Paul A. Gosar
RepublicanU.S. Representative, AZ-9| Age | 67 (b. 1958-11-22) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2011-01-05 (~15 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White (paternal grandparents Slovenian immigrants; maternal grandparents Basque) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Education | B.S. (1981) and D.D.S. (1985), both from Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska |
| Prior occupation | Dentist (private practice in Flagstaff, Arizona, 1989-2010); president of the Arizona Dental Association (2004-2005); named Arizona Dental Association 'Dentist of the Year' (2001) |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Rock Springs, Wyoming |
| Marital status | Married — Maude Connor Gosar |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Bullhead City, Arizona (also owns a home in the Prescott/Flagstaff area) |
| Notable relatives | Brother Pete Gosar, former chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party and Democratic gubernatorial candidate |
Pending research: languages · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2010 |
| Previous offices | U.S. House of Representatives, Arizona's 1st congressional district (2011-2013) · U.S. House of Representatives, Arizona's 4th congressional district (2013-2023) |
| Committees | Committee on Natural Resources (chair, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations; member, Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources) · Committee on Oversight and Government Reform |
| Caucuses | House Freedom Caucus · Republican Study Committee · Congressional Western Caucus |
| Leadership | Chair, Congressional Western Caucus · Chair, House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (119th Congress) |
| Ideology | Described by reliable sources as far-right; voted in line with President Trump's position approximately 86% of the time during Trump's first term |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $800,000–$1,600,000 (2018) · estimate
| Aunt Maud's Store (business) | business_owned · –$375,000 · 2018 |
| Real estate | real_estate · –$750,000 · 2018 |
| Office building | real_estate · –$750,000 · 2018 |
Top donors: American Dental Association ($62,413 (career))
Top industries: Health Professionals · Retired · Republican/Conservative
Scandals & crimes ledger
concluded — Arizona Court Sanctions — Groundless Defamation Lawsuit Against State Rep. Charlene Fernandez
Gosar, along with Arizona state lawmakers Mark Finchem and Anthony Kern, filed a defamation lawsuit in 2021 against Democratic State Rep. Charlene Fernandez after she and 41 other Democrats signed a letter calling on the DOJ to investigate the three men's roles in the January 6 Capitol riot. Yuma County Judge Pro Tem Levi Gunderson dismissed the suit in April 2022 as groundless and ordered the plaintiffs to pay $75,000 in Fernandez's legal fees, finding the lawsuit was 'brought for an improper purpose, having been filed against a political opponent primarily for purposes of harassment.' The Arizona Court of Appeals affirmed in August 2023, calling the suit 'meritless' and the appeal 'brought in bad faith.' After the Arizona Supreme Court issued a broader ruling on political-case attorney-fee standards, the appellate court reversed the $75,000 fee award in February 2025 on a narrow procedural ground, while still finding the underlying suit meritless.
concluded — House Censure for Violent Anime Video Depicting Killing of Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Attack on President Biden
On November 7, 2021, Gosar posted an edited anime video on his official social media accounts depicting a character with his face killing a character with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's face and attacking a character with President Biden's face. The House voted 223-207 on November 17, 2021 to censure him — only the 24th censure in House history and first since 2010 — and simultaneously stripped him of his two committee assignments. Only two Republicans (Cheney and Kinzinger) crossed party lines to support the resolution. Gosar re-posted the video after the censure.
resolved — House censure and removal from committee assignments (2021)
On November 17, 2021, the U.S. House voted 223-207, almost entirely along party lines, to formally censure Representative Paul Gosar and remove him from his two committee assignments after he posted an edited anime video to social media depicting an animated version of himself killing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and attacking President Joe Biden. The censure was adopted via House floor resolution H.Res. 789; the only Republicans voting in favor were Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Gosar was restored to committee assignments after Republicans took control of the House in 2023.
concluded — FEC Alternative Dispute Resolution Settlement — Gosar for Congress Reporting Violations
The FEC opened an ADR proceeding (ADR 1103) in March 2023 against Gosar for Congress and its treasurer Brett Mecum for failing to properly disclose approximately $83,282 in receipts and $74,277 in disbursements on the committee's original 2022 October Quarterly Report. The committee agreed to a negotiated settlement, paying a $6,375 civil penalty and participating in an FEC compliance training program. The matter was closed in August 2023.