Jim Lightfoot | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIowa | |
| In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Harkin |
| Succeeded by | Leonard Boswell |
| Constituency | 5th district (1985–1993) 3rd district (1993–1997) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1938-09-27)September 27, 1938 (age 87) Sioux City, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Children | 4 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Unit | United States Army Reserve |
James Ross Lightfoot (born September 27, 1938) is an American businessman-broadcaster who served as a member of theUnited States House of Representatives fromIowa. He was theRepublican nominee for theUnited States Senate in1996 and forGovernor of Iowa in1998.
Lightfoot was born in the Florence Crittenton Home for Unwed Mothers inSioux City, Iowa. He was raised on a farm nearFarragut, Iowa, where he graduated fromFarragut High School in 1956.
Lightfoot served eight years in theUnited States Army andUnited States Army Reserve. He began his career working forIBM as a customer engineer and was eventually transferred toTulsa, Oklahoma. He also worked as an officer in theTulsa Police Department.
Returning to his native Iowa in the early-1960s, Lightfoot became a broadcaster onKMA radio, the flagship station of May Broadcasting Company. While at KMA, Lightfoot was also well known as a rodeo announcer and sought-after speaker for various organizations’ events.
He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1984, after five-term incumbentTom Harkin gave up the seat to make a successful run for the United States Senate. Lightfoot served there for six terms, compiling a mostly conservative voting record. During his last term, he served as chairman of the subcommittee of theUnited States House Committee on Appropriations which funded the Treasury Department, Postal Service, White House and other federal agencies. Lightfoot also spent eight years on theUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation dealing with transportation issues. He holds commercial pilot and flight instructor ratings, which have allowed him a wide perspective on the aviation industry.
In 1996, conforming to a promise to only serve twelve years in the House of Representatives, he left his seat torun for the Senate against Harkin. His entry into the race came in March. At a severe financial disadvantage, Lightfoot lost the race, after strong pre-election campaigning on Harkin's behalf byBill Clinton, who carried Iowa by ten points in the presidential election.[1]
In 1998, at the request of the Republican Party,[who?] he ran against then State SenatorTom Vilsack forgovernor of Iowa. Lightfoot led in polling for most of the campaign, but Harkin's campaigning on Vilsack's behalf enabled Vilsack to win narrowly.[2]
In December 1998, Lightfoot became the vice president of Forensic Technology, Inc.[3]
Lightfoot was a senior policy advisor for federal government relations with theWashington, D.C., office ofBuchanan Ingersoll & Rooney. He was a non-attorney professional in the firm's Federal Government Relations division.[citation needed]
In 2009, Lightfoot started his own consulting firm, Lightfoot Strategies.[4]
Lightfoot and wife Nancy reside inWhite Oak, Texas. They have four children and four grandchildren.[citation needed]
{{cite web}}:|last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIowa's 5th congressional district 1985–1993 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromIowa's 3rd congressional district 1993–1997 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forU.S. Senator fromIowa (Class 2) 1996 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of Iowa 1998 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byas Former U.S. Representative | Order of precedence of the United States as Former U.S. Representative | Succeeded byas Former U.S. Representative |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
