federal lands more strictly.
Fannin also worked with other conservative Senators. They helped keep a part of the Taft–Hartley Act. This part allowed states to decide if workers had to join a union in unionized shops. In 1968, he was a main supporter of the Central Arizona Project. This project brought water from the Colorado River to central and southern Arizona.
Fannin voted for the Voting Rights Act of 1965. However, he did not vote on whether to approve Thurgood Marshall for the U.S. Supreme Court. He also voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1968.
During some of his time in the Senate, Fannin sat at the candy desk. This is a special desk where a Senator keeps candy for others.
Paul Fannin continued to live in Phoenix, Arizona. He passed away from a stroke on January 13, 2002. He is buried at Greenwood/Memory Lawn Mortuary & Cemetery in Phoenix.
