Karrin Taylor Robson
Karrin Taylor Robson | |
---|---|
Founder and President of Arizona Strategies | |
Personal details | |
Born | Karrin Margaret Kunasek 1964 or 1965 (age 59–60) Mesa, Arizona, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Relatives | Carl Kunasek (father) Andy Kunasek (brother) |
Education | Arizona State University, Tempe (BA, JD) |
Karrin Margaret Taylor Robson (née Kunasek, born 1964/1965)[1] is an American lawyer, land use consultant, and Republican Party politician from Arizona. Taylor Robson was a member of the Arizona Board of Regents from 2017 until 2021; she was appointed to the post by Arizona Governor Doug Ducey.
Robson ran in the Republican primary in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election but was defeated by Trump-backed Kari Lake.
Early life
Born Karrin Margaret Kunasek, she was raised in Mesa, Arizona.[2][3][4] The Kunasek family is prominent in Arizona Republican politics.[5] Her father, Carl Kunasek, was president of the Arizona State Senate and a member of the Arizona Corporation Commission.[5] Her mother was Kathryn Frances Kunasek (née Ryan) (1935–2020).[6] Her brother, Andy, was a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors from 1997 to 2017.[5]
Education and career
Taylor Robson earned her Bachelor of Arts in history and political science from Arizona State University (ASU) in 1988.[7] After graduating college, Taylor Robson was a staff assistant for President Ronald Reagan's economic policy council, and a staff assistant for the Office of Cabinet Affairs in the administration of George H. W. Bush. Taylor Robson left the White House in order to attend law school.[8] She earned a Juris Doctor from ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law in 1994.[7]
Taylor Robson was executive vice president of Scottsdale, Arizona-based DMB Associates, a real estate developer.[5][9] She left DMB in early 2016.[5] Taylor Robson was also a principal with the law firm of Biskind, Hunt & Taylor, P.L.C., focusing on real estate law, zoning, and land use.[5] Robson founded Arizona Strategies, a land-use consulting company,[9] and was a state lobbyist for DMB.[5] Taylor Robson described land use law in 2020 as "really 60% politics and 40% law."[7]
In 2005, Taylor Robson was appointed to the Air Force Chief of Staff's Civic Leader program, where she served as an unpaid advisor and liaison between Air Force leadership and the civilian community surrounding Luke Air Force Base.[10]
Upon the death of longtime Arizona United States Senator John McCain in 2018, Taylor Robson was mentioned as a possible appointee to serve the remainder of McCain's term.[11] Governor Doug Ducey ultimately appointed Martha McSally to fill the vacancy.[12]
Ducey appointed Taylor Robson to the Arizona Board of Regents in June 2017[13][9] and reappointed her to a full eight-year term in 2020.[13][14] She resigned from the Board in July 2021 to focus on her campaign for the Republican nomination for governor.[13]
Taylor Robson was inducted into the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame in 2020.[15]
2022 gubernatorial campaign
In 2019, Taylor Robson publicly considered a potential 2022 candidacy for governor of Arizona.[5] She formally announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination in May 2021. (Ducey, the incumbent, could not run again due to term limits.) She described herself as a "lifelong conservative Republican" and stated her opposition to the policies of the Biden administration.[16] Her candidacy was endorsed by former Arizona governors Fife Symington and Jan Brewer,[17] Ducey, the outgoing governor;[18] Arizona Senate president Karen Fann; and Americans for Prosperity.[19] Taylor Robson was also endorsed by former Arizona Republican congressman Matt Salmon, who ran for the gubernatorial nomination but withdrew from the race in late June 2022.[20]
By contrast, Taylor Robson's opponent was endorsed by Donald Trump[21] and Trump's allies. During her campaign for the Republican primary nomination, Taylor Robson said that she did not believe the 2020 elections were fair, "She accused liberal judges of changing the rules late in the game".[22]
As a pro-lifer, Karrin said that "abortion is evidence that we have failed women".[23] If elected, she was prepared to "protect and take care of the woman as much as we protect and take care of the child".[24]
Personal life
Taylor Robson lives in the Phoenix area[25]. She is married to Ed Robson, a real estate developer[26].
References
- ^ Barchenger, Stacey (July 12, 2022). "Republican Karrin Taylor Robson Relies on Wealth, Personal Connections in Bid for Arizona Governor's Office". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
- ^ "Confirmation of Carl J. Kunasek Hearing Before the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred First Congress, Second Session on Carl J. Kunasek to be Navajo-Hopi Relocation Commissioner, May 21, 1990, Washington, DC". Google Books. United States Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
- ^ Burks, Steve. "Technology, transit and a solid vision brings Mesa's rebirth". AZ Big Media. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ "DFA Welcomes Desert Debutantes". Front Doors Media. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Duda, Jeremy (July 15, 2019). "Former developer Karrin Taylor Robson mulling bid for 2022 guv's race". Arizona Mirror.
- ^ "Obituary: Kathryn Frances Kunasek". Retrieved 27 June 2022 – via Legacy.com.
- ^ a b c Oxford, Matt. "ASU alumna lets people be a part of the solution". Arizona State University. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ "'I enjoy the opportunity to actually have an impact'". Phoenix Business Journal. February 22, 2004.
- ^ a b c "Governor Ducey Selects New Regent". Office of Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ "HONORARY COMMANDER FEATURE: KARRIN KUNASEK TAYLOR". Fighter Country Foundation. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ Martin, Jonathan. "Arizona Governor Faces a Tough Choice: A Senator Made From McCain's Mold or Trump's". New York Times. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ Jonathan Martin, Martha McSally Appointed to Arizona Senate Seat Once Held by John McCain, New York Times (December 18, 2018).
- ^ a b c Board extends appreciation to Regent Karrin Taylor Robson for her service on the board following her resignation announcement, Arizona Board of Regents (July 19, 2021).
- ^ Ducey appoints attorney, a former aide, to Board of Regents, Associated Press (March 11, 2020).
- ^ "Karrin Taylor Robson". Arizona Women's Hall of Fame. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ Oxford, Andrew. "Another Republican jumps in: Karrin Taylor Robson announces bid for Arizona governor". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ "Brewer, Symington join Taylor Robson campaign for Arizona governor". KTAR-FM. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
- ^ Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Ducey backs Taylor Robson over Trump candidate in Ariz. governor race, Washington Post (July 7, 2022).
- ^ Jessica Boehm, Lake, Robson spar in debate ahead of GOP gubernatorial primary, Axios (June 30, 2022).
- ^ "Matt Salmon gives endorsement to Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizona Governor". KPNX. June 29, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
- ^ Jonathan J. Cooper &, Bob Christie, Republicans square off in raucous Arizona governor debate, Associated Press (June 30, 2022).
- ^ Cooper, Jonathan (2022-07-22). "Trump, Pence campaigning for rivals in Arizona governor's race". Dayton247now.
- ^ Arizona Horizon election debates 2022: Republican candidates for Governor, retrieved 2023-06-12
- ^ "https://twitter.com/Karrin4Arizona/status/1542309612858142720?cxt=HHwWgMCjgfyasecqAAAA". Twitter. Retrieved 2023-06-12.
{{cite web}}
: External link in
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- ^ Ray Stern, 5 takeaways from the Republican debate for Arizona governor, Arizona Republic (June 30, 2022).
- ^ Brahm Resnik, Ducey endorses Taylor Robson in Arizona's Republican primary for governor, KPNX (July 7, 2022).
External links
- 1960s births
- Living people
- Arizona Republicans
- American Christians
- American people of Czech descent
- American people of Irish descent
- Arizona lawyers
- George H. W. Bush administration personnel
- People from Mesa, Arizona
- Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law alumni
- Reagan administration personnel
- Women in Arizona politics