# Eli Crane

Elijah James Crane (born January 3, 1980) is an American politician, serving as the U.S. representative for Arizona's 2nd congressional district since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Crane defeated Democratic incumbent Tom O'Halleran.
Before entering politics, Crane served in the United States Navy and co-founded Bottle Breacher, which he sold in 2022. The company, which attracted financial support on a 2014 episode of Shark Tank, produced patriotic themed bottle openers made from used bullets.
Crane won reelection in 2024 against Democratic nominee Jonathan Nez, the former Navajo Nation president.

## Early life and education

Crane was born in Tucson, Arizona, and raised in Yuma. His father worked as a pharmacist. Crane graduated from Cibola High School in 1998. He studied sociology at Arizona Western College and the University of Arizona, but did not graduate.

## Career

Crane stated that one week after the September 11 attacks, he dropped out of college and joined the United States Navy. He served in the Navy from 2001 to 2014. He was a member of the United States Navy SEALs and was deployed five times. Three of the five deployments were with the SEALS.
After leaving the military, Crane co-founded Bottle Breacher, a company that manufactures bottle openers made of bullet casings. He and his wife pitched the product on an episode of Shark Tank and received investments from Kevin O'Leary and Mark Cuban. Crane sold Bottle Breacher in 2022.

## U.S. House of Representatives
### 2022 election

In 2022, Crane won the Republican nomination for Arizona's 2nd congressional district. The district had previously been the 1st, represented by three-term Democrat Tom O'Halleran. Crane was endorsed by Donald Trump, and additionally accepted the endorsement of far-right Republican state senator Wendy Rogers before the date of the primary election. Crane won the August Republican primary, defeating state representative Walter Blackman and others. Crane promoted the false conspiracy theory that there were "massive amounts of fraud" in the 2020 United States presidential election. Crane called upon the Arizona State Legislature to decertify Joe Biden's victory in the state, and for the attorney general of Arizona to launch a criminal investigation into alleged voter fraud. In the general election, Crane unseated O'Halleran by a 54% to 46% margin.

### Tenure

Crane did not support Kevin McCarthy for House speaker, and was one of six Republicans to vote against him on every ballot in the initial speaker election in 2023. In the 15th and final round of voting, Crane dropped his support for a different candidate and voted "present". He would later be one of eight Republicans to support the removal of Kevin McCarthy from the speakership.

#### Syria

In 2023, Crane was among 47 Republicans to vote in favor of H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days.

#### Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

Crane was among the 71 Republicans and 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.

#### Ukraine

In 2023, Crane voted to cut off all military aid to Ukraine.
In 2023, Crane was among 98 Republicans to vote for a ban on cluster munitions to Ukraine.

#### Israel

Crane voted to provide Israel with support following the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

#### Conspiracy theories on the Trump assassination attempts

On multiple occasions, Crane has promoted false conspiracy theories about both the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania in July 2024 and the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Florida in September 2024. For the first attempted assassination, Crane has promoted the false conspiracy theory that the gunman did not act alone, and for the second attempted assassination, Crane has promoted the false conspiracy theory that the gunman was an "asset" of a foreign adversary.

#### Support for expunging Trump's impeachments

In the 119th United States Congress, he co-sponsored resolutions meant to expunge Trump's impeachments.

### Committee assignments

For the 118th Congress:
* Committee on Homeland Security
** Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence
** Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability
* Committee on Small Business
** Subcommittee on Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Workforce Development
** Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations
* Committee on Veterans' Affairs
** Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs
** Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity

### Caucus memberships

* Freedom Caucus

## Personal life

Crane is Protestant. He lives in Oro Valley, Arizona. He is married to Jen Crane and has two daughters.
He has served as a brand ambassador for Sig Sauer firearms.

## Electoral history
### 2022

2022 Arizona's 2nd congressional district Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Eli Crane | 38,681 | 35.8 |
| | Republican | Walter Blackman | 26,399 | 24.4 |
| | Republican | Mark DeLuzio | 18,515 | 17.1 |
| | Republican | Andy Yates | 7,467 | 6.9 |
| | Republican | John W. Moore | 7,327 | 6.8 |
| | Republican | Steve Krystofiak | 5,905 | 5.5 |
| | Republican | Ron Watkins | 3,810 | 3.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 108,104 | 100 |
2022 Arizona's 2nd congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Eli Crane | 174,169 | 53.9 |
| | Democratic | Tom O'Halleran (incumbent) | 149,151 | 46.1 |
| | Independent | Chris Sarappo (write-in) | 76 | 0.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 323,396 | 100 |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2024

2024 Arizona's 2nd congressional district Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Eli Crane | 56,354 | 79 |
| | Republican | Jack Smith | 15,013 | 21.0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 71,367 | 100 |
2024 Arizona's 2nd congressional district election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Eli Crane (incumbent) | 221,413 | 54.5% |
| | Democratic | Jonathan Nez | 184,963 | 45.5% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 55 | 0.01% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 406,431 | 100.00% |