Jim Whitaker | |
---|---|
9th Mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska | |
In office October 27, 2003 –November 16, 2009 | |
Preceded by | Rhonda Boyles |
Succeeded by | Luke Hopkins |
Member of the AlaskaHouseofRepresentatives from the 10th district | |
In office January 21,2003 –October 27,2003 | |
Preceded by | (redistricting) |
Succeeded by | Nick Stepovich |
Member of the AlaskaHouseofRepresentatives from the 31st district | |
In office January 19,1999 –January 20,2003 | |
Preceded by | Pete Kelly |
Succeeded by | (redistricting) |
Member of the Fairbanks City Council | |
In office October 1995 –October 1998 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Bremerton,Washington | September 30,1950
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Patricia "Jinx" Whitaker |
Children | Victoria,Christine,Jennifer,Wendy |
Residence(s) | Fairbanks,Alaska |
Norris J. "Jim" Whitaker (born September 30,1950) is an American politician of the Republican Party who served as mayor of Fairbanks North Star Borough,Alaska,from 2003 to 2009. Prior to his mayoral term,Whitaker served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003. In October 2003 he was elected borough mayor,defeating the incumbent,fellow Republican Rhonda Boyles. Whitaker was reelected in 2006 with over 77% of the vote. As mayor,Whitaker was known for supporting spending on quality of life services such as parks and recreation,as well as spearheading a campaign to prevent a drastic reduction in the operations of Eielson Air Force Base due to federal budget cuts.
Whitaker endorsed Democrat Barack Obama in the 2008 United States presidential election [1] and spoke during the second day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver,Colorado. Many Alaska Republicans expressed ill feelings about the decision,with one former state senator accusing him of being a Republican In Name Only. [2] Whitaker's endorsement of Obama was notable as the mayor of the second-largest metropolitan area in Alaska,the home state of 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin,who was nominated by John McCain after the Democratic convention.
In 2009,Whitaker endorsed Democrat Luke Hopkins to be his successor as mayor. Hopkins won the election in a runoff on November 3 and succeeded Whitaker on November 16,2009.
In 2014,Whitaker was selected to be Governor Bill Walker's Chief of Staff. [3]
Charles Warren Fairbanks was an American politician who served as a senator from Indiana from 1897 to 1905 and the 26th vice president of the United States from 1905 to 1909. He was also the Republican vice presidential nominee in the 1916 presidential election. Had the Republican ticket been elected,Fairbanks would have become the third vice president to multiple presidents,after George Clinton and John C. Calhoun.
The Alaskan Independence Party (AIP) is an Alaskan nationalist political party in the United States that advocates for an in-state referendum which would include the option of Alaska becoming an independent country. The party also advocates positions similar to those of the Constitution Party,Republican Party and Libertarian Party,supporting gun rights,anti-abortion policies,privatization,homeschooling,and limited government.
Artur Genestre Davis is an American attorney and former politician who served as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives for Alabama's 7th congressional district from 2003 to 2011. He was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of Alabama in the 2010 election. After losing in the primary,he moved to Virginia and joined the Republican Party. He rejoined the Democratic Party in 2015,switched to the Republican Party again in 2016,and then back to the Democrats in 2017,in his two attempts to be elected Mayor of Montgomery,Alabama in the 2015 and 2019 elections,losing both times.
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician,commentator,author,and reality television personality who served as the ninth governor of Alaska from 2006 until her resignation in 2009. She was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee alongside U.S. Senator John McCain.
The following is a timeline of major events leading up to and immediately following the United States presidential election of 2008. The election was the 56th quadrennial United States presidential election. It was held on November 4,2008,but its significant events and background date back to about 2002. The Democratic Party nominee,Senator Barack Obama of Illinois,defeated the Republican Party's nominee,Senator John McCain of Arizona.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 4,2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator and former President pro tempore Ted Stevens ran for re-election for an eighth term in the United States Senate. It was one of the ten Senate races that U.S. Senator John Ensign of Nevada,the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee,predicted as being most competitive. The primaries were held on August 26,2008. Stevens was challenged by Democratic candidate Mark Begich,the mayor of Anchorage and son of former U.S. Representative Nick Begich.
The 2009 Virginia gubernatorial election took place in Virginia on November 3,2009. The incumbent Governor,Democrat Tim Kaine,was not eligible to run due to term limits established by the Virginia Constitution,though others in the state's executive branch were not restricted. Republican Bob McDonnell was elected as Governor as part of a Republican sweep. Republican Bill Bolling was reelected as lieutenant governor,and Republican Ken Cuccinelli was elected as attorney general. The winners were inaugurated on January 16,2010,and served until January 11,2014.
Although in its early years of statehood,Alaska was a Democratic state,since the early 1970s it has been characterized as Republican-leaning. Local political communities have often worked on issues related to land use development,fishing,tourism,and individual rights. Alaska Natives,while organized in and around their communities,have been active within the Native corporations. These have been given ownership over large tracts of land,which require stewardship. The state has an independence movement favoring a vote on secession from the United States,with the Alaskan Independence Party,but its membership has shrunk in recent decades.
United States President Barack Obama,a member of the Democratic Party,was endorsed or supported by some members of the Republican Party and by some political figures holding conservative views in the 2008 election. Although the vast majority of Obama's support came from liberal constituencies,some conservatives identified in him shared priorities or other positive attributes. As in any election,voters can and sometimes do cross party lines to vote for the other party's nominee. Republican and conservative Obama supporters were often referred to as "Obama Republicans","Obamacans" or "Obamacons".
Senator John McCain,the Republican Party nominee,was endorsed or supported by some members of the Democratic Party and by some political figures holding liberal views in the 2008 United States presidential election. McCain Democrat and McCainocrat are terms applied to Democrats who supported McCain.
The 2008 United States presidential election in Pennsylvania was part of the 2008 United States presidential election,which took place on November 4,2008,throughout all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Voters chose 21 representatives,or electors to the Electoral College,who voted for president and vice president.
The 2008 United States presidential election in Alaska took place on November 4,2008,as part of the nationwide presidential election held throughout all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Voters chose 3 electors,or representatives to the Electoral College,who voted for president and vice president.
Tammie Wilson was a member of the Alaska House of Representatives,representing District 3.
The 2014 United States Senate election in Alaska took place on November 4,2014,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Alaska,concurrently with the election of the governor of Alaska,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Sarah Palin's candidacy for Vice President of the United States was publicly announced by then-presumptive Republican Party presidential candidate John McCain on August 29,2008. As part of the McCain presidential campaign,Palin,then the incumbent Governor of Alaska,was officially nominated by acclamation at the 2008 Republican National Convention on September 3. The McCain–Palin ticket lost the 2008 presidential election on November 4 to the Barack Obama–Joe Biden ticket.
The 2012 United States presidential election in Alaska took place on November 6,2012,as part of the 2012 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Alaska voters chose three electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote pitting incumbent Democratic President Barack Obama and his running mate,Vice President Joe Biden,against Republican challenger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and his running mate,Congressman Paul Ryan.
The 2014 Alaska gubernatorial election took place on November 4,2014,to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Alaska,concurrently with the election of Alaska's Class II U.S. Senate seat,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 2016 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 8,2016,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Alaska,concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
The 1973 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election was held on March 6,1973,to elect the United States representative from Alaska's at-large congressional district. Incumbent Democratic Representative Nick Begich had won reelection in 1972,but had gone missing shortly before the election.
The November 2022 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska was held on Tuesday,November 8,to elect a member of the United States House of Representatives to represent the state of Alaska. Democratic incumbent Mary Peltola won reelection to a full term in office,defeating Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich III and Libertarian Chris Bye in the runoff count.
Media related to Jim Whitaker at Wikimedia Commons