Pastor, Ed, 1943-

Former teacher and US Congressional Representative from Arizona District 2.

Edward López Pastor was born in the mining community of Claypool, Arizona on June 28, 1943. The oldest of three children, he attended public school in Miami, Arizona. He was the first member of his family to attend college, graduating from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry in 1966. He was also the first in his family to attend law school, earning his Juris Doctorate from ASU in 1974.

Pastor was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in 1976 and served three terms before resigning in May of 1991 to run for Congress. He became the Democratic nominee from Arizona's 2nd District on August 13 and Arizona's first Mexican-American Congressman on September 24. Pastor was sworn into office on October 3, 1991 and has been re-elected to the following ten Congresses (1991-2012).

Prior to his election as a county supervisor, Pastor was a member of Governor Raul Castro's staff (1971-1972), taught chemistry at North High School, and served as Deputy Director of the Guadalupe Organization, Inc. in Guadalupe, Arizona. He also served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counties, as Vice President of Arizona's County Supervisors Association, and as a member of the executive committee of the Arizona Association of Counties.

Pastor was honored with an outstanding service award from the East Valley Boys and Girls Club in 1988. He also received the Mesa Community Council's Santa Cruz Award, which recognizes an outstanding elected public servant, in 1987.

Pastor is married to the former Verma Mendez, who serves as the Director of Bilingual Education for the Arizona Department of Education. The couple has two daughters, Yvonne and Laura.

Edward López Pastor was born in the mining community of Claypool, Arizona on June 28, 1943. The oldest of three children, he attended public school in Miami, Arizona. He was the first member of his family to attend college, graduating from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry in 1966. He was also the first in his family to attend law school, earning his Juris Doctorate from ASU in 1974.

Pastor was elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in 1976 and served three terms before resigning in May of 1991 to run for Congress. He became the Democratic nominee from Arizona's 2nd District on August 13 and Arizona's first Mexican-American Congressman on September 24. Pastor was sworn into office on October 3, 1991 and has been re-elected to the following ten Congresses (1991-2012).

Prior to his election as a county supervisor, Pastor was a member of Governor Raul Castro's staff (1971-1972), taught chemistry at North High School, and served as Deputy Director of the Guadalupe Organization, Inc. in Guadalupe, Arizona. He also served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counties, as Vice President of Arizona's County Supervisors Association, and as a member of the executive committee of the Arizona Association of Counties.

Pastor was honored with an outstanding service award from the East Valley Boys and Girls Club in 1988. He also received the Mesa Community Council's Santa Cruz Award, which recognizes an outstanding elected public servant, in 1987.

Pastor is married to the former Verma Mendez, who serves as the Director of Bilingual Education for the Arizona Department of Education. The couple has two daughters, Yvonne and Laura.