Matt Heinz
Encyclopedia
Matthew G. Heinz, commonly known as Matt Heinz, is an American doctor and politician from Tucson, Arizona
. A Democrat
, he is a member of the Arizona House of Representatives
from the 29th district. First elected in 2008, he took office on January 12, 2009.
Heinz earned a BA in Chemistry from Albion College
and has an MD
from Wayne State University School of Medicine
. In 2000, he was granted a fellowship in vascular surgery at Harvard Medical School
, where he conducted research. He completed his residency
in internal medicine at the University of Arizona
and is a practicing physician at Tucson Medical Center
.
The 29th district, entirely located in Pima County
, includes parts of Tucson and Littletown
. It is reliably Democratic and, for the 2007-08 biennium, was represented by Reps. Tom Prezelski and Linda Lopez
. Term limit
s prevented Lopez from running for re-election in 2008 and she ran successfully for the district's senate seat. Heinz, who had also sought a seat in a different district (LD-28) in 2006, was one of seven Democrats to file for the two house seats. In the primary election held on September 2, 2008, he attracted the most votes. Incumbent Rep. Tom Prezelski came in third and lost his seat, behind Heinz and second-placed finisher Daniel Patterson. In the general election on November 4, 2008, Heinz and Patterson won easily – both took office in January 2009. Heinz and Patterson are the only two Democrats to have filed for the office in 2010, all but ensuring their re-election.
In his first session, Heinz was appointed to the committees on Appropriations and on Public Employees, Retirement and Entitlement Reform.
Heinz is openly
gay
and his campaign won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
. He is one of five openly LGBT
members of the Arizona State Legislature, alongside Senators Robert Meza
(D–Phoenix), Kyrsten Sinema
(D–Phoenix), Paula Aboud
(D–Tucson) and Jack Jackson
(D–Window Rock).
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
. A Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he is a member of the Arizona House of Representatives
Arizona House of Representatives
The Arizona House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. Its members are elected to two-year terms with a term limit of four consecutive terms...
from the 29th district. First elected in 2008, he took office on January 12, 2009.
Heinz earned a BA in Chemistry from Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
and has an MD
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from Wayne State University School of Medicine
Wayne State University School of Medicine
The Wayne State University School of Medicine is the largest single-campus medical school in the United States with more than 1,000 medical students. In addition to undergraduate medical education, the school offers master’s degree, Ph.D., and M.D.-Ph.D. programs in 14 areas of basic science to...
. In 2000, he was granted a fellowship in vascular surgery at Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
, where he conducted research. He completed his residency
Residency (medicine)
Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
in internal medicine at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
and is a practicing physician at Tucson Medical Center
Tucson Medical Center
Tucson Medical Center , licensed at 641 beds, is a locally governed nonprofit regional hospital in Tucson, Arizona. The medical center treats about 30,000 inpatients and 120,000 outpatients annually as well as around 6,000 infant births....
.
The 29th district, entirely located in Pima County
Pima County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, includes parts of Tucson and Littletown
Littletown, Arizona
Littletown is a census-designated place in Pima County, Arizona, United States. The population was 1,010 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Littletown is located at ....
. It is reliably Democratic and, for the 2007-08 biennium, was represented by Reps. Tom Prezelski and Linda Lopez
Linda Lopez (Arizona politician)
Linda J. Lopez is a Democratic member of the Arizona Senate, representing the 29th District since 2009. Lopez served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009...
. Term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s prevented Lopez from running for re-election in 2008 and she ran successfully for the district's senate seat. Heinz, who had also sought a seat in a different district (LD-28) in 2006, was one of seven Democrats to file for the two house seats. In the primary election held on September 2, 2008, he attracted the most votes. Incumbent Rep. Tom Prezelski came in third and lost his seat, behind Heinz and second-placed finisher Daniel Patterson. In the general election on November 4, 2008, Heinz and Patterson won easily – both took office in January 2009. Heinz and Patterson are the only two Democrats to have filed for the office in 2010, all but ensuring their re-election.
In his first session, Heinz was appointed to the committees on Appropriations and on Public Employees, Retirement and Entitlement Reform.
Heinz is openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and his campaign won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund
The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund is an American political action committee dedicated to increasing the number of openly LGBT public officials in US political life.The Victory Fund was founded in 1991...
. He is one of five openly LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
members of the Arizona State Legislature, alongside Senators Robert Meza
Robert Meza
Robert Meza is an American politician from Phoenix, Arizona who has served as a member of the Arizona State Senate since January 2011.A Democrat, he represents the reliably Democratic 14th district which covers parts of central and west Phoenix. He was first elected in 2002 and won re-election in...
(D–Phoenix), Kyrsten Sinema
Kyrsten Sinema
Kyrsten Sinema is a Democratic member of the Arizona State Senate, where she represents the 15th district. She previously served three terms in the Arizona House of Representatives from January 2005 to January 2011.-Early life and career:...
(D–Phoenix), Paula Aboud
Paula Aboud
Paula Aboud is an American politician who is currently a member of the Arizona Senate, representing the 28th District. A Democrat, she serves as the Senate's minority whip.-Early life:...
(D–Tucson) and Jack Jackson
Jack Jackson, Jr.
Jack Jackson, Jr. is an American politician from Arizona. A Democrat, he serves in the Arizona Senate, representing the state's 2nd district in northern Arizona. The district contains part of the city of Flagstaff as well as the Navajo Nation, the Hopi, Havasupai, Hualapai and San Juan Southern...
(D–Window Rock).