Trent Franks Bio
Harold Trent Franks (born June 19, 1957) is an American businessman and former politician who represented northwestern Arizona in the United States House of Representatives from 2003 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Franks built a reputation as a conservative voice on social issues, particularly in his opposition to abortion. During his time in Congress, he served as vice chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces and chaired the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
Born in a small uranium mining town in Colorado, Franks rose from rural roots to become a multi-term congressman. He resigned from the House in December 2017 after the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into allegations that he had pressured female staffers to act as surrogate mothers for his family. Franks acknowledged discussing surrogacy with the aides but denied the other allegations, and he left office to avoid further disruption to the institution.
Early Life and Background
Trent Franks was born in Uravan, Colorado, a company town built around uranium mining that later became a ghost town. He is the son of Juanita Franks and Edward Taylor Franks. Franks was born with a cleft lip and palate, a condition that required medical care during his early years. After his parents separated, he took on responsibility for his younger siblings, an experience that helped shape his interest in child welfare policy.
Franks graduated from Briggsdale High School in Colorado in 1976. Growing up in a rural and economically modest environment gave him a lifelong appreciation for limited government and personal responsibility, themes that would later define his political career. His upbringing in the American West also exposed him to the energy industry, which would become an important part of his professional life.
Path to US Politics
After high school, Franks bought a drilling rig and moved to Texas, where he drilled wells alongside his best friend and his younger brother. He relocated to Arizona in 1981 and continued working in the oil and gas industry. In 1984, while employed as an engineer for an oil and gas royalty-purchasing firm, he entered politics for the first time by running for a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives in a heavily Democratic district.
Franks campaigned on a conservative “Reagan Republican” platform that emphasized stronger child protection laws and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. He narrowly won the race by 155 votes, riding the strong national Republican wave of 1984. In the state legislature, he served as Vice-Chairman of the Commerce Committee and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Child Protection and Family Preservation. He lost a subsequent bid in 1988 after moving to a different district shortly before the filing deadline.
Beyond the legislature, Franks expanded his political activity. In 1987, he was appointed by Republican Governor Evan Mecham to head the Arizona Governor’s Office for Children, a cabinet-level position. He later founded the Arizona Family Research Institute, a nonprofit affiliated with Focus on the Family, and served as its executive director for four and a half years. In the early 1990s, he chaired Arizonans for Common Sense and Arizonans for an Empowered Future, leading ballot initiatives on abortion and tax policy. He also authored Arizona’s successful Tuition Tax Credit Bill in 1995.
Trent Franks Career
Early Career (1984-2002)
Franks first entered elected office in 1984 with his win in the Arizona House of Representatives. After losing a 1988 state legislative race, he continued his work in conservative policy and advocacy. In January 1987, he was appointed by Governor Evan Mecham to lead the Arizona Governor’s Office for Children, where he coordinated state programs affecting young people across Arizona.
He built on that experience by founding the Arizona Family Research Institute and serving as its executive director. In 1992, he chaired Arizonans for Common Sense and pushed a constitutional amendment aimed at restricting abortion. In 1994, he ran for Arizona’s 4th congressional district after incumbent Jon Kyl sought a U.S. Senate seat, but he lost the Republican primary to John Shadegg, 43-30%. In 1997, Franks co-founded Liberty Petroleum Corporation, a petroleum exploration company, and also worked as a consultant for Pat Buchanan’s presidential campaign.
Congressional Breakthrough (2002-2012)
Following the 2000 census, Arizona gained two additional congressional seats. Franks’ home in Glendale was drawn into the 2nd district, vacated by 13-term incumbent Bob Stump. Despite being an underdog against Lisa Jackson Atkins, Stump’s longtime chief of staff, Franks narrowly won the seven-candidate Republican primary, 28-26%, a margin of just 797 votes. He then won the November 2002 general election against Democrat Randy Camacho, 60-37%.
Franks cruised to re-election in 2004, dispatching primary challenger Rick Murphy 64-36% and defeating Camacho in a rematch, 59-38%. He continued his winning pattern in 2006 and 2008, capturing a third and fourth term with 59% of the vote each cycle. In 2010, he easily defeated primary challenger Charles Black, 81-19%, and won a fifth term with 65% of the vote. During this period, he represented a sprawling northwestern Arizona district that included Lake Havasu City and the Grand Canyon.
8th District Era (2013-2017)
After the 2010 census and redistricting, Franks’ district was renumbered as the 8th District and reduced to the Maricopa County portion of his former seat, including most of Glendale, Sun City, Surprise, Peoria, and parts of western Phoenix. He retained 92% of his former constituents despite losing 85% of the old district’s land area. In 2012, he defeated Republican primary challenger Tony Passalacqua, 83-17%, and won a sixth term with 63% of the vote.
In 2014, Franks faced no Democratic challenger and won re-election with over 75% of the vote. In 2016, he again had no Democratic opponent and defeated Arizona Green Party nominee Mark Salazar 68.5%-31.5%. During these years, the National Journal ranked him among the “most conservative” members of the U.S. House of Representatives, and he remained a leading voice on anti-abortion legislation, gun rights, and limited government.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of Franks’ signature legislative efforts was the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, a bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks. He first proposed the measure in 2013, and it passed the House 228-196. He reintroduced a similar bill in 2017, which passed 237-189. In September 2009, he drew national attention for calling President Barack Obama an “enemy of humanity” in a speech focused on abortion policy. In 2013, he generated controversy by stating that “the incidents of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low,” a remark he later clarified.
Trent Franks Career Wins
Harold Trent Franks won seven consecutive U.S. House races between 2002 and 2016, representing Arizona’s 2nd and later 8th congressional districts. He consistently secured his Republican primaries, often by wide margins, and won every general election he contested. He also won his first state legislative race in 1984 before moving on to the national stage.
Congressional Highlights
Franks’ first congressional victory came in 2002, when he captured the open 2nd district seat by defeating Democrat Randy Camacho, 60-37%. His most recent House win came in 2016, when he defeated Arizona Green Party nominee Mark Salazar 68.5%-31.5% with no Democratic challenger on the ballot. Over the course of his House career, he established himself as one of the most conservative members of Congress, earning high marks from groups like the National Right to Life Committee and Gun Owners of America.
Other Wins and Achievements
Franks won his first political race in 1984, taking an Arizona House seat by 155 votes. He also achieved a notable policy victory in 1995 as the original author and leading proponent of Arizona’s Tuition Tax Credit Bill. In 1987, he was appointed by Governor Evan Mecham to a cabinet-level role overseeing children’s policy in the state.
Trent Franks Family
Family Background and Lineage
Harold Trent Franks is the son of Edward Taylor Franks and Juanita Franks. He grew up in Uravan, Colorado, and after his parents separated, he helped care for his younger siblings. His brother, Lane Franks, partnered with him in co-founding Liberty Petroleum Corporation in 1997.
Personal Life
Franks has been married to Josephine Franks since 1980, and the couple are members of the North Phoenix Baptist Church. Josephine Franks is an immigrant. Franks has long been involved in causes related to children, including founding a crisis pregnancy center in Tempe, Arizona, and serving as a past chairman of the Children’s Hope Scholarship Foundation. The family has resided in Glendale, Arizona.