Voting Station

Paul Gosar

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U.S. Congressman

The Resume

    (November 27, 1958- )
    Born in Rock Springs, Wyoming
    Represented Arizona's 4th Congressional District ( Yuma-area, elected in 2012)
    Formerly represented Arizona's 1st Congressional District, after unseating incumbent Ann Kirkpatrick during the Tea Party wave of 2010
    Founding member of the Freedom Caucus (2015)
    Republican

Why he might be annoying:

    He was a dentist.
    He was endorsed by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
    He was nicknamed 'the Hound of the House' by colleagues.
    His signature issue has always been railing against all things EPA-related (e.g. calling for measures to block the EPA from donating funds to the United Nations Environment Program).
    He petitioned to remove both the Mexican wolf and the Sonoran desert tortoise from the endangered species list.
    He spent years trying to limit the EPA’s water rule-jurisdiction over ponds and streams, but tried to get EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy impeached for not doing enough to prevent the Flint Water Crisis (make up your mind, dude!)
    He was criticized for referring to American Indians as 'wards of the federal government' during a heated roundtable discussion in Flagstaff (Dec. 2014).
    He sparked controversy during Pope Francis' visit to Washington DC after he announced his decision to boycott the pontiff's speech before Capitol Hill, citing disagreements with his positions on climate change (2015).
    He justified his decision in a blog for Town Hall, in which he argued that the Pope had 'adopted all of the socialist talking points, wrapped false science and ideology into climate justice and is being presented to guilt people into leftist policies.'
    Even though the boycott never garnered much support, he fundraised off of the gesture, in one message repeating the phrase 'when the Pope chooses to act and talk like a leftist politician, then he can expect to be treated like one.'
    He drew criticism for posting an altered anime video of himself killing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and swinging swords at Joe Biden (November 9, 2021).

Why he might not be annoying:

    He earned multiple degrees from Creighton University.
    He was named the Arizona Dental Association's Dentist of the Year (2001).
    He has struggled with arthritis as well as nerve damage from two compressed vertebrae in his neck/lower back.
    He was active playing Rugby, and even had to undergo hip replacement surgery from the sport.
    He slept in his Capitol Hill office to promote fiscal solvency, as a freshman in Congress.
    He has been outspoken about cutting down on wasteful budgetary spending, e.g. co-sponsoring and voting for a 'Cut, Cap, and Balance' resolution.
    He voted to cut $2.1 trillion from the federal budget, at the time the largest nominal spending cut since World War II.
    He introduced a bill to prevent lawmakers from flying first class using official funds (May 2014). 
    He succeeded in getting elected a second time despite redistricting efforts (and was a dark horse contender to challenge both Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake - ultimately passing on both).
    He identifies himself as a 'proud Catholic,' despite his very public disagreement with the Pope.
    He offered part of his reasoning for the Pope snub as follows: 'If the Pope wants to devote his life to fighting climate change then he can do so in his personal time. But to promote questionable science as Catholic dogma is ridiculous.'

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 281 Votes: 64.06% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 1758 Votes: 65.47% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 884 Votes: 55.32% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 225 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 86 Votes: 53.49% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 133 Votes: 48.87% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 17 Votes: 47.06% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 64 Votes: 53.12% Annoying