Randall Scott Friese (born c. 1964)[2] is an American surgeon and politician from the state of Arizona. A member of the Democratic Party, Friese served in the Arizona House of Representatives from 2015 through 2021, when he resigned to focus on his medical career.[3]

Randy Friese
Member of the Arizona House of Representatives
from the 9th district
In office
January 5, 2015 – November 15, 2021
Preceded byEthan Orr
Succeeded byChristopher Mathis
Personal details
Born
Randall Scott Friese[1]

c.1964 (age 59–60)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseSusan
EducationUniversity of Maryland, College Park (BS, MD)
University of Texas (MS)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1997–2001
Rank Lieutenant commander
UnitNavy Medical Corps

Education

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Friese earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1986.[1] He received a medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1990[4] and a Master of Science in clinical sciences from the University of Texas Southwestern Graduate School in 2008.[5]

Career

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From 1997 to 2001, Friese served in the United States Navy's Medical Corps. He left the service as a lieutenant commander.[6]

Friese is a trauma surgeon,[7] and he served as an Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona Medical Center. He now is a surgeon for Banner Health following the 2015 merger with UAHN.[5] He treated Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and nine-year-old Christina Taylor-Green after they were shot in the 2011 Tucson shooting.[2][8]

Arizona House of Representatives

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Friese ran for the Arizona House of Representatives in District 9 as a member of the Democratic Party in the 2014 elections. He defeated Republican incumbent Ethan Orr by 0.12% of the vote.[9][10][11]

On March 25, 2021, Friese announced he would run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Arizona's 2nd congressional district in the 2022 election.[12] He ended his campaign on September 2, 2021, citing his commitment to practicing medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, and resigned from the legislature effective November 15, 2021.[13][14]

References

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  1. ^ a b Commencement. The University of Maryland College Park. May 27, 1986. p. 28. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Grady, Denise; Medina, Jennifer (January 14, 2011). "From Bloody Scene to E.R., Lifesaving Choices in Tucson". The New York Times. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  3. ^ Ray Stern (November 8, 2021). "More vacancies at Legislature: Reps. Charlene Fernandez, Randy Friese submit resignations". Arizona Republic.
  4. ^ Commencement 1990 (PDF). University of Maryland at Baltimore. May 25, 1990. p. 13. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Candidate : Randy Friese". tucson.com. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  6. ^ Duarte, Carmen. "Two Democratic incumbents, GOP newcomer seek LD9 seats in Arizona House". Arizona Daily Star.
  7. ^ "Gosar won't challenge McCain". azcentral. March 21, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  8. ^ McKinnon, Shaun (February 8, 2011). "Gabrielle Giffords shooting: Desperate for word". USA Today. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  9. ^ "Incumbent Ethan Orr Ousted in State House Race". azpm.org. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  10. ^ Pitzl, Mary Jo (November 12, 2014). "Legislature, state retain same partisan makeup". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  11. ^ "State of Arizona Official Canvass 2014 General Election November 4, 2014" (PDF). Phoenix, Arizona: Secretary of State of Arizona. p. 9. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
  12. ^ Mutnick, Ally (March 25, 2021). "Citing gun violence, Gabby Giffords' trauma surgeon enters race for her old House seat". Politico. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  13. ^ Oshin, Olafimihan (September 2, 2021). "Ariz. state senator who saved Gabby Giffords's life ends congressional bid due to COVID-19 surge". TheHill.
  14. ^ Hansen, Ronald J. "Arizona Rep. Randy Friese ends congressional bid, says he can't quit medicine during COVID-19 pandemic". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
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