Gabrielle "Gabby" Giffords

Biographical Information

Gabrielle “Gabby” Giffords was born in Tucson, Pima Co., Arizona, a third generation Arizonan.  She graduated from University High School, Tucson, Arizona in 1988.  She earned a B.A. in Latin American history and sociology from Scripps College, Claremont, California in 1992 and Master's Degree in Regional Planning from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York in 1996.  She was then awarded a William Fulbright Scholarship to study in Chihuahua, Mexico.

In 1996, she took over as president and CEO of El Campo Tire Warehouses, a Tucson chain founded by her grandfather.  She sold the business to Goodyear Tire in 2000 and became a managing partner at Giffords Capital Management, LLC.

In 2000, Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat, ran for a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives.  She was elected to the 45th Arizona State Legislature (2001-2002), representing District 13.  Because of redistricting, in 2002, Giffords ran for a seat in the Arizona State Senate from District 28 (part of Tucson, Pima Co., Arizona).  She was the youngest woman ever elected to the Arizona State Senate and she served in the 46th Arizona State Legislature (2003-2004).  In 2003, she also participated in the Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.  In 2004, Giffords ran for re-election to the Arizona State Senate and served in the 1st Regular session of the 47th Arizona State Legislature.

Sen. Gabrielle Giffords resigned her seat on December 1, 2005 to run for a seat in Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.  She was replaced by Paula Aboud. ("Giffords quits state Senate to pursue Kolbe's seat."  Arizona Daily Star, December 2, 2005, "Supervisors appoint Aboud to Giffords'seat." Arizona Daily Star, January 4, 2006; Journal of the Senate, 47th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session, 2006, list of members)

In 2006, Gabrielle Giffords was elected as a Democrat to the 110th United States Congress (2007-2010) representing Arizona’s 8th Congressional District.  November 10, 2007, she married U.S. Navy Captain and NASA astronaut, Mark E. Kelly at Agua Linda, an organic produce farm in Amado, Santa Cruz Co., Arizona.  (Anderson, Judith.  “Vows:  Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly.”  The New York Times, December 2, 2007, New York edition, p. 919)

On November 2, 2010, in a hotly contested election, Giffords was re-elected as a Representative from Arizona’s 8th Congressional District to the 111th United State Congress (2011-2014).

On January 8, 2011, Giffords was meeting with constituents outside a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona when she was shot in the head in an assassination attempt.  Twenty people were shot, six died.

Gabrielle Giffords resigned from Congress on January 25, 2012 in order to focus on her recovery. (Erin Kelly. "Giffords hands in letter, officially resigns House seat." azcentral.com (Phoenix, AZ), January 25, 2012)  In a June 12, 2012 special election, Ron Barber, who was director of Rep. Giffords' district office and who was wounded during the assassination attempt, was elected to complete her term. (Rebekah L. Sanders. "Ron Barber will serve out Gabrielle Giffords' term." azcentral.com (Phoenix, AZ), June 13, 2012)

The following is her biography from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress:

GIFFORDS, Gabrielle, a Representative from Arizona; born in Tucson, Pima County, Ariz., June 8, 1970; graduated from University High School, Tucson, Ariz., 1988; B.A., Scripps College, Claremont, Calif., 1993; M.R.P., Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., 1996; William Fulbright Scholarship, Chihuahua, Mexico, 1996; businesswoman; analyst; member of the Arizona state house of representatives, 2001-2003; member of the Arizona state senate, 2003-2005; elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Tenth Congress and to the two succeeding Congresses until her resignation on January 25, 2012. (January 3, 2007-January 25, 2012).

Education

Masters: Regional Planning, Cornell University, 1996.

Bachelor Arts: Latin American History/ Sociology, Scripps College, Claremont California, 1992.

Additional Information

Former Congresswoman Giffords received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from president Joe Biden in a ceremony on July 7, 2022. "Gabby is one of the most courageous people I have ever known, the President said of Giffords. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor. (KTAR.com news 7 July 2022, accessed 11 July 2022 https://ktar.com/story/5144112/biden-recalls-friendship-with-mccain-lauds-giffords-during-medal-of-freedom-presentation/) 

Employment

Arizona Legislative Service

Sources

Birth: 2001 Guide to the 45th Legislature (green book) Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Education: 2006 Guide to the Legislature (Greenbook)