23 Facts About Steve Farley

Steve Farley was born on December 24,1962 and is an American politician, artist, and graphic designer who previously served as a State Senator from Arizona, including serving in the capacity of assistant minority leader.

Steve Farley served previously in the Arizona House of Representatives, serving as assistant minority leader there as well.

On June 5,2017, Farley announced he was running for Governor of Arizona in the 2018 election, challenging Republican incumbent Governor Doug Ducey, but lost in the Democratic primary.

Steve Farley unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination in the 2019 Tucson mayoral election.

Steve Farley was born in Upland, California to two public school teachers.

Steve Farley graduated from Williams College in 1985 with a degree in political science.

Steve Farley began his foray into politics as a citizen advocate for increased investment in public transportation, and aided in the approval of the comprehensive regional transportation system which created Pima County's Regional Transportation Authority.

Steve Farley was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2006, and became the assistant minority leader in 2010.

In January 2007, Steve Farley was the first legislator in the country to introduce a bill to ban driving while texting; after twelve years of work the bill became law in 2019.

Steve Farley served on the Finance, Appropriations, and Joint Legislative Budget committees where he oversaw the $10 billion state budget.

Steve Farley has served on the Ethics, Government and Environment, and Transportation committees.

Steve Farley was Senate Assistant Minority Leader and the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee.

Steve Farley gained bipartisan support for rolling back the loopholes.

In 2012, Steve Farley campaigned on issues like investing in new technologies and high-wage jobs, expanding health care for self-employed and small-business owners and making long-term care more affordable for middle-class seniors, in addition to his work in increasing the production of clean solar energy, outlawing driving while texting and protecting Tucson's sovereignty.

On June 5,2017, Steve Farley announced his campaign for Governor of Arizona against incumbent Republican Governor Doug Ducey.

Steve Farley proposed closing tax loopholes to secure greater funding for public education, saying "I know we have the money, we've just chosen to give it away," and criticized the Arizona economy for benefiting those at the top more than the average Arizonan.

On January 10,2019, Steve Farley announced his candidacy for the 2019 Tucson mayoral election.

Steve Farley campaigned on a platform focused on economic development, environmental preparedness, and investment in education and public transportation.

Steve Farley has proposed creating a public healthcare option for Tucson residents, switching diesel engine buses to electrical engines powered by solar energy, creating a resiliency plan for extreme climate emergencies, and preparing Tucson's economy to be competitive in emerging industries.

In February 2020 Steve Farley became the chief executive officer of the Humane Society of Southern Arizona.

Steve Farley was fired from the position on October 5,2023 when, under his tenure, 318 small pets that the HSSA received for adoption placement from San Diego Humane Society were transferred to a private citizen associated with a reptile farm that sells frozen and live animals for snake food.

Steve Farley is an artist whose work appears throughout Tucson, including a ceramic tile mural by the Broadway Underpass, at the eastern gateway to downtown Tucson.

Steve Farley is engaged to Kitt Leonard, an IT specialist at the Tucson Medical Center, and has two children.