Paula Aboud

In 2016, Aboud was elected a Justice of the Peace for Pima County district 6. Aboud was censured by the state Supreme Court in 2017 for stealing an answer key for a test for new judges.

She was one of four openly LGBT members of the Arizona State Legislature, serving alongside Senators Jack Jackson, Jr. (D–Window Rock) and Robert Meza (D–Phoenix), as well as Representative Matt Heinz (D–Tucson). Her campaigns have won the backing of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.

In March 2012, Aboud announced her candidacy for Congress, seeking to run in the Democratic primary for Giffords' House seat in the newly renumbered 2nd congressional district. She withdrew from the race shortly thereafter and endorsed Ron Barber. Under Arizona's term limits law, she was unable to run for re-election to the senate in 2012.

In addition to her professional career Aboud was a long-time activist for the Tucson Democratic Party. On January 3, 2006, she was appointed to the Arizona State Senate by the Pima County Board of Supervisors, following the resignation of Gabrielle Giffords, who stepped down to run for the United States House of Representatives. She represents the 28th legislative district, centering on Tucson.

Following her appointment, she was elected in her own right later in 2006. In the Democratic primary election on September 12, she saw off a challenge from State Representative Ted Downing, and faced no Republican opponent in the general election. She was re-elected unopposed in 2008 and faced only independent challengers in 2010 (including Ted Downing), prevailing easily.

Paula Aboud (born March 20, 1950) is an American politician who was a member of the Arizona Senate, representing the 28th District. A Democrat, she served as the Senate's minority whip.