Tim James (politician)
Encyclopedia
Tim James is an Alabama
businessman from Greenville, Alabama
. The son of former Alabama Governor Fob James
, he sought and lost the Republican Party
nomination for Governor of Alabama twice, finishing third in the Republican primaries in 2002 and 2010.
. He attended Baylor School
, a co-educational private secondary school on the outskirts of Chattanooga, Tennessee and Auburn University
where he earned a degree in finance. While at the Baylor School, he played high school football. He was recruited as a running back for Auburn, where he played alongside Heisman Trophy
winner Bo Jackson
.
James has been married to his wife Angela since 1984 and resides in Greenville, AL. They have three children, Fleming, Tim Jr., and Sarah.
to build a toll bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway
. Although analysts expect the city to profit from the deal beginning in 2014 the city is presently having to borrow money to meet the terms of the arrangement. James no longer owns the bridge but sold it to an Australian company for $70 million. As of December 2009 the city had paid the company almost twice the amount the city collected in revenues from the bridge.
economic proposals. He asserts that financial corporations, the auto industry, and insurance companies should not be bailed out by taxpayers but should file bankruptcy instead. He has also called for improvements to education including higher pay for school administrators. He opposes the legalization of gambling as a means to fund education. James is pro-life
and opposes public funding for elective abortions. Tim James opposes expansion of same-sex benefits to employees of the University of Alabama in Birmingham and stated that “If elected Governor of Alabama, I will vigorously oppose this measure and will enforce the spirit of Alabama law defining marriage as a sacred union between a woman and a man.”
In 2010, he came in third in the Republican primary, losing to second-place finisher (and now-governor) Robert Bentley by 167 votes.
James has stated that as Governor he would end multilingual testing for driver's licenses in Alabama in favor of English-only
testing. A campaign commercial on this issue has gained attention in the national media and on the internet. The advertisement has drawn criticism from MSNBC
’s Rachel Maddow
and Keith Olbermann
, the editorial page of The New York Times
, CNN
's Rick Sanchez
, Fox News Channel
's Juan Williams
, and Comedy Central
comedian Daniel Tosh
.
James's campaign was managed by Sandra Lucas, a former staffer of Governor Bob Riley. The campaign was being advised by the former national campaign chairman to Republican Presidential Primary contender Mike Huckabee
. John Saltsman served as senior adviser to the James campaign. The Huckabee campaign won in Alabama during the 2008 Republican priamry. James' campaign chairman was former U.S. Congressman Sonny Callahan
of Mobile
. U.S. Congressman Robert Aderholt
served as an advisor to the campaign. Brett Hall, Press Secretary for former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher
, managed the campaign initially and then served as communications director after Lucas was brought on board.
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
businessman from Greenville, Alabama
Greenville, Alabama
Greenville is a city in Butler County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census, the population was 7,228. The city is the county seat of Butler County and is known as the Camellia City. The movement to change the Official Alabama State Flower from the goldenrod to the camellia originated in...
. The son of former Alabama Governor Fob James
Fob James
Forrest Hood James, Jr., known as Fob James , is an American politician, a civil engineer, and an all-American half-back...
, he sought and lost the Republican Party
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...
nomination for Governor of Alabama twice, finishing third in the Republican primaries in 2002 and 2010.
Personal life
Tim James was born in Opelika, AlabamaOpelika, Alabama
Opelika is a city in and the county seat of Lee County in the east central part of the U.S. state of Alabama. It is a principal city of the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area. According to 2010 Census, the population of Opelika was 26,477...
. He attended Baylor School
Baylor School
Baylor School is a private, coeducational prep school on the outskirts of Chattanooga, Tennessee. The school was founded in 1893 and since 1915 has been located on the same hillside site by the Tennessee River. The school went through several incarnations: moving from an all-male military academy...
, a co-educational private secondary school on the outskirts of Chattanooga, Tennessee and Auburn University
Auburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
where he earned a degree in finance. While at the Baylor School, he played high school football. He was recruited as a running back for Auburn, where he played alongside Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
winner Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson
Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson is a former American baseball and football player. He was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports, and also won the Heisman Trophy in 1985....
.
James has been married to his wife Angela since 1984 and resides in Greenville, AL. They have three children, Fleming, Tim Jr., and Sarah.
Business
In 2004, James and his brothers entered into a deal with Orange Beach, AlabamaOrange Beach, Alabama
Orange Beach is a city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 3,784. It is part of the Daphne–Fairhope–Foley Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
to build a toll bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
. Although analysts expect the city to profit from the deal beginning in 2014 the city is presently having to borrow money to meet the terms of the arrangement. James no longer owns the bridge but sold it to an Australian company for $70 million. As of December 2009 the city had paid the company almost twice the amount the city collected in revenues from the bridge.
Political positions
James has been an outspoken opponent of President Barack Obama'sBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
economic proposals. He asserts that financial corporations, the auto industry, and insurance companies should not be bailed out by taxpayers but should file bankruptcy instead. He has also called for improvements to education including higher pay for school administrators. He opposes the legalization of gambling as a means to fund education. James is pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
and opposes public funding for elective abortions. Tim James opposes expansion of same-sex benefits to employees of the University of Alabama in Birmingham and stated that “If elected Governor of Alabama, I will vigorously oppose this measure and will enforce the spirit of Alabama law defining marriage as a sacred union between a woman and a man.”
Gubernatorial campaigns
James finished third in the 2002 Republican gubernatorial primary. The theme of his 2010 campaign was "common sense" solutions. Typically, his campaign focused on job creation and the economy.In 2010, he came in third in the Republican primary, losing to second-place finisher (and now-governor) Robert Bentley by 167 votes.
James has stated that as Governor he would end multilingual testing for driver's licenses in Alabama in favor of English-only
English-only movement
English-only movement, also known as Official English movement, refers to a political movement for the use only of the English language in official government operations through the establishing of English as the only official language in the United States...
testing. A campaign commercial on this issue has gained attention in the national media and on the internet. The advertisement has drawn criticism from MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
’s Rachel Maddow
Rachel Maddow
Rachel Anne Maddow is an American television host and political commentator. Maddow hosts a nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC. Her syndicated talk radio program, The Rachel Maddow Show, aired on Air America Radio...
and Keith Olbermann
Keith Olbermann
Keith Theodore Olbermann is an American political commentator and writer. He has been the chief news officer of the Current TV network and the host of Current TV's weeknight political commentary program, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, since June 20, 2011...
, the editorial page of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Rick Sanchez
Rick Sanchez
Ricardo León "Rick" Sánchez de Reinaldo , known professionally as Rick Sanchez, is a Cuban-American journalist, author and former TV news anchor...
, Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
's Juan Williams
Juan Williams
Juan Williams is an American journalist and political analyst for Fox News Channel, he was born in Panama on April 10, 1954. He also writes for several newspapers including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal and has been published in magazines such as The Atlantic...
, and Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
comedian Daniel Tosh
Daniel Tosh
Daniel Dwight Tosh is an American stand-up comedian and host of the Comedy Central television show, Tosh.0.-Personal life:...
.
James's campaign was managed by Sandra Lucas, a former staffer of Governor Bob Riley. The campaign was being advised by the former national campaign chairman to Republican Presidential Primary contender Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
. John Saltsman served as senior adviser to the James campaign. The Huckabee campaign won in Alabama during the 2008 Republican priamry. James' campaign chairman was former U.S. Congressman Sonny Callahan
Sonny Callahan
Herbert Leon "Sonny" Callahan is a politician from Alabama.Callahan was born in Mobile, Alabama he had eight brothers and sisters and he attended classes at a branch of the University of Alabama that was located in Mobile. He did not graduate. Callahan served in the United States Navy from 1952 to...
of Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. U.S. Congressman Robert Aderholt
Robert Aderholt
Robert Brown Aderholt is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district includes most of the far northern suburbs of Birmingham, as well as the southern suburbs of Huntsville and Decatur.- Early life, education and career :Aderholt was born in...
served as an advisor to the campaign. Brett Hall, Press Secretary for former Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher
Ernie Fletcher
Ernest Lee "Ernie" Fletcher is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. In 1999, he was elected to the first of three consecutive terms in the United States House of Representatives; he resigned in 2003 after being elected the 60th governor of Kentucky and served in that office...
, managed the campaign initially and then served as communications director after Lucas was brought on board.