Len Munsil

Personal background

In 2010, Munsil was named as the 6th President in the 50-year history of Southwestern College in Phoenix, Arizona. Munsil had been a member of the Board of Trustees for six years and an adjunct professor, teaching ethics, political science and pre-law courses at the College since 1994.

In his first year as President, Munsil implemented a name change to Arizona Christian University, invited President George W. Bush to speak at the school's 50th anniversary, drawing 1,260 supporters and raising more than $1.5 million, and presided over the school's largest enrollment and largest freshman class in history.

Munsil is also known as the founder of the Center for Arizona Policy, a public policy organization emphasizing socially conservative issues. Munsil personally drafted and lobbied seven of the more than 60 laws promoted by CAP since its founding in 1996.

Munsil attended Arizona State University and was the editor of the university's newspaper, The State Press. Under Munsil the editorial direction of the paper became conservative—particularly toward faculty members viewed by Munsil and his student journalist colleagues as too leftist. Munsil was selected Outstanding Journalism Graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism/Telecommunications.

Munsil has been a licensed attorney since 1988. He is admitted to practice in Arizona and federal courts, including eight U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. He has authored numerous amicus curiae briefs for the U.S. Supreme Court. Munsil served in a judicial clerkship for Judge Daniel A. Manion of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and was appointed by former Arizona Governor Fife Symington to the Arizona Juvenile Justice Advisory Council. He is author or co-author of two legal manuals.

Len and his wife Tracy have eight children and reside in Scottsdale. Dr. Tracy Munsil earned her master's degree and her Ph.D. in Political Science from Arizona State University, where she taught full-time in the School of Politics and Global Studies. Dr. Munsil is now an Associate Professor of Political Science and Chair of the General Education Department at Arizona Christian University, and also chaired the Liberal Arts task force. In 2015 she was appointed by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and confirmed by the Arizona Senate for a four-year term on the Arizona Commission on Appellate Court Appointments in 2015. Like her husband, she is a former Outstanding Journalism Graduate at ASU, and Editor of the State Press. She home educated for 14 years.

On his father's side Munsil is descended from five signers of The Mayflower Compact and about a dozen men who fought in the American Revolution.

2006 gubernatorial election

During the campaign, Munsil was endorsed by four Republican Congressmen from Arizona: Jeff Flake, Trent Franks, Rick Renzi, and John Shadegg. He was also endorsed by Senator John McCain and more than 30 state legislators.

Early polls suggested that Munsil had significant ground to make up in the primary, indicating in July that he had a mere 12% of Republican voters behind him. Don Goldwater, nephew of the late U.S. Senator and U.S. presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, came in second in a four-way Republican Primary Election on Sept. 12th. Munsil received 51% of the vote, while Goldwater garnered 40%. Mike Harris earned 6% and Gary Tupper mustered 4%.

In the general election, just 8 weeks later, Munsil was defeated by incumbent Governor Janet Napolitano by a 63% to 35% margin.

History of opinion polls for election

Zogby/Wall Street Journal – September 19–25, 2006, likely voters, +/-4%

Cronkite-Eight – September 21–24, 2006, registered voters, +/-3%

Rasmussen Reports – September 18, 2006, likely voters

Survey USA – September 16–18, 2006, likely voters, +/-4.6%