Jim Whitaker Explained

Birth Date:September 30, 1950
Birth Place:Bremerton, Washington
Residence:Fairbanks, Alaska
Office:9th Mayor of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska
Term Start:October 27, 2003
Term End:November 16, 2009
Predecessor:Rhonda Boyles
Successor:Luke Hopkins
State2:Alaska
State House2:Alaska
District2:10th
Term Start2:January 21, 2003
Term End2:October 27, 2003
Predecessor2:(redistricting)
Successor2:Nick Stepovich
State3:Alaska
State House3:Alaska
District3:31st
Term Start3:January 19, 1999
Term End3:January 20, 2003
Predecessor3:Pete Kelly
Successor3:(redistricting)
Office4:Member of the Fairbanks City Council
Term Start4:October 1995
Term End4:October 1998
Party:Republican
Spouse:Patricia "Jinx" Whitaker
Children:Victoria, Christine, Jennifer, Wendy

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]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Newsminer.com • Mayor Whitaker endorses Obama . 2008-10-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080920105316/http://newsminer.com/news/2008/aug/12/mayor-whitaker-endorses-obama/ . 2008-09-20 .
  2. Web site: newsminer.com • Fairbanks borough mayor's endorsement of Obama ripples through Alaska GOP . www.newsminer.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081122164503/http://newsminer.com/news/2008/aug/26/fairbanks-borough-mayors-endorsement-obama-ripples/ . 2008-11-22.
  3. Web site: DeMarban . Alex . Transition effort begins for Alaska's governor-elect . Alaska Dispatch News . November 18, 2014 . November 20, 2014 .