Mark Finchem

Mark Finchem
Born	Mark William Finchem 24 4, 1957
Birthplace	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Education	University of Arizona (MLS)
Children	3
Website	[votefinchem.com Official site]

Mark William Finchem (born April 24, 1957) is an American politician serving as a member of the Arizona Senate, representing the 1st district since January 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the Arizona House of Representatives for District 11 from 2015 to 2023. Before entering politics, Finchem worked as a police officer in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He gained national attention for his involvement with the Oath Keepers militia organization, his role as Arizona coordinator for the Coalition of Western States, and his prominence as a proponent of claims that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent. Finchem was present at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, during the Capitol breach, and was subsequently the subject of calls for his expulsion from the Arizona legislature. In 2022, with the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, he ran as the Republican nominee for Arizona Secretary of State but lost in the general election. Finchem returned to office in 2025 after defeating incumbent Ken Bennett in the Republican primary for the Arizona Senate. As a state senator, he has introduced legislation on topics including the dissolution of certain courts of appeals, family court reform, election transparency, and the removal of state recognition of the Arizona Rangers.

Early Life

Mark William Finchem was born on April 24, 1957, in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up in Michigan and pursued a career in law enforcement early in his adult life. Finchem served as a police officer in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a position he held before eventually relocating to Arizona.

Details about his childhood and upbringing in the Detroit area remain limited in publicly available records. His career in law enforcement in Kalamazoo provided him with experience that he would later reference during his political career in Arizona.

Education

Finchem attended Kalamazoo Valley Community College, where he earned an Associate of Applied Science degree. He later attended Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree. Finchem continued his education at the University of Arizona, earning a Master of Legal Studies (MLS) degree.

Career

Law Enforcement

Before entering politics, Finchem served as a police officer in Kalamazoo, Michigan. His law enforcement background became a recurring element of his political identity and public profile. The duration and specific details of his time on the Kalamazoo police force have been referenced in coverage of his later political career but are not extensively documented in available sources.

Arizona House of Representatives (2015–2023)

Finchem first won election to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2014, representing District 11, which encompasses portions of southern Arizona including parts of Pima County and Pinal County. He succeeded Representative Adam Kwasman in the seat. Finchem filed financial disclosure documents with the Arizona Secretary of State as required of state legislators.

During his tenure in the Arizona House, Finchem served multiple terms and became known for introducing legislation on a range of issues. He sponsored legislation relating to teacher codes of ethics, drawing on material associated with the David Horowitz Freedom Center.

Coalition of Western States

Finchem served as the Arizona coordinator for the Coalition of Western States (COWS), an organization that opposed the activities of the Bureau of Land Management and advocated for the transfer of federal lands to state control. The Coalition of Western States supported the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon in 2016, an armed standoff between militia members and federal authorities over federal land management policies. Finchem's role in the organization attracted scrutiny from media outlets and political observers who characterized the group as having pro-militia sympathies.

Oath Keepers Membership

Reporting by the Phoenix New Times revealed that Finchem was a member of the Oath Keepers, a militia organization whose members pledge to uphold the U.S. Constitution against perceived government overreach. The group has been classified by some researchers as part of the anti-government movement in the United States. Finchem's membership in the group became a significant element of his political profile and drew criticism from opponents and advocacy organizations.

January 6, 2021, and Aftermath

Finchem was present at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021, the day of the Capitol breach that disrupted the Electoral College certification process for the 2020 presidential election. He tweeted using the hashtag #StopTheSteal from the vicinity of the Capitol during the events. Finchem maintained that he did not enter the Capitol building and that he was present only as an observer.

In the aftermath of the Capitol breach, Finchem was among the Arizona Republican legislators who publicly stated that former President Donald Trump was not to blame for the violence at the Capitol.

Multiple organizations called for the expulsion of Finchem and several other Arizona Republican legislators from the state legislature in connection with their presence at the Capitol and their promotion of claims about election fraud. No expulsion proceedings were ultimately carried out.

Finchem was also identified in reporting by Politico as one of several Republican state legislators across the country who promoted conspiracy theories about the 2020 election and aligned themselves with Trump's claims that the election had been stolen.

Trump Campaign Payment

Reporting by The Arizona Republic revealed that Finchem received payment from the Trump campaign during the period when he was involved in challenging the results of the 2020 presidential election in Arizona. The disclosure of these payments raised questions about potential conflicts of interest for a sitting state legislator who was simultaneously involved in legislative efforts to overturn election results in the state.

2022 Secretary of State Campaign

In 2021, Finchem announced his candidacy for Arizona Secretary of State, the office responsible for administering elections in the state. His campaign was centered on claims about the integrity of the 2020 election and promises to overhaul the state's election administration.

In September 2021, former President Donald Trump endorsed Finchem's candidacy for Secretary of State, providing a significant boost to his campaign and national profile. Trump's endorsement was consistent with his broader strategy of supporting candidates across the country who promoted his claims about the 2020 election.

Finchem won the Republican primary for Secretary of State in August 2022. His nomination attracted national attention, with media coverage focusing on the implications of a 2020 election denier potentially gaining control of election administration in a key swing state. Slate described Finchem as a "Capitol rioter" and "QAnon" adherent in its coverage of his nomination. Politico published a lengthy profile examining Finchem's political trajectory and the broader movement of election skeptics seeking control of state election machinery.

The Associated Press published a fact-check related to claims made during the Arizona election cycle, addressing misinformation about the state's election processes.

Finchem lost the general election in November 2022 to Democratic candidate Adrian Fontes, ending his bid to oversee Arizona's elections.

Arizona Senate (2025–present)

Following his unsuccessful run for Secretary of State, Finchem sought a return to the Arizona legislature. In 2024, he ran for the Arizona Senate in the 1st district, challenging incumbent Republican senator Ken Bennett in the primary election. Finchem defeated Bennett and went on to win the general election. He took office on January 13, 2025, succeeding Bennett in the seat.

Legislative Activity

As a state senator, Finchem has introduced and supported a range of legislative proposals. In early 2026, he introduced legislation to dissolve the branch of the Arizona Court of Appeals that covers southern Arizona, including Pima County and other southern counties. According to reporting by the Tucson Sentinel, Finchem did not provide detailed public reasoning for the proposal at the time of its introduction.

In November 2025, Finchem announced plans to push for reforms to Arizona's family court system, indicating that state legislators planned to introduce proposed changes to family court procedures and practices.

Finchem co-introduced legislation with another Republican senator to remove state recognition of the Arizona Rangers, a civilian nonprofit organization that law enforcement agencies can request in support of their duties. The bill advanced through the legislative process and generated controversy, with the Arizona Rangers' commander taking a leave of absence as the legislation moved forward.

In January 2026, the Arizona Senate Judiciary and Elections committee, on which Finchem serves, approved bills related to election transparency. One bill approved by the committee would require county recorders to publish unredacted voter rolls online. Democratic legislators opposed the measures, arguing they would jeopardize election security.

In February 2026, Republican state lawmakers, including members of Finchem's caucus, passed a package of 12 bills targeting fraud in government programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), sending them to Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs.

The Arizona legislature has also advanced legislation to establish a state digital assets reserve fund, allowing the state treasurer to manage seized digital assets, a measure that has moved through the legislative process during Finchem's tenure in the Senate.

Personal Life

Finchem was born in Detroit, Michigan, and later lived in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he worked as a police officer before relocating to Arizona. He has three children. Additional details about his personal life beyond his public political career are limited in available sourced material.

Recognition

Finchem's political career has drawn significant national media attention, particularly in connection with his involvement in the 2020 election challenge and his 2022 campaign for Arizona Secretary of State. He received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump for his Secretary of State campaign in September 2021, one of the most prominent endorsements in state-level races nationally that cycle.

His primary victory in the 2022 Secretary of State race was covered extensively by national outlets including Politico, CNN, Slate, and the Associated Press. Politico published a magazine-length profile of Finchem during the 2022 campaign, examining his rise within the Republican Party and the broader movement of candidates who challenged the legitimacy of the 2020 election.

Finchem's membership in the Oath Keepers and his role with the Coalition of Western States have been the subject of investigative reporting by the Phoenix New Times. His presence at the Capitol on January 6, 2021, was covered by media outlets in both Arizona and his home state of Michigan, including MLive.