James David Santini
Encyclopedia
James David Santini was a United States Representative from Nevada
.
Santini was born in Reno, Nevada
attended the University of Nevada, Reno where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega
fraternity. He was a lawyer before entering politics. He was elected to the US House in 1974, easily unseating incumbent Republican David Towell
. He served there from 1975 to 1983, as a Democrat
representing the state's at-large district
. In Congress, Santini compiled a moderate-to-conservative record and won reelection by overwhelming margins. Santini ran for United States Senate
in 1982, but was narrowly defeated in the Democratic primary by Howard Cannon
.
Santini is the last person to represent the entire state in the US House, as reapportionment gave Nevada two Congressional seats as of the 1982 Congressional election. He was succeeded by Democrat Harry Reid
and Republican
Barbara Vucanovich
in the newly-created 1st
and 2nd
Congressional Districts respectively.
In 1986, he switched
to the Republican Party and ran for the Senate seat vacated by the retiring Paul Laxalt
. Although Santini won the Republican nomination easily , he was defeated in the general election by Reid. Santini received 47% of the vote.
Today, Santini continues to work in Washington, D.C. as a lobbyist representing a number of tourism-related interests. Among his major clients is the National Tour Association, which retains him as a legislative counsel for government issues related to the national and international tourism industry. Santini has been the federal legislation and regulation Washington, D.C., representative for NTA since 1983.
In 1990, Santini and his family appeared as contestants on the nighttime version of Family Feud
.
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
Santini was born in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
attended the University of Nevada, Reno where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega
Alpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
fraternity. He was a lawyer before entering politics. He was elected to the US House in 1974, easily unseating incumbent Republican David Towell
David Towell
David Gilmer Towell served a single term as a United States Representative from Nevada, representing the state's at-large district. He was a Republican. A real estate broker by profession, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972...
. He served there from 1975 to 1983, as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
representing the state's at-large district
Nevada's At-large congressional district
Nevada's at-large congressional district was created when Nevada was granted statehood in 1864, encompassing the entire state. It existed until 1983, when it was made obsolete by the 1980 Census and subsequent reapportionment in which Nevada was awarded a second seat in the House of Representatives...
. In Congress, Santini compiled a moderate-to-conservative record and won reelection by overwhelming margins. Santini ran for United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1982, but was narrowly defeated in the Democratic primary by Howard Cannon
Howard Cannon
Howard Walter Cannon was an American politician. He served as a United States Senator from Nevada from 1959 until 1983 as a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life:...
.
Santini is the last person to represent the entire state in the US House, as reapportionment gave Nevada two Congressional seats as of the 1982 Congressional election. He was succeeded by Democrat Harry Reid
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S...
and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Barbara Vucanovich
Barbara Vucanovich
Barbara Farrell Vucanovich is a American Republican politician, the first woman to represent Nevada in the United States House of Representatives, where she served from 1983 to 1997.- Background :...
in the newly-created 1st
Nevada's 1st congressional district
Nevada's 1st congressional district occupies most of Nevada's largest city, Las Vegas, as well as parts of North Las Vegas and parts of unincorporated Clark County. The district now leans Democratic....
and 2nd
Nevada's 2nd congressional district
Nevada's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district occupying all of Nevada outside of Clark County, and some parts of Clark County. Reno, the county seat of Washoe County and the fourth-most populous city in Nevada, is the largest city in the district. Washoe County casts about 70...
Congressional Districts respectively.
In 1986, he switched
Party switching in the United States
In the United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office...
to the Republican Party and ran for the Senate seat vacated by the retiring Paul Laxalt
Paul Laxalt
Paul Dominique Laxalt of Nevada was a former Republican District Attorney, Lieutenant Governor, Governor and U.S. Senator. In the media, the words "son of a Basque sheepherder" often accompanied his name. He was one of Ronald Reagan's closest friends in politics...
. Although Santini won the Republican nomination easily , he was defeated in the general election by Reid. Santini received 47% of the vote.
Today, Santini continues to work in Washington, D.C. as a lobbyist representing a number of tourism-related interests. Among his major clients is the National Tour Association, which retains him as a legislative counsel for government issues related to the national and international tourism industry. Santini has been the federal legislation and regulation Washington, D.C., representative for NTA since 1983.
In 1990, Santini and his family appeared as contestants on the nighttime version of Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
.