Jim Gibbons American politician, 28th and current Governor of Nevada Date of Birth: 16.12.1944 Country: USA

1. Biography of Jim Gibbons
2. Early Life and Education
3. Military Career and Awards
4. Professional Life and Personal Life
5. Political Career
6. Governorship

Biography of Jim Gibbons

Jim Gibbons, an American politician, is currently serving as the 28th Governor of Nevada from the Republican Party. He was born on December 16, 1944, in Sparks, Nevada.

Early Life and Education

During the Vietnam War, Jim interrupted his studies at the University of Nevada in Reno and enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he served from 1967 to 1971. After returning, Gibbons completed his university education and pursued further studies at the Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles and the University of Southern California. He also graduated from the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College. In 1975, Gibbons joined the Nevada Air National Guard.

Military Career and Awards

From 1990 to 1996, he served as the Deputy Commander and participated in the first Gulf War. Throughout his military career, Gibbons received 19 awards, including the Legion of Merit, which is awarded for bravery in combat, and the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism in aerial combat.

Professional Life and Personal Life

In civilian life, Jim Gibbons practiced law, worked as a pilot for Western Airlines and Delta Air Lines, and also worked as a hydrologist and geologist. He is a practicing Mormon and has been married twice, with three children. His second wife, Dawn Gibbons, filed for divorce in May 2008, accusing him of multiple instances of marital infidelity. Jim Gibbons denied the allegations, but in January 2010, they reached a settlement, and although the divorce process was not yet finalized, both consider themselves free individuals.

Political Career

From 1989 to 1993, Gibbons served in the Nevada Assembly, the state legislature, and during this time, he was called to active duty during the Gulf War. In 1994, Gibbons, a Delta Air Lines pilot and member of the state legislature, ran for governor but lost to the Democratic candidate Bob Miller, receiving 156,875 votes against Miller's 200,026 votes. In 1996, Gibbons became a Congressman for the 2nd Congressional District and served in this capacity for 8 years. He held the position of Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Resources and was a member of the Armed Services Committee, the Committee on National Security, and the Select Committee on Intelligence.

Governorship

In 2004, Gibbons announced that he would not seek a sixth term in the House of Representatives in 2006 and instead would run for Governor of Nevada. On August 15, 2006, he won the primary election, defeating Senator Bob Beers and Lieutenant Governor Lorraine Hunt. In the general election, Jim Gibbons won by around 23,000 votes against his Democratic opponent, Dina Titus, and on January 1, 2007, he assumed the responsibilities of the Governor. Despite a series of personal and professional scandals and controversies during his tenure (including allegations of sexual harassment and accepting a large bribe), it was expected that he would not run for a second term. However, he took the risk and lost to fellow Republican Brian Sandoval, a former federal judge, on June 9, 2010.