Summary
Current Position: US Representative of AZ – 01 since 2017
Affiliation: Democrat
Former Position: State Senator from 2007 – 2015
Quotes:
As new investments are made in electric vehicles, we must ensure that rural #AZ01 is not left behind. I intro’d a bipartisan bill to support communities & the private sector as they identify priority areas to make the best investments in EV infrastructure. @RepOHalleran
Featured Video:
CVA Virtual Town Hall with Rep. Tom O’Halleran
OnAir Post: Tom O’Halleran – AZ1
News
Kaff News, – September 14, 2021
The U.S Forest Service has decided to cancel the current 4FRI Phase Two RFP process within the Four Forest Restoration Initiative. Officials say the reason to cancel was to reassess the project when it comes to acreage, biomass treatment, road maintenance and other economic factors. Congressman Tom O’Halleran says the decision “jeopardizes the health of our forests and the safety of communities in the district.” Senator Mark Kelly also expressed his displeasure with the forest service saying, “the Forest Service blindsided Arizonans with their decision to cancel the long-awaited 4FRI contract. This is unacceptable and is only going to further erode Arizonans’ trust in the Forest Service.” Senator Kyrsten Sinema echo’s Senator Kelly’s thoughts saying, “this reversal comes at a particularly dangerous time for communities across Arizona, as wildfire season gets longer each year. The Forest Service must take immediate action and provide Arizonans certainty that there will be no further delays and that the agency will fulfill its obligations to our state.” Even though the Forest Service cancelled the contract, they say “we are deeply invested and our intention is to work with our partners together on a new proposal as soon as possible.” The 4FRI initiative encompasses the Kaibab, Coconino, Apache-Sitgreaves, and Tonto national forests, engaging them in a collaborative, landscape-scale initiative designed to restore fire-adapted ecosystems in the Southwestern Region.
About
Source: Government page
Growing up, Tom O’Halleran was taught the value of hard work and honesty in serving his community. He took these lessons and joined the Chicago Police Department where he was commissioned as one of the youngest homicide detectives in the city’s history. He served with distinction, receiving countless commendations and awards for his work to serve and protect his community.
Following his service, Tom became a member of the Chicago Board of Trade and opened his own small business. As a member of the board of directors, he chaired the finance, floor operations, and planning committees. His work gave the Board of Trade a vision for the future.
Never one to rest, Tom took on public service once again upon retiring to Arizona. He served three consecutive terms in the Arizona House of Representatives and one term in the Senate. Tom used his eight years in the legislature to take on tough challenges and make the right decisions for his constituents, regardless of the political implications. For Tom, it is, and will always be, about the people he serves, not party or title.
Tom and his wife, Pat, live in unincorporated Yavapai County outside the Village of Oak Creek. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2019 and have three children and four grandchildren.
Committees
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
- Subcommittee on Energy
- Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
- Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
House Committee on Agriculture
- Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
Coalitions and Caucuses
- Blue Dog Coalition
- Co-chair for Communications
- New Democrat Coalition
Rural Broadband Caucus, Co-Chair
Congressional Native American Caucus
Problem Solvers Caucus
Law Enforcement Caucus
Labor and Working Families Caucus
Congressional Chemistry Caucus
Impact Aid Coalition
Animal Protection Caucus
Safe Climate Caucus
Pre-K Caucus
ALS Caucus
Aluminum Caucus
Task Forces:
Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence
Bipartisan Heroin Task Force
House Rural Broadband Task Force
Women Veterans Task Force
Task Force on Poverty and Opportunity, Vice Chair on Rural Poverty
Sponsored Legislation
Offices
Experience
Work Experience
- Police officer
1966 to 1979Chicago, Ill.
- Arizona state senator
2007 to 2009
Education
DePaul University
1991 to 1992Attended
Lewis University
1965 to 1966Attended
Personal
Birth Year: 1946
Place of Birth: Chicago, IL
Gender: Male
Race(s): Caucasian
Contact
Email:
Offices
Washington D.C. Office
324 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-3361
Casa Grande Office
211 N. Florence Street
Suite 1
Casa Grande, AZ 85122
Phone: 520-316-0839
Flagstaff Office
405 N. Beaver Street
Suite 6
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Phone: 928-286-5338
Tucson Office
3037 W. Ina Rd
# 101
Tucson, AZ 85741
Phone: 928-304-0131
Web
Government Page, Campaign Site, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Wikipedia
Politics
Source: none
Campaign Finance
Voting Record
Search
Wikipedia entry
Thomas Charles O’Halleran (/oʊˈhælərən/; born January 24, 1946) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Arizona’s 1st congressional district from 2017 to 2023. Beginning his political career as a Republican, he was the Arizona state senator from the 1st district from 2007 to 2009. In 2015, he became a member of the Democratic Party. He also served as the chair of communications for the Blue Dog Coalition. On June 7, 2023, he was appointed as a senior advisor to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Joe Biden administration.[1]
Early life and education
O’Halleran was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated from Providence St. Mel School. He attended Lewis University for one year before joining the Chicago Police Department. O’Halleran later attended DePaul University for one year.[2]
Early career
O’Halleran served with the Chicago Police Department from 1966 to 1975. He then became a member of the Chicago Board of Trade, operating his own futures trading business with a focus in futures contracts on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes.[3][4]
Arizona Legislature
O’Halleran, then a Republican, served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007. He then served in the Arizona State Senate, representing the 1st district from 2007 to 2009. In a 2008 primary election, he was unseated by Steve Pierce.[5]
After leaving the Arizona legislature, O’Halleran hosted a radio show on KAZM in Sedona.[6]
In 2014 he left the Republican Party, citing its policies on education, water, and child welfare. He then ran for the 6th district seat of the State Senate as an independent, losing by 3%.[7]
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2016
On August 6, 2015, O’Halleran announced his candidacy as a Democrat for Arizona’s 1st congressional district.[8]
He explained his switch of party affiliation as a result of his positive attitude toward government, and, in particular, of his support for government regulations that would increase the use of wind and solar energy.[9]
In May 2016, O’Halleran was named to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee‘s Red to Blue list, indicating that his race was a priority for the group.[10]
On August 30, 2016, O’Halleran beat Miguel Olivas in the Democratic primary.[11] He defeated Republican Paul Babeu and Green Party candidate Ray Parrish[12] in the general election[13] with 51% of the vote.[14]
2018
.jpg)
O’Halleran ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.[15] In the general election, he defeated Republican Wendy Rogers with 54% of the vote.[16]
2020
O’Halleran was reelected, defeating Republican nominee Tiffany Shedd with 51.6% of the vote.[17]
2022
In the 2021 decennial redistricting, O’Halleran’s district was reshaped and renumbered as the 2nd congressional district and he ran for reelection there against Republican Eli Crane.[18] The new district was made significantly more Republican than its predecessor, as it gained heavily Republican Prescott.[19] O’Halleran lost to Crane in the general election, winning only in the district’s most Democratic counties, Coconino and Apache.[20]
Tenure
117th Congress (2021–23)
O’Halleran was at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, to certify the results of the 2020 United States presidential election when the Capitol was stormed. He was moved to a safe location along with other members of Congress. He voted in support of a resolution calling for Vice President Mike Pence to use the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution to remove Trump from office.[21] Days later, he voted for the second impeachment of Donald Trump.[22]
In February, O’Halleran voted in support of the American Rescue Plan.[23]
Committee assignments
Caucus memberships
- Blue Dog Coalition (chair for communications)[24]
- New Democrat Coalition[25]
- Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus
- Problem Solvers Caucus[26]
Political positions
As of November 2022, O’Halleran had voted in line with President Joe Biden‘s stated position 100% of the time.[27] He was a chair of the Blue Dog Coalition.[28]
Abortion
O’Halleran describes himself as pro-choice but has a mixed record on abortion issues. In the Arizona state senate, he voted in favor of a ban on abortion after 20 weeks.[29] O’Halleran opposed the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it “a mammoth setback for women, families and our nation.”[30]
Energy and oil
According to On the Issues, in 2008 O’Halleran introduced HB 2613, an act that would give businesses using renewable energy property tax incentives.[31]
Foreign policy
According to On the Issues, in 2017 O’Halleran endorsed a two-state solution despite Israeli settlements on the West Bank.[32]
Government spending
In March 2018, O’Halleran criticized the Trump administration for seeking to cut funding for agencies and programs including the Economic Development Administration.[33]
Gun policy
After the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida, O’Halleran, who had long supported expanded background checks but opposed an assault-weapon ban, suggested he might shift toward a stronger position on gun control. He said: “At times you have to look at yourself in the mirror and do the right thing and say forget about the political consequences.”[34]
Immigration
When Trump ordered a travel ban on visitors and refugees from seven predominantly Muslim nations in January 2017, O’Halleran said that the order “does not represent our nation’s values” and that it violated the Constitution and “the bedrock ideals of our democracy”.[35]
In April 2017, O’Halleran criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions‘s tougher new guidelines on expelling illegal immigrants who belong to criminal gangs. He said: “I have no problem with getting the felons out of the country. But some of these people that they’re taking out of the country, they have children that are Americans, and they have not had a violent felony conviction. Here we are, taking mothers away from their children.”[36]
O’Halleran was part of a group of Arizona Democrats who, in an August 2017 letter to Trump, urged him not to pardon former Maricopa County chief Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who had been convicted in a federal court of racially profiling Latinos as part of border patrols.[37][38]
Qualified immunity
In 2021, O’Halleran was among a group of Democrats who sought to remove a provision from a police reform bill that would end qualified immunity for police officers accused of misconduct.[39]
Personal life
O’Halleran and his wife Pat live in unincorporated Yavapai County (with a Sedona address). They have three grown children and four grandchildren.[4][40] O’Halleran is Roman Catholic.[41]
On June 7, 2023, O’Halleran was named Senior Advisor for the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.[42]
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom O’Halleran | 142,219 | 50.7% | ||
| Republican | Paul Babeu | 121,745 | 43.3% | ||
| Green | Ray Parrish | 16,746 | 6.0% | ||
| Majority | 20,474 | 7.4% | |||
| Total votes | 280,710 | 100.0 | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom O’Halleran (Incumbent) | 143,240 | 53.8% | ||
| Republican | Wendy Rogers | 122,784 | 46.2% | ||
| Majority | 20,456 | 7.6% | |||
| Total votes | 266,024 | 100.0 | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Tom O’Halleran (Incumbent) | 188,469 | 51.6% | −2.2 | |
| Republican | Tiffany Shedd | 176,709 | 48.4% | +2.2 | |
| Total votes | 365,178 | 100.0 | |||
| Democratic hold | |||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Eli Crane | 174,169 | 53.9 | |||
| Democratic | Tom O’Halleran (incumbent) | 149,151 | 46.1 | |||
| Independent | Chris Sarappo (write-in) | 76 | 0.0 | |||
| Total votes | 323,396 | 100.0 | ||||
| Republican gain from Democratic | ||||||
References
- ^ Daily Kos Elections Staff. “Daily Kos Elections Live Digest: 6/7”. Daily Kos. Kos Media, LLC. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ “Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress – Retro Member details”. bioguideretro.congress.gov. Retrieved 2020-07-24.
- ^ Crawford, Jr., William (June 6, 1988). “‘Open outcry’ chaos part of trading art: A tradition that works”. Chicago Tribune. p. D1.
- ^ a b “Meet Tom – Tom O’Halleran for Congress”. www.tomohalleran.com. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
- ^ Pitzl, Mary. “Does an independent candidate have a prayer?”. The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
- ^ Bell, David (August 7, 2015). “Former state Rep. O’Halleran joins CD1 candidate field”. Eastern Arizona Courier. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^ “Tom O’Halleran”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 1, 2016.
- ^ “O’Halleran announces candidacy in 1st Congressional District”. Arizona Capitol Times. Associated Press. August 5, 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
- ^ Sanders, Rebekah L. “Tom O’Halleran running for Congress as Democrat”. azCentral. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ “Red to Blue – DCCC”. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
- ^ Reagan, Kevin (August 3, 2016). “Bennett joins Babeu in pledging to term limits”. Arizona City Independent. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ^ “Ray Parrish | azvoterguide.com”. 2016.azvoterguide.com. Retrieved 2016-09-24.
- ^ “It’s Republican Paul Babeu And Democrat Tom O’Halleran In Monstrous CD-1 Race”. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 7 December 2016.
- ^ “Democrat Tom O’Halleran defeats Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu in CD-1”. ABC 15. November 8, 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
- ^ “Tom O’Halleran”. Ballotpedia. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ “Arizona Election Results: First House District”. New York Times. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ “Arizona Election Results: First Congressional District”. The New York Times. 3 November 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ Estrada, Melissa (December 18, 2021). “Here are the candidates running in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District”. The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022.
- ^ “3-term Democratic Arizona Rep. Tom O’Halleran defeated”. Associated Press. 11 November 2022.
- ^ “Arizona Second Congressional District Election Results”. The New York Times. November 11, 2022. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022.
- ^ Brennan, Brian (12 January 2021). “Congressman recounts capitol riot and supports removing President Trump”. KGUN. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ Aleshire, Peter (14 January 2021). “Impeachment vote splits AZ representatives”. Payson Roundup. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ Aleshire, Peter (5 March 2021). “COVID relief package includes billions for Arizona”. White Mountain Independent. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ “O’Halleran Chosen as Co-Chair of Blue Dog Coalition”. Congressman Tom O´Halleran. 2018-11-27. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
- ^ “Members”. New Democrat Coalition. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
- ^ “Featured Members”. Problem Solvers Caucus. Retrieved 2021-03-28.
- ^ Bycoffe, Anna Wiederkehr and Aaron (2021-08-25). “Does Your Member Of Congress Vote With Or Against Biden?”. FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
- ^ “Members”. Blue dog coalition. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
- ^ Hutchison, Diana (February 27, 2018). “Residents address concerns with Congressman Tom O’Halleran – The Tribune”. tribunenewsnow.com. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
When O’Halleran was in the legislature he voted against late term abortion. Late term abortions are abortions performed after 20 weeks of gestation.
- ^ O’Halleran, Tom (24 June 2022). “The Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson goes back on 50 yrs of legal precedent; it is a mammoth setback for women, families, and our nation. I firmly support a woman’s right to choose and believe that health care decisions should lie solely between a woman and her doctor”. Twitter. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ^ “Tom O’Halleran on Energy & Oil”. On the Issues. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ “Tom O’Halleran on Foreign Policy”. On the Issues. 4 July 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ Singleton, Laura (2 March 2018). “O’Halleran concerned about rural programs on the Trump administration’s chopping block”. White Mountain Independent. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ Bade, Rachael; Everett, Burgess (March 2018). “Could gun control flip the House to Democrats?”. Politico. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^ FARZAN, ANTONIA NOORI. “Here’s Where Arizona’s Top Elected Officials Stand on Trump’s Border Wall”. Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
- ^ Nintzel, Jim. “Congressman Raul Grijalva sues Trump administration over border wall plans”. The Skinny – Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
- ^ Cross, Jim (17 August 2017). “Arizona members of US Congress ask president not to pardon Arpaio”. KTAR News. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
- ^ HANSEN, RONALD J.; WINGETT SANCHEZ, YVONNE. “Some in Arizona who sought Joe Arpaio’s support mum on possible pardon”. The Republic – az Central. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
- ^ Caygle, Heather; Ferris, Sarah. “Dems clash over Biden-era police bill after ‘defund’ attacks”. POLITICO. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ Official list of congressmen for 115th Congress, on which O’Halleran is listed as “D-Sedona”)
- ^ “Religious affiliation of members of 117th Congress” (PDF). Pew Research Center.
- ^ “U.S. Department of Agriculture Announces Key Staff Appointments”. United States Department of Agriculture. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
genrwas invoked but never defined (see the help page).
External links
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
| People | |
|---|---|
| Other | |
Recent Elections
2018
| Tom O’Halleren (D) | 143,240 | 53.8% |
| Wendy Rogers (R) | 122,784 | 46.1% |
| TOTAL | 266,024 |
Source: Ballotpedia
Finances
Tom O’Halleran has raised $1,617,247. Campaign Committee Fundraising, 2019 – 2020. LAST REPORT: 03/31/2020
Source: Open Secrets
Committees
Committees
House Committee on Agriculture
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Subcommittees
Conservation and Forestry
Communications and Technology
Consumer Protection and Commerce
Energy
Voting Record
See: Vote Smart
New Legislation
Source: Congress.gov
Issues
Governance
Transparency is not a partisan issue. The American people deserve accountability from their elected officials in Washington. I am committed to bringing transparency to my work by sharing information about each of my meetings on my website, introducing and supporting legislation to strengthen independent watchdog groups, and work to ensure that our government is accountable to the American people.
Introduced Legislation:
Clean Legislating and Ethical Accountability Now (CLEAN) Act: makes the Office of Congressional Ethics a permanent body, protecting it from politically motivated changes, and giving it the tools it needs, including subpoena power, to investigate ethics violations.
No Ongoing Perks Enrichment (NOPE) Act: prohibits first-class flights for members of Congress and staff, freezes Congressional pay, withholds pay unless a budget is passed, and increases the lobbying ban for members of Congress and staff from two years to five years.
Government Shutdown Accountability and Economic Report Act of 2017: withholds Congressional pay during a government shutdown and requires daily reports on the impact and cost of the shutdown on the economy.
Cosponsored Legislation:
Government By the People Act of 2017: reforms the financing of congressional elections by broadening participation by small dollar donors.
Protecting Our Democracy Act: creates the National Commission on Foreign Interference in the 2016 Election to examine any attempts or activities by the Russian government or other governments, persons or entities to use electronic means to influence, interfere with, or sow distrust in the 2016 elections.
No Budget, No Pay Act: withholds Congressional pay after October 1 of any fiscal year in which Congress has not approved a concurrent resolution on the budget and passed the regular appropriations bills.
Establishing a Joint Committee on the Organization of Congress: Establishes an ad hoc committee to study the organization, operations, functions, and relevant interactions of the Members of Congress and to make recommendations to make such operations and organization more effective and efficient; make Congress and its Members more accountable; improve the orderly, timely, and effective consideration and disposal of legislation
Economy
Economy
Creating high-paying jobs across our country is a key priority of mine in Congress. By investing in education and skills training, we can create a 21st Century workforce that is ready to fill open jobs.
Education
Fostering a healthy educational environment at a young age is critical for future academic achievement for Arizona students. We must also continue to invest in our elementary and secondary education, and ensure our students are receiving the best education. I support legislation that makes college, vocational programs, and other skill training opportunities more accessible to people who seek higher education.
Environment
Our public monuments and parks are critical for land and water conservation and preserving the rich history of our country. I am proud to work on projects that protect our public lands and ensure that they are accessible to all Americans.
As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture, I am committed to working with my colleagues to protect our forested lands. Congress must work find responsible, bipartisan ways to improve wildfire fighting and prevention.
Health Care
Congress must work to pass bipartisan legislation that improves the health and wellbeing of Americans by expanding access to insurance coverage, bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, and investing in rural hospitals.
Veterans
Our veterans have faithfully served our country, and it is our responsibility to ensure they have the best care when they return home. My office is available to help veterans if they are having problems with the VA.
Agriculture
As a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and Chair of the Blue Dog Special Task Force on Rural America, I’m focused on giving rural Arizonans and our ag producers a voice in Washington. Read more about my work below.
