Cathi Herrod

The historian Garry Wills once mused how Americans are periodically astonished to see evangelical Christians blazing on the national stage in what he described as a “cyclic pattern of flarings and fadings.”

No such musings are necessary in Arizona, where evangelical Christians’ influence on policy has been consistently palpable for decades, much of which can be credited to the Center for Arizona Policy and its president, Cathi Herrod.

Much of that success is owed to the Legislature’s decidedly conservative and aggressively pro-life leanings, but also fueling it is a savvy strategy, a keen understanding of the nuances of the legislative process, and a powerhouse in Herrod.

Herrod, who earned her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin, has her share of critics. But to supporters, she is a smart strategist, an effective articulator of the center’s agenda and a fearless apologist of the conservative right.

Love her or hate her, Herrod gets the job done. Indeed, in the past two decades, the center, which was founded in 1995 as the vanguard in the fight to preserve traditional values, has successfully persuaded the state’s leaders to enact more than 100 measures — from restricting abortion to giving heterosexual couples adoption preferences. The courts have also struck down several laws for which the center advocated.

“She’s tenacious. She’s a hard worker,” said Senate President Steve Yarbrough, who met Herrod before he became a legislator and who quickly found out she provides better arguments than he could come up with.

Sen. Nancy Barto, a Republican from Phoenix, met Herrod while they were both moms with young children at a church in Scottsdale. “What was so impactful for me was to see a mom with whom I could identify, getting involved in issues impacting the family with such passion and energy, as well as from a place of knowledge,” Barto said. “She was inspiring and made me want to learn more. “

Herrod grew up in Texas but always considered Arizona a second home, as her dad lived here, which meant she got to spend her summers and holidays in Arizona.

She was drawn to politics early on – she ran a relative’s campaign for a local school board and city council as a high school student.

“To me, engaging in public policy is admirable and necessary, also fascinating. I stay because of my deep concern for the future of our state and country,” Herrod said.