Who Is Arizona’s Most Influential Figure?

Arizona is a state steeped in history. From legendary gunfighters and outlaws to politicians that shaped our country’s landscape, the Grand Canyon State’s residents have had an immeasurable impact on America. 

However, there has to be one that’s had more influence than the rest, and a recent poll sought out the answer.

Who is Arizona’s Most Influential Person?

Recently, Axios Phoenix put together a March Madness-esque bracket to discover who Arizona’s most influential was. The first side consisted of:

• Barry Goldwater
• Alice Cooper
• Peterson Zah
• Burton Barr
• Wyatt Earp
• Bruce Babbit
• Jack Swilling
• Eusebio Kino
• George WP Hunt
• Linda Ronstadt
• Eugene & Nina Pulliam
• Polly Rosenbaum
• John F Long
• José María Redondo
• Sandra Day O’Connor
• Daniel Webster Jones

While the other side of the bracket was made up of:

• John McCain
• Wallace & Ladmo
• Frank Lloyd Wright
• Michael Crow
• Charles Poston
• Frank Harrison & Harry Austin
• Cesar Chavez
• Virginia G Piper
• Carl Hayden
• James S Douglas
• Ernest McFarland
• Jerry Colangelo
• Del Webb
• Manuel "Lito" Peña Jr.
• Frances Willard Muns
• Percival Lowell

In the end, the championship came down to Sandra Day O’Connor vs. John McCain.

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And the Winner Is...

Sandra Day O’Connor! This should come as no surprise. O’Connor was the first woman to serve on the supreme court, but her influence extends long past that. She blazed trails in her early days in politics as a champion for women's rights in Arizona and an active leader in her community.

From her nonprofit, The Sandra Day O'Connor Institute, to the Phoenix federal courthouse named in her honor, O’Connor has left a legacy of equality and justice not only for the Grand Canyon State, but for America as a whole. With all that being said, she is well deserving of the honor of being Arizona’s most influential figure.