LaVar Christensen
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LaVar Christensen is a former American politician from Utah, serving as a state representative representing from the state's 48th district where he served from 2002-2006. Christensen was the Republican nominee for U.S. Congress in Utah's 2nd congressional district (map). Christensen was defeated by the incumbent, Jim Matheson, in the 2006 mid-term election and subsequently left the Utah House of Representatives. However, Christensen filed his candidacy with the Lieutenant Governor's office in March 2008 to run for the same Utah House seat he vacated in 2006. The incumbent representative who took over the seat in 2006, Representative Sylvia Andersen, is also in the race.
Christensen was elected to the Utah State House of Representatives (District 48 in Sandy/Draper) in 2002. His committee assignments include: Vice-Chair of Education, Budget Appropriations for Public Education, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice; Chair of Judicial Rules Review Committee and member of the Constitutional Revision Commission.
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[edit] Personal history
Christensen was born and raised in Upland, California but his family is originally from Utah. His great great grandfather was a member of Utah’s first territorial House of Representatives. Christensen is an attorney with a broad legal background in Real Estate Development. He received his B.A. degree from Brigham Young University and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California. While in Law School, he was a Legislative Assistant for the Governor of California and Law Clerk for Judge Rothwell B. Mason. He is married to Susan Kay Christensen. They have three children. Christensen is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).
[edit] Legislative history
Christensen is the author and co-sponsor (along with Chris Buttars) of Utah Constitutional Amendment 3 banning same-sex marriage, which passed and was adopted by the voters in 2004. He was named 2005 Statesman of the Year by the Salt Lake County Republican Party. Christensen has also successfully sponsored legislation that recognizes and strengthens parental rights in Utah as well as civic and character education in Utah's public schools.
[edit] Political stance
In the Utah state legislature, Christensen has a relatively conservative voting record. He has consistently fought against same-sex marriage and for pro-life causes.[1] Christensen supports making the 2001 federal tax cuts permanent, opposes an immediate withdrawal from Iraq, supports easing restrictions on oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants.[2]
Christensen wrote a paper supporting his Constitutional Amendment for The Sutherland Institute. In this document, Christensen outlined his argument for Utah's successful Constitutional Amendment in support of traditional marriage.
[edit] 2006 Congressional campaign
While Christensen won in several less populated counties, he also lost in traditional Republican strangleholds, such as San Juan Cty., Daggett Cty., and Emery Cty. He lost by far the largest county: Salt Lake County, Utah by 49,264 votes and was unable to make up such a huge vote deficit. Christensen campaigned in 2006 as the Republican candidate in a traditionally Republican district. Like Matheson's Republican challengers in the past, Christensen's advertisements focused primarily on party affiliation and national issues. His campaign motto was America Needs Utah. His advertisements frequently mentioned Nancy Pelosi would become Speaker of the House if the Democrats won a majority.
