Keep the Mission Going: Former Lawmaker, Civic Leader George Cunningham

Democrat George Cunningham of Tucson spent his career supporting local and statewide Democrats. We now have an opportunity to continue his mission.

He was:

• Arizona State Senator and State Representative from 1992-2001.
• Gov. Janet Napolitano’s budget director, and Gov. Rose Mofford’s chief of staff.
• Founder of the Grand Canyon Institute think tank.
• Died two weeks ago at 80.

A former state legislator, gubernatorial advisor, and vice president at the University of Arizona, Cunningham’s passing marked the end of a decades-long commitment to Arizona’s civic and political life.

We have three ways to keep Cunningham’s mission alive:

• Making a donation to the George R. Cunningham Scholarship at the University of Arizona [bit.ly/CunninghamScholarship].
• Donating to the George Cunningham Memorial Fund of the Grand Canyon Institute.
• Contributing to the Catalina High School Foundation.

Cunningham’s public service spanned from the local to the state level. He served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 1992 to 1996 and in the Senate from 1997 to 2001, where he held leadership roles as a member of the Democratic Party. He also held senior positions under Governors Rose Mofford and Janet Napolitano, including chief of staff and budget director, respectively.

St. Patrick’s Day

Susan Bickel, a former chair of the LD18 Democrats, said, “Many will remember the St. Patrick’s Day Dinners hosted by the Cunninghams in their backyard. Gradually, the old LDs 9 and 10 stepped in to help – and today, the new LD18 — growing the event to the point where we had to move to a larger venue.”

“The purpose of the dinner was to bring together Democrats with all the candidates up and down the ballot. Mark Kelly and Gabby Giffords were regular attendees; statewide candidates were also anxious to be there.

“We will miss George Cunningham. We are grateful for his generous support of our party.”

Cunningham’s legacy also includes service as the University of Arizona’s vice president for administrative services, where he oversaw campus infrastructure and student life. His political career began on the administrative side of the Arizona Senate before he became a lobbyist for the university and, ultimately, a state legislator.

Among his most enduring achievements is the founding of the Grand Canyon Institute, a nonpartisan public policy think tank committed to independent, research-based analysis. The institute is known for its bipartisan board and its advocacy for citizen-focused legislation.

His son, Tucson City Councilman Paul Cunningham, described him as a devoted father, sports fan, and civic patriot. “My dad had one of the better runs as a public servant,” Paul wrote in a touching tribute. “He was my best friend. I love him very much.”

Cunningham’s legacy lives on in Arizona’s institutions, infrastructure, and policy debates—and in the many lives he touched through his dedication to public service.