Russell Pearce

Russell Pearce
Pearce in February 2011, giving a speech in Phoenix, Arizona.
Member of the Arizona Senate from the 18th district
In office January 12, 2006 – November 21, 2011
Preceded by	Karen Johnson
Succeeded by	Jerry Lewis
President of the Arizona State Senate
In office January 10, 2011 – November 8, 2011
Preceded by	Bob Burns
Succeeded by	Steve Pierce
Personal details
Born	Russell K. Pearce (1947-06-23) June 23, 1947 (age 69) Mesa, Arizona, U.S.
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	LuAnne K. Pearce
Relations	Lester Pearce (brother)
Children	Dodi, Sean, Colten, Justin, and Joshua Pearce
Religion	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon)
Website	http://russellpearce.com/
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1965 – 1972
Unit	Arizona National Guard

Russell K. Pearce (born June 23, 1947) is an American politician and Republican former member of the Arizona State Senate. He rose to national prominence as the primary sponsor of Arizona SB1070, a controversial anti-illegal alien measure that was signed into law in 2010. He was elected President of the Arizona Senate when the Senate began its current term in January 2011, but then suffered a dramatic reversal of fortune when he was ousted in a November 2011 recall election, the first legislator in Arizona history to be so removed from office. He served as Vice-Chair of the Arizona GOP, but in September 2014, he resigned the position after controversy over his recommendation of forced sterilization of poor women on Medicaid.

Prior to his election to the Arizona Senate in 2008, Pearce served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, and worked in law enforcement for more than twenty years.

A fifth-generation Arizonan, Pearce was born on June 23, 1947, to Hal Frost Pearce and Norma Crandell. He grew up in a troubled and impoverished home with an alcoholic father; he recalled in past interviews that when he came home from school, he sometimes found that neighbors had left groceries for the family, but his mother would always put the food to the side, not wishing to accept charity. Pearce wanted to attend medical school, but his family was unable to afford it, which led him to join the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. Pearce served with the National Guard in Arizona during the Vietnam War.

Pearce served as a sheriff's deputy for twenty-three years, including a stint as Chief Deputy Sheriff under Joe Arpaio. After an incident where he continued to pursue several gang members after being shot in the chest, he received a Medal of Valor from the Department. Pearce's son, Sean Pearce, has also been awarded the Medal of Valor for being shot in the line of duty while serving a homicide warrant on an illegal alien. Pearce claims credit for one of Arpaio's more publicized and controversial actions, that of housing jail inmates in tents. Following disagreements with Arpaio, Pearce moved to the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division.