Dawn Gibbons

Last updated
Jim Gibbons
(m. 1985;div. 2010)
Dawn Gibbons
First Lady of Nevada
In role
January 1, 2007 July 21, 2010
Children1
Education University of Nevada, Reno

Dawn Snelling Gibbons (born March 9, 1954) is an American politician. She was a member of the Nevada Assembly, as well as the First Lady of Nevada from 2007 to 2010, until her divorce from Governor Jim Gibbons on July 21, 2010.

Contents

Early and personal life

Dawn Snelling Gibbons was born in Atlanta, Georgia and moved to Nevada at the age of 20. [1] She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a bachelor's degree in geological studies. Following graduation, she owned and operated two wedding chapels in Reno, Nevada. During this period, she met her future husband, Jim Gibbons, then a Delta Air Lines pilot. They married in 1986. Together they have one child, Jimmy, who had served in the United States Navy.

Political career

In 1991, Dawn Gibbons was appointed to represent part of Washoe County in the Nevada Assembly, filling a vacancy created when her husband resigned his seat in order to serve in the Persian Gulf War. She resigned from the state legislature in April 1991, allowing her husband to reclaim his seat. [2] Following her husband's reappointment to the seat, she resumed her career in business.

In 1998, Gibbons was elected to the Nevada Assembly in her own right, serving until 2004. During the 2006 election season, she ran in the Republican Party primary to succeed her husband as Representative from Nevada's 2nd congressional district. However, Gibbons finished in third place behind Nevada Secretary of State Dean Heller (the eventual winner of both the primary and the general elections) and State Assemblywoman Sharron Angle. In that same election cycle, her husband won both the Republican primary and the general election to become Governor of Nevada, making her First Lady.

Divorce

On May 2, 2008, Jim Gibbons filed for divorce on grounds of incompatibility, citing an undisclosed incident in Reno and asked the court to determine whether he or his wife would live at the Nevada Governor's Mansion in Carson City. [3] In court filings, Dawn Gibbons alleged that her husband had been having affairs with two women. She also cited the attempted sexual assault that Jim Gibbons was alleged to have committed against a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas. [4] On July 21, 2010, the divorce became final. [5]

Subsequent career

Gibbons' subsequent career has focused on media and public relations work. Gibbons debuted her talk radio show, The Dawn Gibbons Show on Fox News on March 30, 2010, with Nevada Assembly Republican Minority Leader Heidi Gansert and U.S. Senator Harry Reid as her first guests. Gibbons endorsed Reid in his re-election bid, saying he "was the only one to call to see how I was [after filing for divorce]. The only elected official to do that. He's a gift from God." [6] Gibbons was the Senior Vice President of the now defunct Intermountain West Communications Company and was a radio talk show host for Fox News and co-hosted the Dawn & Jim Show (with Jim Rogers and the Dawn & Rory Show (with Rory Reid).

In 2017, Gibbons was appointed by Governor Brian Sandoval to the Nevada Transportation Authority, the state agency responsible for regulation of taxicabs, rideshare vehicles, limousines, tow trucks, and other similar vehicles. [7] Gibbons currently[ when? ] serves as Chair of the Authority. [8]

Elections

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jim Gibbons (American politician)</span> American attorney & politician (born 1944)

James Arthur Gibbons is an American attorney, aviator, geologist, hydrologist and politician who was the 28th Governor of Nevada from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the U.S. representative for Nevada's 2nd congressional district from 1997 to 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Sandoval</span> 29th Governor of Nevada

Brian Edward Sandoval is an American politician, academic administrator, and former federal judge who served as the 29th Governor of Nevada from 2011 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 United States House of Representatives elections in Nevada</span>

The Nevada congressional elections of 2006 took place on November 7, 2006, when each of the state's three congressional districts elected a representative to the United States House of Representatives. Nevada was considered a battleground state due to the close victory margins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nevada Governor's Mansion</span> Historic house in Nevada, United States

The Nevada Governor's Mansion is the official residence of the governor of Nevada and his family. Reno architect George A. Ferris designed this Classical Revival (Neoclassical) style mansion. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Sheila Leslie is an American politician. She served as a Democratic member of the Nevada Assembly from 1998 to 2010 representing District 27, as well as in the Nevada Senate representing District 13 from 2010 to 2012. Leslie served as Assistant Whip in the Assembly from 2001 to 2007, as Majority Whip in the Assembly from 2007 to 2011, and as Assistant Whip in the Senate from 2011 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Nevada gubernatorial election</span>

The 2010 Nevada gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010, to elect the Governor of Nevada, who would serve a four-year term to begin on January 3, 2011. Despite speculation that incumbent Republican Governor Jim Gibbons would not run for a second term due to low approval ratings, he ran for re-election. He struggled in the polls, and ultimately federal judge and former Attorney General of Nevada Brian Sandoval secured the nomination. Sandoval defeated Democrat Rory Reid, son of then-current U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who won his fifth term in the Senate on the same ballot.

Patrick T. "Pat" Hickey is an American politician. He formerly served as a Republican member of the Nevada Assembly representing Assembly Districts 25 and 27 in Washoe County. He served as Minority Floor Leader from 2013 to 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Nevada elections</span>

The Nevada general election, 2014 was held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014, throughout Nevada.

Michael Sprinkle,, is an American politician and served as a Democratic member of the Nevada Assembly beginning on February 4, 2013 representing District 30. Michael Sprinkle resigned from the Nevada Assembly in April 2019.

Teresa Francisca Benitez-Thompson is an American politician and former Democratic member of the Nevada Assembly, first elected February 7, 2011 to represent District 27 in Washoe County. She was crowned Miss Nevada 2002 and placed third runner-up at the Miss America 2003 pageant.

Marilyn Dondero Loop is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Nevada Senate since November 2018, representing District 8. She was previously a member of the Nevada Assembly from 2008 to 2014, representing District 5.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1974 Nevada gubernatorial election</span>

The 1974 Nevada gubernatorial election occurred on November 5, 1974. Incumbent Democrat Mike O'Callaghan successfully ran for re-election to a second term as Governor of Nevada, defeating Republican nominee Shirley Crumpler and Independent American nominee James Hay Houston.

Heidi K. Seevers Gansert is an American politician, businessperson, and engineer from the state of Nevada serving in the Nevada Senate, representing the 15th district since 2016. She served in the Nevada Assembly from 2004 through 2010, including as Republican leader, and as chief of staff to Governor Brian Sandoval from 2011 through 2012. She is a Republican.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Nevada gubernatorial election</span>

The 2018 Nevada gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Nevada. Incumbent Republican Governor Brian Sandoval was ineligible to run for re-election, due to the absolute two-term limit established by the Nevada Constitution. Nevada is one of eight U.S. states that prohibits its governors or any other state and territorial executive branch officials from serving more than two terms, even if they are nonconsecutive.

Jill Tolles is an American politician and a former Republican member of the Nevada Assembly. She represented the 25th district, which covers parts of Washoe County.

Lisa Krasner is a Republican member of the Nevada Senate. She represents the 16th district, which covers Storey County, Carson City, and parts of Washoe County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1934 Nevada gubernatorial election</span>

The 1934 Nevada gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1934. Democratic nominee Richard Kirman Sr. defeated incumbent Republican Morley Griswold with 53.94% of the vote.

Bob Kerns was an American politician who served as a member of the Nevada Assembly from 1982 to 1991 for the 25th district. Kerns served as assistant majority leader in the 1985 legislative session.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Nevada elections</span>

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Nevada on November 3, 2020. To vote by mail, registered Nevada voters must ensure each ballot is postmarked by November 3 and received by November 10, 2020.

Vonne Chowning is a former American politician. She served as a Democratic member of the Nevada Assembly from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1992 to 2004, representing Districts 19 and 28.

References

  1. McAndrew, Siobhan (December 2, 2009). "Dawn Gibbons' story: Nevada's first lady talks about her divorce, humiliation and fears for the future". Reno Gazette–Journal . Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  2. "Persons Appointed to Fill Vacancies in the Nevada Legislature" (PDF). Legislative Counsel Bureau. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  3. Riley, Brendan (May 2, 2008). "Nevada governor files for divorce, cites incompatibility". USA Today . Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  4. Chereb, Sandra (April 6, 2009). "Divorce filings accuse Nevada governor of affairs". Associated Press . Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  5. Sonner, Scott (July 21, 2010). "Jim and Dawn Gibbons officially divorced". Las Vegas Review-Journal . Associated Press . Retrieved November 1, 2011.
  6. Katsilometes, John (March 29, 2010). "Dawn Gibbons says booking Harry Reid for radio show 'an absolute coup'". Las Vegas Sun . Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  7. Myers, Dennis (October 26, 2017). "Interview with Commissioner Dawn Gibbons". Reno News & Review . Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  8. "Commission Members". Nevada Transportation Authority. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  9. "2006 Official Statewide Primary Election Results". Carson City, Nevada: Secretary of State of Nevada. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  10. "2002 Official Washoe General Election Results". Carson City, Nevada: Secretary of State of Nevada. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  11. "2000 Official Washoe General Election Results". Carson City, Nevada: Secretary of State of Nevada. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  12. "1998 Official Statewide Primary Election Results". Carson City, Nevada: Secretary of State of Nevada. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  13. "1998 Official Statewide General Election Results". Carson City, Nevada: Secretary of State of Nevada. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
Nevada Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Nevada Assembly from the 23rd legislative district
1991
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the Nevada Assembly from the 25th legislative district
1999–2003
Succeeded by