Horace B. Griffen was born in 1894 in Hillsboro, Kansas, and later moved to Tempe, Arizona, where he attended Tempe Normal School. Griffen's career spanned multiple sectors, including a brief stint in professional baseball, military service in World War I, and a long tenure in advertising and circulation at The Arizona Republic. He transitioned to entrepreneurship in the 1960s, co-founding the Arizona Decorating Company and engaging in international business ventures. Griffen's professional life was marked by a commitment to local economic growth, military service, and journalism.

Horace B. Griffen's political identity is marked by a distinctive blend of local economic advocacy and international engagement. Griffen's support for local businesses and economic growth in Arizona reveals a localized approach to economic policy, while his interest in international affairs, highlighted by his 1967 tour of southern Africa, indicates a global perspective. This juxtaposition of local and international priorities creates an intriguing conceptual tension in Griffen's platform. His emphasis on military service and journalism further underscores a commitment to both the protection of national interests and the dissemination of information.