FANNIN, Paul Jones

Governor & Senator Paul J. Fannin (1907-2002) Paul J. Fannin filled Barry Goldwater's seat in the Senate when Goldwater resigned to run for president in 1964, but he did not quite fill his shoes. Fannin was if anything, even more conservative than Goldwater, but fell a bit short on name recognition, breadth of accomplishments and, some might say, principle. As a first term Senator with little clout, he struggled mightily to eliminate a provision of the Taft-Hartley Act which would have restricted a state's ability to enact "right to work" laws which prohibit compulsory union membership. Eventually a coalition of Republicans and Southern Democrats joined Fannin defeating that provision of the legislation supported by the Democrats lead by President Lyndon Johnson. One of his proudest achievements was the sponsorship of the Central Arizona Project with Senator Hayden to bring Colorado River Water to Arizona. After leaving office he worked on the project's board. His position in support of stricter sentencing was compromised during his second and final term in the U. S. Senate. In 1973, he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol at a time when the charge had somewhat less onus that it would later acquire. The charge, which carried a mandatory day in jail, was mysteriously dropped. When the issue of favoritism made headlines charges were reinstated. Prior to his two terms in the Senate, Fannin was a three term governor serving as the state's chief executive from 1959 to1965. His goals in office included an increase public education funding for metropolitan areas and the equalize the state property tax. Fannin was born in Ashland, Ky., but raised in Phoenix. He attended the University of Arizona but graduated from Stanford University. He returned to Phoenix to work in the family's hardware business and started a petroleum equipment company with his brother which he sold before running for governor. He died of a stroke at 94 years of age at his Phoenix home, a year after the death of his wife, Elma.