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and worked as the
Executive Director for the Arizona Consortium for Children with Chronic Illness. Knaperek served for 10 years in the House where she chaired the powerful Appropriations Committee as well as the Higher Education Committee. She worked on health care, human services and education.
93:. She was first elected to the Arizona state House of Representatives in 1994. She compiled a conservative record while taking an avid interest in youth and family issues. In 2002, she ran for the state Senate, but lost the general election to Democrat
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and was recruited to run again in 2004 to take back her former
Republican seat. She served for two more years and was voted out due to voter displeasure with Republicans in Congress, the Presidency and the war on terror in Iraq.
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In 2004, she made a comeback, returning to the state House of
Representatives, but was defeated for reelection in 2006. While out of office, she became Executive Director of
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won the primary election in 2008 and ultimately lost to Harry
Mitchell in the general election. Knaperek later used her experience and expertise as a political consultant.
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She then worked on family issues as the
Executive Director of United Families International and ran for Congress to regain the seat from Harry Mitchell.
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Knaperek was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and left behind six children.
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as an alternative to his liberal voting record. Knaperek went to work as a columnist for the
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After being term limited out of office in 2002, Knaperek ran against incumbent
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Arizona State
Library-Arizona Legislators: Then & Now: Laura Knaperek
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Former Tempe lawmaker Laura
Knaperek dies after battle with cancer
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Republican Party members of the
Arizona House of Representatives
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She died from ovarian cancer on March 3, 2016, aged 60, in
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85:(July 12, 1955 – March 3, 2016) was an American
312:Deaths from ovarian cancer in the United States
234:"LDS faithful wrestle with illegal immigration"
322:Candidates in the 2008 United States elections
256:, azcentral.com; accessed March 4, 2016.
223:, azlibrary.gov; accessed March 4, 2016.
332:21st-century American women politicians
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202:Votesmart.org – Laura Knaperek profile
89:politician and public official from
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287:Politicians from Tempe, Arizona
16:American politician (1955–2016)
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102:United Families International
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108:in 2008 but lost to
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130:Republican
87:Republican
75:Republican
66:Politician
63:Occupation
116:Biography
239:March 5,
217:Archived
91:Arizona
57:, U.S.
38:, U.S.
241:2016
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29:Born
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