Ken Bennett

Kenneth Roy Bennett (born August 1, 1959) is an American businessman and politician who served as president of the Arizona Senate and served as the 19th Secretary of State of Arizona, from 2009 to 2015. He was a candidate for Governor of Arizona in the 2014 election and 2018 election.[1] He is a member of the Republican Party.

For other people named Ken Bennett, see Ken Bennett (disambiguation).
Ken Bennett
19th Secretary of State of Arizona
In office
January 26, 2009 – January 5, 2015
GovernorJan Brewer
Preceded byJan Brewer
Succeeded byMichele Reagan
President of the Arizona Senate
In office
January 2003 – January 2007
Preceded byRandall Gnant
Succeeded byTim Bee
Member of the Arizona Senate
from the 1st district
In office
January 1999 – January 2007
Preceded byCarol Springer
Succeeded byTom O'Halleran
Personal details
Born
Kenneth Roy Bennett

(1959-08-01) August 1, 1959
Tucson, Arizona, US
Political partyRepublican
ResidencePrescott, Arizona, U.S.
EducationYavapai College
Arizona State University, Tempe (BS)
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life

Ken Bennett was born in Tucson, Arizona.[2] His parents moved to Prescott shortly thereafter, where he was raised and later graduated from Prescott High School.[2] Upon graduation, Bennett served a two-year mission in southern Japan, and remains an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[2]

In 1981, he graduated from Yavapai College under the President's Scholarship.[2][3] He then transferred to Arizona State University (ASU) in Tempe, graduating with Bachelor's in Accounting.[4][5]

Personal life

He met his wife Jeanne at ASU, and the two were married in 1982.[2] They have three grown children – Ryan, Dana and Clifton – and two grandsons.[2]

In 2005, Clifton, along with two others, were arrested and accused of "brooming" 18 middle-school aged boys in the buttocks area while they were clothed.[6] Witness reports on the "brooming" incidents ranged from the use of brooms to touch the boys' rectal areas, to holding one boy down while shoving a broomstick against his buttocks.[6]

As part of a plea deal that Clifton accepted in 2006, he was sentenced to spend 30 days in jail, in addition to probation and community service.[6]

Despite claims by the parents of some of the victims that the incidents constituted sexual abuse,[7] prosecutors argued instead that the crimes were not sexually motivated, which a trial judge agreed.[8]

Parents of some of the victims have criticized the outcome, decrying what they perceive as a lenient sentence and suggesting that a plea deal was done because of Bennett's political status as President of the State Senate.[8][7]

Both Bennett and the prosecutor have denied allegations of political pressure in the case, with Bennett going as far as accusing critics of knowingly making false statements due to what he claims as a lack of evidence on him attempting to sway the case.[7]

Business career

Bennett began work for Bennett Oil Company, a fuel distribution business in northern Arizona, in 1984.[2] Initially working in finance, Bennett was eventually hired as the chief executive officer, where he remained until 2006.[2][5][9]

In addition, he sits on the board of directors for Global Building Systems Inc.,[10] a sustainable building systems company, as well as Treasurer on the board of directors of Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Public service

Bennett was elected to the Prescott City Council in 1985 and served as Mayor Pro Tem in 1988.[5][11][12] He served on the City Council until 1989.[13]

He was appointed to the Arizona State Board of education in 1992, serving as president in 1996 and 1998.[14]

In 1998, he was elected to the Arizona State Senate, serving four two-year terms, the second as Chairman of the Education Committee, and the third and fourth as President of the Senate (2003–2007).[2]

When Jan Brewer ascended from Arizona Secretary of State to Governor upon Janet Napolitano's resignation to become United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Bennett was selected as the new Secretary of State, being sworn in on January 26, 2009.[5][15] Upon completing that term, Bennett won election to a full term as Secretary of State in the November 2010 with 59% of the vote.[16]

In 2012, Bennett made national news when he requested President Barack Obama's birth certificate from the state of Hawaii as a prerequisite to listing Obama on that year's presidential ballot.[17]

Later politics

Bennett officially announced his intention to run for Governor on November 12, 2013.[5][18] Bennett came in fourth in the six-way republican primary, gaining 11.45 percent of the vote and losing to Doug Ducey.[19]

In 2015, Bennett announced his intention to run for Congress in Arizona's 1st Congressional district.[20][21] He was endorsed by the Arizona Republic.[22] On August 30, 2016, he lost the Republican primary to Sheriff Paul Babeu.

References
  1. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/elections/2018/04/21/ken-bennett-former-secretary-state-challenge-gov-doug-ducey-gop-primary/539325002/
  2. "Arizona State Legislature: Ken Bennett". Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  3. "Yavapai College: Alumni Directory". Archived from the original on February 21, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  4. Alumni Politicians
  5. Linda Bentley, Field of six vying for governor in Republican Primary, Sonoran News, August 6, 2014
  6. Innes, Stephanie (May 13, 2006). "Senator's son sentenced to jail". Arizona Daily Star. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  7. "Did politics sway 'hazing gone wrong' case?". Associated Press. April 24, 2006. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  8. Grado, Gary (May 13, 2006). "Senator's son gets 30 days in jail for hazing". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  9. Our Campaigns: Ken Bennett
  10. Global Building Systems: Board of Directors
  11. Ken Hedler, Former Senator Ken Bennett bows out of congressional race Archived February 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Courier, September 6, 2007
  12. https://www.newspapers.com/image/120185305/
  13. https://azsos.gov/about-office/secretaries-since-statehood/ken-bennett
  14. Editorial: Ken Bennett’s aspirations to serve as governor good news for Arizona Archived February 23, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Verde Independent, May 29, 2012
  15. Casey Newton, Brewer picks Ken Bennett for sec. of state, The Arizona Republic, January 9, 2009
  16. Arizona Secretary of State biography
  17. Rachel Weiner, Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett satisfied Obama was born in United States The Washington Post, May 23, 2012
  18. Campaign website
  19. "Unofficial Results Primary Election". Arizona Secretary of State. Archived from the original on October 2, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  20. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Retrieved August 9, 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/politics/2015/07/13/ken-bennett-congresss-run-district/30104585/
  22. https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/editorial/2016/07/29/ken-bennett-endorsement/87699794/
Arizona Senate
Preceded by
Randall Gnant		 President of the Arizona Senate
2003–2007		 Succeeded by
Tim Bee
Political offices
Preceded by
Jan Brewer		 Secretary of State of Arizona
2009–2015		 Succeeded by
Michele Reagan
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