Len Munsil
Encyclopedia
Len Munsil is the President of Arizona Christian University. He was the Arizona
Republican Party
nominee for Governor of Arizona
in the Arizona gubernatorial election, 2006
, coming from behind to upset Don Goldwater
in the Republican primary in his first run for any elective office. He lost to incumbent Janet Napolitano
in the general election on November 7, 2006.
Munsil was the founding President for The Center for Arizona Policy, serving from 1996-2005. On November 17, 2011 he was announced as the permanent president of Arizona Christian University.
in Phoenix, Arizona. Munsil had been a member of the Board of Trustees for six years and an adjunct professor, teaching ethics, political science and pre-law courses at the College since 1994.
In his first year as President, Munsil implemented a name change to Arizona Christian University, invited President George W. Bush to speak at the school's 50th anniversary, drawing 1,260 supporters and raising more than $1.5 million, and presided over the school's largest enrollment and largest freshman class in history.
Munsil is also known as the founder of the Center for Arizona Policy, a public policy organization emphasizing socially conservative issues. Munsil personally drafted and lobbied seven of the more than 60 laws promoted by CAP since its founding in 1996.
Munsil attended Arizona State University
and was the editor of the university's newspaper, The State Press. Under Munsil the editorial direction of the paper became conservative—particularly toward faculty members viewed by Munsil and his student journalist colleagues as too leftist. Munsil was selected Outstanding Journalism Graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism/Telecommunications.
Munsil has been a licensed attorney since 1988. He is admitted to practice in Arizona and federal courts, including eight U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. He has authored numerous amicus curiae briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court. Munsil served in a judicial clerkship for Judge Daniel A. Manion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and was appointed by former Arizona Governor Fife Symington to the Arizona Juvenile Justice Advisory Council. He is author or co-author of two legal manuals.
Munsil and his wife, Tracy, have eight children. Tracy is also a former State Press editor and Outstanding Journalism Graduate of the Cronkite school, as is their oldest daughter, Leigh. Tracy earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from Arizona State University in 2011, and was a full-time faculty member in the ASU School of Politics and Global Studies. In May 2011 she became an Associate Professor of Political Science at Arizona Christian University. Leigh has been a reporter for the Dallas Morning News, and currently writes for Politico in Washington D.C. Their oldest son, Will Munsil, is the head high school football and baseball coach at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy
.
On his father's side Munsil is descended from five signers of The Mayflower Compact and about a dozen men who fought in the American Revolution.
,
Trent Franks
, Rick Renzi
, and John Shadegg
. He was also endorsed by Senator John McCain
and more than 30 state legislators.
Early polls suggested that Munsil had significant ground to make up in the primary, indicating in July that he had a mere 12% of Republican voters behind him. Don Goldwater
, nephew of the late U.S. Senator and U.S. presidential candidate Barry Goldwater
, came in second in a four-way Republican Primary Election on Sept. 12th. Munsil received 50.6% of the vote, while Goldwater garnered only 39.7%. Mike Harris earned 6.1% and Gary Tupper mustered 3.7%.
In the general election, just 8 weeks later, Munsil was defeated by incumbent Governor Janet Napolitano
by a 62.6% to 35.4% margin.
Cronkite-Eight - September 21–24, 2006, registered voters, +/-3%
Rasmussen Reports - September 18, 2006, likely voters
Survey USA - September 16–18, 2006, likely voters, +/-4.6%
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nominee for Governor of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
in the Arizona gubernatorial election, 2006
Arizona gubernatorial election, 2006
The 2006 election for governor of Arizona was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic Governor Janet Napolitano, was re-elected without major opposition...
, coming from behind to upset Don Goldwater
Don Goldwater
Donald H. "Don" Goldwater is an Arizona Republican Party activist, and the nephew of the late U.S. senator and U.S. presidential candidate Barry M. Goldwater....
in the Republican primary in his first run for any elective office. He lost to incumbent Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st...
in the general election on November 7, 2006.
Munsil was the founding President for The Center for Arizona Policy, serving from 1996-2005. On November 17, 2011 he was announced as the permanent president of Arizona Christian University.
Personal background
In 2010, Munsil was named as the 6th President in the 50-year history of Southwestern CollegeSouthwestern College (Arizona)
Arizona Christian University is a private, non-profit Christian university located in Phoenix, Arizona.- History of ACU :...
in Phoenix, Arizona. Munsil had been a member of the Board of Trustees for six years and an adjunct professor, teaching ethics, political science and pre-law courses at the College since 1994.
In his first year as President, Munsil implemented a name change to Arizona Christian University, invited President George W. Bush to speak at the school's 50th anniversary, drawing 1,260 supporters and raising more than $1.5 million, and presided over the school's largest enrollment and largest freshman class in history.
Munsil is also known as the founder of the Center for Arizona Policy, a public policy organization emphasizing socially conservative issues. Munsil personally drafted and lobbied seven of the more than 60 laws promoted by CAP since its founding in 1996.
Munsil attended Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
and was the editor of the university's newspaper, The State Press. Under Munsil the editorial direction of the paper became conservative—particularly toward faculty members viewed by Munsil and his student journalist colleagues as too leftist. Munsil was selected Outstanding Journalism Graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism/Telecommunications.
Munsil has been a licensed attorney since 1988. He is admitted to practice in Arizona and federal courts, including eight U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. He has authored numerous amicus curiae briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court. Munsil served in a judicial clerkship for Judge Daniel A. Manion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and was appointed by former Arizona Governor Fife Symington to the Arizona Juvenile Justice Advisory Council. He is author or co-author of two legal manuals.
Munsil and his wife, Tracy, have eight children. Tracy is also a former State Press editor and Outstanding Journalism Graduate of the Cronkite school, as is their oldest daughter, Leigh. Tracy earned her Ph.D. in Political Science from Arizona State University in 2011, and was a full-time faculty member in the ASU School of Politics and Global Studies. In May 2011 she became an Associate Professor of Political Science at Arizona Christian University. Leigh has been a reporter for the Dallas Morning News, and currently writes for Politico in Washington D.C. Their oldest son, Will Munsil, is the head high school football and baseball coach at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy
Scottsdale Preparatory Academy
Scottsdale Preparatory Academy is a charter school in Scottsdale, Arizona and affiliated with the Great Hearts Academies. It currently serves grades 6 to 12. It moved to a different campus in the 2011-2012 school year, also accommodating the fifth grade portion of GHA's Scottsdale Archway Academy...
.
On his father's side Munsil is descended from five signers of The Mayflower Compact and about a dozen men who fought in the American Revolution.
2006 Gubernatorial Election
During the campaign, Munsil was endorsed by four Republican Congressmen from Arizona: Jeff FlakeJeff Flake
Jeffrey Lane "Jeff" Flake is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was featured in the documentary series How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories....
,
Trent Franks
Trent Franks
Trent Franks is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district takes in the entire northwestern corner of the state, including Kingman and Lake Havasu City, but most of its vote is cast in the western Phoenix suburbs.-Early life, education and...
, Rick Renzi
Rick Renzi
Richard George "Rick" Renzi is a former American politician and was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives representing . Renzi has pending Federal criminal charges against him for his involvement in a land-swap deal. On April 19, 2007, the FBI raided his family...
, and John Shadegg
John Shadegg
John Barden Shadegg is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1995 until 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district, numbered as the 4th District before the 2000 Census, includes much of northern Phoenix....
. He was also endorsed by Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
and more than 30 state legislators.
Early polls suggested that Munsil had significant ground to make up in the primary, indicating in July that he had a mere 12% of Republican voters behind him. Don Goldwater
Don Goldwater
Donald H. "Don" Goldwater is an Arizona Republican Party activist, and the nephew of the late U.S. senator and U.S. presidential candidate Barry M. Goldwater....
, nephew of the late U.S. Senator and U.S. presidential candidate Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
, came in second in a four-way Republican Primary Election on Sept. 12th. Munsil received 50.6% of the vote, while Goldwater garnered only 39.7%. Mike Harris earned 6.1% and Gary Tupper mustered 3.7%.
In the general election, just 8 weeks later, Munsil was defeated by incumbent Governor Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano
Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st...
by a 62.6% to 35.4% margin.
History of opinion polls for election
Zogby/Wall Street Journal - September 19-September 25, 2006, likely voters, +/-4%| Polls | % |
| Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st... |
50.4% |
| Len Munsil | 41% |
| Barry Hess Barry Hess Barry J. Hess II is an investor, business owner, writer and United States Libertarian Party activist. He was the Libertarian Party of Arizona nominee for U.S. Senate from Arizona in 2000 finishing 4th of 4 with 70,724 votes , and the Libertarian candidate for Governor of Arizona in 2002 , 2006 and... |
4% |
Cronkite-Eight - September 21–24, 2006, registered voters, +/-3%
| Polls | % |
| Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st... |
64% |
| Len Munsil | 28% |
| Barry Hess Barry Hess Barry J. Hess II is an investor, business owner, writer and United States Libertarian Party activist. He was the Libertarian Party of Arizona nominee for U.S. Senate from Arizona in 2000 finishing 4th of 4 with 70,724 votes , and the Libertarian candidate for Governor of Arizona in 2002 , 2006 and... |
2% |
Rasmussen Reports - September 18, 2006, likely voters
| Polls | % |
| Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st... |
56% |
| Len Munsil | 38% |
Survey USA - September 16–18, 2006, likely voters, +/-4.6%
| Polls | % |
| Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano Janet Napolitano is the third and current United States Secretary of Homeland Security, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She is the fourth person to hold the position, which was created after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the 21st... |
56% |
| Len Munsil | 40% |