Finchem, Mark

Meet the Candidate

Running For:
State Senate
District:
1
Political Affiliation:
Republican
Age:
68
Occupation:
Executive Director
Education:
BA State & Local Public Policy (GCU), MA legal Studies and Economics (UofA)
Religion:
Assembly of God
Biographical Info:

Mark Finchem brings a wealth of experience to his role as Arizona State Senator for Legislative District 1. Born and raised in Michigan, he dedicated 21 years to public safety with the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety—first as a firefighter/paramedic and then as a law enforcement officer. During that time, he earned an AAS in Criminal Justice from Kalamazoo Valley Community College, laying the foundation for his deep understanding of law and public service.

During his career as a law enforcement officer, Mark lived a farmer/rancher life in a small rural community outside Kalamazoo. After retiring, Mark moved to Tucson, Arizona. There, he stepped into leadership roles in both small business and at Intuit, the software company behind QuickBooks, where he earned a world-class business operations education and a Six Sigma process improvement certification.

Isiah 6:8, “Whom shall we send? Send me oh Lord,” Mark’s commitment to public service continued with his election to the state legislature in 2015. Serving first as a State Representative until 2023, he quickly earned a reputation for asking the tough questions—especially in the wake of the 2020 presidential election. In 2022, he ran as the GOP nominee for Arizona Secretary of State, earning the endorsement of President Donald Trump, and later received his endorsement again during his campaign for State Senate in large part because of his long-standing committment to protecting life from conception to natural passing, civil rights and small government.

A staunch supporter of secure and transparent elections, Mark co-founded the Election Fairness Institute in 2018. The organization examines election processes, identifies defects, and recommends corrective actions nationwide. As a legislator, he now chairs the Federalism Committee and the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, while also serving on the Judiciary and Elections Committees.

Statement:

To serve my community with thoughtful, discerning leadership.

Survey

Response Legend

  • SSupports
  • OOpposes
  • *Comment
  • −Declined to respond
  • †Declined to respond, Position based on citation
Question Response Comments/Notes
1. Enacting state-level restrictions on firearm ownership beyond current Arizona law. O
2. Adding sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in Arizona nondiscrimination statutes. O
3. Expanding state-level enforcement efforts to deter illegal border crossings. S
4. Prohibiting taxpayer funds from directly or indirectly funding abortion services, except where required by federal law. S
5. Maintaining the universal Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program without limiting eligibility. S
6. Legalizing physician-assisted suicide for individuals seeking end-of-life assistance, regardless of terminal illness. O
7. Allowing licensed counselors to provide therapy to minors seeking to reduce or manage same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria, with parental consent. S
8. Increasing criminal penalties for the sale and distribution of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. S
9. Requiring stronger age verification and parental consent protections for minors accessing social media platforms and downloading mobile applications. S
10. Increasing criminal penalties for individuals who purchase sex. S
11. Requiring election procedures that ensure voter identification verification and ballot security. S
12. Enacting a legislative referral that would ask voters to repeal Arizona Proposition 139, the constitutional right to abortion. S
13. Expanding current marijuana laws to increase accessibility to recreational marijuana for adults. O