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Jim DouglasAmerican politician, Governor of Vermont
Date of Birth: 21.06.1951
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Jim Douglas
Early Life and EducationJim Douglas, an American politician, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He graduated from East Longmeadow High School in 1968 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian Studies from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. During his time at Middlebury College, Douglas was actively involved in the College Republicans.
Political Career
In November 1972, at the age of 25, Douglas was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives and served as the Majority Leader for three consecutive 2-year terms. He left the Vermont General Assembly in 1979 to become an aide to Governor Richard A. Snelling. In November 1980, Douglas was elected Secretary of State and held the position until 1992. In that same year, he ran for the U.S. Senate but was defeated by Democrat Patrick Leahy.
In November 1994, with the support of leading parties, Douglas became the State Treasurer. He was elected as the 80th Governor of Vermont in 2002 and has since been re-elected three times, serving a total of four 2-year terms. Douglas also currently serves as the Chairman of the National Governors Association.
Later Career
In early 2005, Douglas announced that he would not run against independent Democrat Jim Jeffords in the 2006 Senate elections. However, when Jeffords unexpectedly decided not to seek re-election, there were debates about whether Douglas would run against independent Congressman Bernie Sanders, who had announced his candidacy. On April 30, Douglas confirmed that he would not pursue Jeffords' seat and also stated that he would not run for re-election as Governor in 2006.
Douglas was re-elected as Governor in 2006, defeating Democrat Scudder Parker with 57% of the votes. He became the first Governor to meet with President Barack Obama at the White House on February 2, 2009. However, in April 2009, Douglas vetoed a bill that would have allowed same-sex marriages to be registered in Vermont. The veto was overturned by the Vermont House of Representatives and Senate the following day, marking Douglas' first legislative defeat during his tenure as Governor. In August 2009, he announced that he would not seek re-election in 2010.
In early 2010, Douglas became the first American political figure to receive the National Order of Quebec from the government and Premier Jean Charest of Quebec. This recognition was given for his efforts in strengthening the historical ties between Vermont and Quebec and improving relations with the province, which was one of the priorities of his governorship. Douglas continues to have a large number of supporters in Vermont, with a 65% approval rating as of June 17, 2010.
