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| Speaker David Gowan Reshapes Arizona House, From the Carpets on Up | Speaker David Gowan Reshapes Arizona House, From the Carpets on Up |
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| PHOENIX — When lawmakers in the Arizona House of Representatives went looking for a new speaker in late 2014, they turned to David M. Gowan, an unassuming Republican legislator whom colleagues on both sides of the aisle saw as someone they could work with. | PHOENIX — When lawmakers in the Arizona House of Representatives went looking for a new speaker in late 2014, they turned to David M. Gowan, an unassuming Republican legislator whom colleagues on both sides of the aisle saw as someone they could work with. |
| But Mr. Gowan has proved to be anything but. He has angered lawmakers from the right and left since assuming the post in January 2015, putting his own stamp on a legislative body that has garnered its share of attention for its far-right leanings on issues like immigration and abortion. | But Mr. Gowan has proved to be anything but. He has angered lawmakers from the right and left since assuming the post in January 2015, putting his own stamp on a legislative body that has garnered its share of attention for its far-right leanings on issues like immigration and abortion. |
| Right after approving a budget last year that forced state agencies to make another round of cuts, Mr. Gowan, a conservative who makes his home in a rural border county in southeastern Arizona, embarked on a redecorating spree. | Right after approving a budget last year that forced state agencies to make another round of cuts, Mr. Gowan, a conservative who makes his home in a rural border county in southeastern Arizona, embarked on a redecorating spree. |
| The House floor got an elegant carpet. Lawmakers got reupholstered chairs. His leadership team got cherry wood office furniture. He also planned for showers and a multiuse room in the basement, but shelved the project after half of his Republican caucus chided his “excessive spending” in a letter. | The House floor got an elegant carpet. Lawmakers got reupholstered chairs. His leadership team got cherry wood office furniture. He also planned for showers and a multiuse room in the basement, but shelved the project after half of his Republican caucus chided his “excessive spending” in a letter. |
| In January, Mr. Gowan repaid the state for travel reimbursements and daily allowances he had improperly claimed, a matter that remains under investigation by the state’s attorney general. He began this month by abruptly revoking reporters’ access to the House floor unless they agreed to an extensive background check. | In January, Mr. Gowan repaid the state for travel reimbursements and daily allowances he had improperly claimed, a matter that remains under investigation by the state’s attorney general. He began this month by abruptly revoking reporters’ access to the House floor unless they agreed to an extensive background check. |
| None of them did. | None of them did. |
| Fourteen journalists regularly assigned to cover the Capitol retreated to the second-floor gallery that morning, taking pictures and writing stories as a group of visiting elementary school students giggled and gawked. State Representative Ken Clark, a Democrat from Phoenix, warned, “This is a slippery slope.” | Fourteen journalists regularly assigned to cover the Capitol retreated to the second-floor gallery that morning, taking pictures and writing stories as a group of visiting elementary school students giggled and gawked. State Representative Ken Clark, a Democrat from Phoenix, warned, “This is a slippery slope.” |
| In an op-ed column, Amanda Ventura, the president of the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, wrote, “Reporters pose no security threat — unless truth hurts.” | In an op-ed column, Amanda Ventura, the president of the local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, wrote, “Reporters pose no security threat — unless truth hurts.” |
| From the floor, Mr. Gowan told his colleagues, by way of explanation, “I want to make sure you’re protected.” But the ensuing debate promptly stirred another controversy, about guns in the chamber. | From the floor, Mr. Gowan told his colleagues, by way of explanation, “I want to make sure you’re protected.” But the ensuing debate promptly stirred another controversy, about guns in the chamber. |
| Mr. Gowan had authorized the removal of a sign that banned firearms from the staff entrance to the House building, effectively allowing lawmakers to enter armed. | Mr. Gowan had authorized the removal of a sign that banned firearms from the staff entrance to the House building, effectively allowing lawmakers to enter armed. |
| Mr. Gowan, 46, who was first elected as a state representative in 2008, is leaving the House at the end of the year because of term limits. He is now aiming his sights at Washington, running to represent one of the largest congressional districts in the country. In a crowded field of Republican contenders, he is considered an underdog, though he does not seem deterred. | Mr. Gowan, 46, who was first elected as a state representative in 2008, is leaving the House at the end of the year because of term limits. He is now aiming his sights at Washington, running to represent one of the largest congressional districts in the country. In a crowded field of Republican contenders, he is considered an underdog, though he does not seem deterred. |
| “David Gowan has always been underestimated, always traveled under the radar,” Frank Antenori, a former Republican state senator who is a close friend of Mr. Gowan’s, said in an interview. “He’s got a real folksy personality, people just don’t see him as being as aggressive. That’s a big mistake.” | “David Gowan has always been underestimated, always traveled under the radar,” Frank Antenori, a former Republican state senator who is a close friend of Mr. Gowan’s, said in an interview. “He’s got a real folksy personality, people just don’t see him as being as aggressive. That’s a big mistake.” |
| Mr. Gowan hails from conservative Cochise County, a land of cattle ranchers that takes in Fort Huachuca — once home to the storied Buffalo Soldiers, these days a sprawling base that is host to the armed forces’ intelligence training program. He earned a living as a magazine distributor — stacking periodicals and paperback novels on the shelves of supermarkets and drugstores — and teaching martial arts on the side; he is a black belt in karate. | Mr. Gowan hails from conservative Cochise County, a land of cattle ranchers that takes in Fort Huachuca — once home to the storied Buffalo Soldiers, these days a sprawling base that is host to the armed forces’ intelligence training program. He earned a living as a magazine distributor — stacking periodicals and paperback novels on the shelves of supermarkets and drugstores — and teaching martial arts on the side; he is a black belt in karate. |
| Mr. Gowan turned his political ambitions into action methodically and patiently. He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination to the Arizona House twice, in 2004 and 2006, focusing his campaign on a single issue: illegal immigration, a major point of contention in the border district he wanted to represent. An editorial in The Tucson Citizen, a newspaper that has since ceased publication, called his command of other topics “fuzzy at best.” | Mr. Gowan turned his political ambitions into action methodically and patiently. He ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination to the Arizona House twice, in 2004 and 2006, focusing his campaign on a single issue: illegal immigration, a major point of contention in the border district he wanted to represent. An editorial in The Tucson Citizen, a newspaper that has since ceased publication, called his command of other topics “fuzzy at best.” |
| Jonathan Paton, who defeated him twice in primaries, said determination is what got Mr. Gowan where he is. | Jonathan Paton, who defeated him twice in primaries, said determination is what got Mr. Gowan where he is. |
| “He does not quit,” said Mr. Paton, a Republican who served in both the Arizona House and Senate. “He does not accept that he shouldn’t be in office, that he shouldn’t be speaker of the House, that he shouldn’t be in Congress.” | “He does not quit,” said Mr. Paton, a Republican who served in both the Arizona House and Senate. “He does not accept that he shouldn’t be in office, that he shouldn’t be speaker of the House, that he shouldn’t be in Congress.” |
| Mr. Gowan is one of seven Republicans running for Arizona’s First Congressional District, whose jagged borders encompass nine counties in full or in part in eastern, northern and central Arizona. The area has traditionally leaned Republican, but the district itself has been competitive since it was realigned in 2010. | Mr. Gowan is one of seven Republicans running for Arizona’s First Congressional District, whose jagged borders encompass nine counties in full or in part in eastern, northern and central Arizona. The area has traditionally leaned Republican, but the district itself has been competitive since it was realigned in 2010. |
| In 2014, Ann Kirkpatrick, a Democrat, narrowly defeated her Republican opponent, Andy Tobin, a former Arizona House speaker. She is leaving her congressional seat to run against John McCain, the long-serving Republican senator and former presidential candidate. | |
| One of Mr. Gowan’s rivals for the Republican nomination is Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, one of the most vociferous proponents of more border security. His county, an expanse of desert and rugged mountains near the Arizona-Mexico border, is a major route for drug cartels bringing contraband to Phoenix and Tucson. | One of Mr. Gowan’s rivals for the Republican nomination is Sheriff Paul Babeu of Pinal County, one of the most vociferous proponents of more border security. His county, an expanse of desert and rugged mountains near the Arizona-Mexico border, is a major route for drug cartels bringing contraband to Phoenix and Tucson. |
| “In a crowded Republican field like this, each of the candidates is trying to move to the right of the other,” said Matthew Benson, a political consultant and senior aide to former Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican. “Nobody is running as a moderate.” | “In a crowded Republican field like this, each of the candidates is trying to move to the right of the other,” said Matthew Benson, a political consultant and senior aide to former Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican. “Nobody is running as a moderate.” |
| “They’re all trying to prove they’re the most conservative and go to Washington to shake things up,” he added. | “They’re all trying to prove they’re the most conservative and go to Washington to shake things up,” he added. |
| Mr. Antenori said Mr. Gowan got into politics “to make sure that our basic liberties were protected,” in particular “our religious freedoms, the Second Amendment, our property rights.” | Mr. Antenori said Mr. Gowan got into politics “to make sure that our basic liberties were protected,” in particular “our religious freedoms, the Second Amendment, our property rights.” |
| At the Capitol, Mr. Gowan is reserved, a man who has a tendency to mumble his words. While his predecessor, Mr. Tobin, was known for his “backslapping, more public, more accessible” ways, Mr. Gowan has “a quiet, more laid-back style, but he has been just as effective,” said Glenn Hamer, the president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, an influential pro-business group. | At the Capitol, Mr. Gowan is reserved, a man who has a tendency to mumble his words. While his predecessor, Mr. Tobin, was known for his “backslapping, more public, more accessible” ways, Mr. Gowan has “a quiet, more laid-back style, but he has been just as effective,” said Glenn Hamer, the president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, an influential pro-business group. |
| Mr. Gowan rarely gives interviews and declined to comment for this article. Lobbyists often meet with him over lunch. In 2013, Mr. Gowan ranked No. 3 on a list of food-and-beverage expenditures reported by lobbyists, according to an analysis of such records by The Arizona Capitol Times. (“I’m looking for free food,” he told the newspaper.) | Mr. Gowan rarely gives interviews and declined to comment for this article. Lobbyists often meet with him over lunch. In 2013, Mr. Gowan ranked No. 3 on a list of food-and-beverage expenditures reported by lobbyists, according to an analysis of such records by The Arizona Capitol Times. (“I’m looking for free food,” he told the newspaper.) |
| For his part, Representative Bruce Wheeler, a leader of the Democratic minority, was unreservedly blunt in his criticism: “The leadership under Gowan has been disastrous,” he said. | For his part, Representative Bruce Wheeler, a leader of the Democratic minority, was unreservedly blunt in his criticism: “The leadership under Gowan has been disastrous,” he said. |
| But to Republicans and Democrats alike, the storm over the banning of reporters from the House floor became a source of embarrassment. Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, told reporters he felt “pretty safe around you.” | But to Republicans and Democrats alike, the storm over the banning of reporters from the House floor became a source of embarrassment. Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, told reporters he felt “pretty safe around you.” |
| On April 8, the day Mr. Gowan issued his ban, The Capitol Times suggested in an online article that the move may have been motivated by the fact that one of its reporters, Hank Stephenson, has written about the improper reimbursements and the lobbyists’ expenses. | On April 8, the day Mr. Gowan issued his ban, The Capitol Times suggested in an online article that the move may have been motivated by the fact that one of its reporters, Hank Stephenson, has written about the improper reimbursements and the lobbyists’ expenses. |
| Mr. Gowan rescinded his ban on Tuesday, maintaining nonetheless that his motivation had been to protect the chamber. | Mr. Gowan rescinded his ban on Tuesday, maintaining nonetheless that his motivation had been to protect the chamber. |