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Introduction:

She led a 51-year career in state government (NGA).

Early Life
Mofford was class president from seventh to eleventh grade, and was Globe High School's first female student body president in Globe, Arizona (Historical League).

Civil Service
Mofford was eighteen when she started working for state Treasurer Joe Hunt, where she earned a salary of $125 a month (Bland).

Elected Office
Although Arizona is considered a traditionally Republican state, Democrat Mofford was was well-liked by members of both parties (Associated Press). She was known for her bipartisanship, and her ability to reach across the political aisle while both secretary of state and governor (Pitzl).

When Mofford campaigned to be re-elected as secretary of state in 1978, her opponent accused her of being an ineffective bureaucrat and of damaging former governor Bolin's legacy (Pitzl). However, she won re-election that year, and won again in 1982 by nearly a 2-1 ratio (Pitzl). Mofford won unopposed in 1986 (Pitzl).

When Mofford first became governor, she faced a collapse of the real-estate market and a high state deficit left over by the previous administration (Bland).

During her time in office, Mofford was only one out of three female governors in the country (Historical League). She was called "the healing governor", since her predecessor was impeached on corruption charges, and some thought it was her duty as governor to repair the state (Historical League). Mofford also received this nickname due to her ability to ease racial division in Arizona, which some considered a problem under Mecham (Pitzl). Governor Mofford wanted to prevent drug use in the state (NGA). She created the Governor's Alliance Against Drugs, the Governor's Youth Commission Against Drugs, and managed the formation of the state's first Drug Prevention Resource Center (NGA). Mofford fought to pass a law that established Martin Luther King Day as a state holiday (Bolding).

Mofford advocated for children, education, the disabled, the elderly, and an upsurge in transportation funding (Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce).

As governor, Mofford fought for for higher bonding limits and aimed for statewide economic development (Bland). She created a funding mechanism to keep Major League Baseball's Cactus League in the state (Bland).

She had a high popularity in the state, which decreased when she commutated two murder sentences in 1989 (Bland). Convicted murderers James Hamm and Carl Kummerlowe were able to attain early parole under her commutations, which she later tried to rescind (Orlando Sentinel).

Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton said Mofford was an "Arizona original, a gifted and groundbreaking leader" (Associated Press). Governor Greg Bucey said that "rising through the ranks of state government to our state's top office, she shattered a once-thought-unbreakable glass ceiling and served as an unparalleled role model to many" (Associated Press).

Even after she left office, Mofford was considered a mentor to several Arizona politicians (Pitzl). She would often use her influence as a leader in politics to help other rise up in the ranks (Bland). to Former Senator Dennis DeConcini remembered asking Mofford for advice after taking a job as a gubernatorial staffer (Pitzl). Mofford would make calls for him to help him rise up in the ranks, which "opened a lot of doors" according to DeConcini (Bland).

She opposed a bill banning abortions in the state, claiming it was unconstitutional, which was rejected by the state legislature before she could veto it (NY Times).

Mofford formed a task force to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic statewide (Politico).

As governor, she strongly opposed English-only instruction in Arizona schools (Politico).

She appointed more minorities and women to commissions, boards and courts than any other past governor (Politico).

Friend and Maricopa County Elections Director Karen Osbourne said Mofford was known for saying that a good politician never stops campaigning (Pitzl).

In a 2010 interview, Mofford said "I attribute my success in life to my roots, religion, and my Roledex" (Bland). She created that Roledex when she first starting working in government in 1940, eventually compiling 4,000 contacts (Bland). This was thought to show her value for communication and connections (Bland).

In 1990, Mofford told reporters "I hope they remember me as a caring governor, because I cared about everybody in Arizona" (Pitzl).

Post-Office Life
After leaving office, Mofford started a scholarship in her name at her alma mater Globe High (Bland). She worked with former lawmaker Leo Corbert to help people in Arizona get organ transplants under the state health insurance (Bland). She often visited elderly residence homes, and washed, sorted, and donated clothes to homeless shelters until she was 91 (Bland).

Personal Life
Mofford identified as a devout Catholic (Bolding). She considered her religion to be a driving force in her success both in politics and as a leader (Bolding). She contributed to the Missionaries of Charity, a foundation created by Mother Theresa (Bolding). Her commitment to her faith was thought to have made her more popular among Arizonians (Bolding).

Awards (new section)
Mofford received the Distinguished Public Servant and Dedicated Humanitarian Award from St. Jude's Research Hospital (Historical League). In 1988, she won Valley Leadership's Outstanding Woman of the Year Award (Historical League). She was a recipient of the Arizona Heritage Award in 2004 (Bolding). Former Phoenix mayor Skip Rimsza established June 10th as "Rose Mofford Day." (Historical League).