Jim Gilmore
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| Jim Gilmore | |
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68th Governor of Virginia
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| In office January 1998 – January 2002 |
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| Lieutenant(s) | John H. Hager (1998-2002) |
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| Preceded by | George Allen |
| Succeeded by | Mark Warner |
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| Born | October 06, 1949 (age 57) Richmond, Virginia |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Roxane Gatling Gilmore |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Methodist |
James S. "Jim" Gilmore III (born October 6, 1949) is a Republican Party politician who served as Governor of Virginia and Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
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[edit] Background
Gilmore was born in Richmond, Virginia to Margaret Evelyn Kandle and James Stuart Gilmore, Jr., a grocery store meat cutter.[1] He graduated from John Randolph Tucker High School and received an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in 1971. After a three-year tour as a U.S. Army counterintelligence agent in West Germany, he entered the University of Virginia Law School, graduating in 1977. After working for a decade as a lawyer at the firm Benedetti, Gilmore, Warthen and Dalton, he was elected Commonwealth's Attorney in his home county of Henrico County in 1987 and 1991. He was elected Virginia Attorney General in 1993.[2] Gilmore served as the Chairman of the Republican National Committee from January 2001 to January 2002. He and his wife, Roxane Gatling Gilmore, currently reside in Richmond and Alexandria, Virginia. They have two sons, Jay and Ashton.
[edit] Governor of Virginia
Gilmore was elected Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1997. Gilmore campaigned heavily on the twin promises of hiring 4,000 new teachers in public schools and phasing out Virginia's Car Tax.[3] According to the Washington Post, "Virginia's politicians struggled to balance car-tax relief against demands for public services."[4] Beginning in 2001, Virginia's economy slowed and tax revenues flattened. In addition to a downturn in the national economy in 2001, Northern Virginia's economy was severely slowed after terrorists flew a hijacked airplane into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on September 11, 2001, resulting in the closure of Reagan National Airport for several months. Despite the economic downturn, Gilmore insisted on advancing the car tax phase out from a 50% reduction of each taxpayer's bill to a 70% reduction.
Gilmore also implemented new Standards of Learning reforms in Virginia's public schools. The Standards of Learning prescribed a uniform curriculum in math, science, English and social studies and instituted new tests at the end of the 3rd, 5th and 8th grades, as well as end-of-course tests in high school, to measure student achievement. During Gilmore's term, Virginia's public school students' scores increased on these state tests as well as nationally normed tests.[5]
Gilmore created the nation's first state Secretary of Technology, a position first held by Donald Upson. Together they established a statewide technology commission, and signed into law the nation's first comprehensive state Internet policy.[6]
During his term, Gilmore chaired the Congressional Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce.[7] The Commission was charged with the task of making recommendations to Congress on Internet taxation, and it ultimately opposed taxation of the Internet. [8]
During his term 37 murderers were executed in the state of Virginia. Gilmore granted executive clemency to one death row inmate on the basis of poor mental health. He pardoned a former death row inmate, Earl Washington, after DNA tests, ordered by Gilmore, failed to establish his guilt and implicated another person. Gilmore also ordered DNA tests in the case of Derek Rocco Barnabei. The tests confirmed Barnabei's guilt and he was executed.
As Governor, Gilmore signed into law legislation establishing a 24-hour waiting period for women seeking an abortion as well as a ban against partial birth abortion. He increased funding for adoption services. He also signed into law a bill that banned human cloning. In 1999, Gilmore went to court to try to prevent the removal of a feeding tube of coma victim Hugh Finn.
Gilmore was succeeded by Democrat Mark Warner in 2002. The Virginia Constitution forbids any Governor from serving consecutive terms, so Gilmore could not have run for a second term in 2001.
[edit] National security
From 1999 to 2003, Gilmore chaired the Congressional Advisory Panel to Assess Domestic Capabilities for Terrorism Involving Weapons of Mass Destruction, nicknamed the Gilmore Commission.[9] It presented five reports to Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and to the United States Congress each December 15th from 1999 through 2003.
Gilmore currently serves as Chairman of the National Council on Readiness & Preparedness, a homeland security program focused on community involvement and public/private partnerships.[10] Gilmore also serves as President of USA Secure, a non-profit homeland security think tank based in Washington, D.C.[11]
[edit] Presidential candidacy in 2008
A "Draft Gilmore for President" group was formed in August 2006 encouraging Gilmore to run for president.[12] On December 19, 2006, Gilmore announced he would form an exploratory committee to "fill the conservative void" in the race. January 9, 2007 Gilmore officially filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to form the Jim Gilmore for President Exploratory Committee.[13] Professor Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia predicted that Gilmore would be one of several candidates competing for the conservative "slot" in the Republican field, and added, "This could be an elaborate ploy to boost his stock in Virginia for a run for governor or the Senate."[14] Gilmore has recently said he represents "the Republican wing of the Republican Party" in the race for the 2008 Presidential nomination; the comment mirrors the slogan used by Howard Dean when seeking the Democratic nomination in 2004.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ http://www.wargs.com/political/gilmore.html
- ^ http://www.kelleydrye.com/attorneys/atty_data/04586
- ^ http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1997/10/31/gov.va/
- ^ Va. GOP Delegates Rev Up Car-Tax Relief Campaign, The Washington Post
- ^ http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/NewHome/pressreleases/gov032101.html
- ^ http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/workshops/etaildetails/bios/upson.pdf
- ^ http://www.ecommercecommission.org/transmittal.pdf
- ^ http://www.ecommercecommission.org/report.htm
- ^ http://www.rand.org/nsrd/terrpanel/
- ^ http://ncorp.org/about_ncorp.php
- ^ http://usasecure.org/about-who.php
- ^ http://www.draftgilmore.org/
- ^ Lewis, Bob. "Former Va. governor opens exploratory GOP White House campaign", Richmond Times-Dispatch, December 19, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-02-08.
- ^ Barnes, Lindsay. "Long shot: Sabato doesn't like Gilmore's odds in '08", The Hook, January 4, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-02-21.
[edit] External links
- Official campaign website
- Jim Gilmore: On the Issues
- Unofficial MySpace profile
- The New York Times articles on James S. Gilmore III
- Gilmore will explore a presidential run
- Human Events column: Gilmore for President?
- Gilmore back on political scene
| Preceded by George F. Allen |
Governor of Virginia 1998–2002 |
Succeeded by Mark Warner |
| Preceded by Mary Sue Terry |
Attorney General of Virginia 1994-1998 |
Succeeded by Richard Cullen |
| Governors of Virginia |  |
|---|---|
| Henry • Jefferson • Fleming • Nelson • Harrison • Henry • E Randolph • B Randolph • H Lee • Brooke • Wood • Monroe • Page • Cabell • Tyler Sr • G Smith • Monroe • G Smith • P Randolph • Barbour • Nicholas • Preston • T Randolph • Pleasants • J Tyler • Giles • J Floyd • Tazewell • Robertson • Campbell • Gilmer • Patton • Rutherfoord • Gregory • McDowell • W "EB" Smith • JB Floyd • Johnson • Wise • Letcher • W "EB" Smith • Pierpont • Wells • Walker • Kemper • Holliday • Cameron • F Lee • McKinney • Ferrall • JH Tyler • Montague • Swanson • Mann • Stuart • Davis • Trinkle • Byrd • Pollard • Peery • Price • Darden • Tuck • Battle • Stanley • Almond • A Harrison • Godwin • Holton • Godwin • Dalton • Robb • Baliles • Wilder • Allen • Gilmore • Warner • Kaine |
Morgan • Ward • Claflin • Morgan • Chandler • Cameron • Jewell • Sabin • Jones • Quay • Carter • Hanna • Payne • Cortelyou • New • Hitchcock • Hill • Rosewater • Hilles • Hays • Adams • Butler • Work • Huston • Fess • Saunders • Fletcher • Hamilton • Martin • Walsh • Spangler • Brownell • Reece • Scott • Gabrielson • Summerfield • Roberts • Hall • Alcorn • T. Morton • Miller • Burch • Bliss • R. Morton • Dole • Bush • Smith • Brock • Richards • Fahrenkopf • Atwater • Yeutter • Bond • Barbour • Nicholson • Gilmore • Racicot • Gillespie • Mehlman • Martinez
