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Jim Douglas

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For the guitarist, see Jim Douglas (guitarist).
For Herbie's driver, see Dean Jones (actor).
Jim Douglas
80th Governor of Vermont
In office
January 9, 2003 – January 6, 2011
LieutenantBrian Dubie
Preceded byHoward Dean
Succeeded byPeter Shumlin
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office
July 20, 2009 – July 11, 2010
Preceded byEd Rendell
Succeeded byJoe Manchin
28th Treasurer of Vermont
In office
January 5, 1995 – January 9, 2003
GovernorHoward Dean
Preceded byPaul W. Ruse Jr.
Succeeded byJeb Spaulding
34th Secretary of State of Vermont
In office
January 8, 1981 – January 7, 1993
GovernorRichard A. Snelling
Madeleine Kunin
Howard Dean
Preceded byJames A. Guest
Succeeded byDonald M. Hooper
Personal details
Born
James Holley Douglas

(1951-06-21) June 21, 1951 (age 73)
Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseDorothy Foster
EducationMiddlebury College (BA)

James Holley Douglas (born June 21, 1951) is an American politician from the state of Vermont. A Republican, he served the 80th governor of Vermont from 2003 to 2011. On August 27, 2009, Douglas announced that he would not seek re-election for a fifth term in 2010. He left the office in January 2011.

On January 6, 2011, Douglas became an executive in residence at Middlebury College[1] where he taught a 24 student course titled Vermont Government and Politics.[2] Douglas is the interim director of the Vermont Historical Society.[3]

Douglas currently serves on the Governors’ Council of the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, DC.

Early career

Douglas was born in the city of Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1968, he graduated from East Longmeadow High School in the town of East Longmeadow, Massachusetts. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, where he had been active in the College Republicans, eventually becoming chairman.[4] At Middlebury College, Douglas was a Russian studies major. Vermont maintained a sister-state relationship with the Republic of Karelia, Russia until it was broken by Governor Phil Scott in March of 2022 as protest against the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. While influenced by Douglas, this relationship was started in 1991 under the governorship of Madeline Kunin.[5]

In November 1972, Douglas was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives, where he became the House Majority Leader during his third two-year term at the age of 25. He left the Vermont General Assembly in 1979, afterwards serving as a top aide to Governor Richard A. Snelling. Douglas was elected Secretary of State in November 1980, a post which he held until 1992. That year he sought election to the U.S. Senate, but was defeated by Democratic incumbent Patrick Leahy.

Vermont State Treasurer

During his tenure as Vermont State Treasurer, Democrat Paul W. Ruse Jr. was criticized for being too friendly with financial services firms that had an interest in matters handled by the state treasurer, including accepting campaign contributions from them, and appearing in an advertisement for one.[6] Because of the controversy, in 1994 Ruse decided not to run for reelection.[7] This decision was not widely known; Ruse stated that he withheld his decision not to run so that Ed Flanagan, the incumbent Vermont State Auditor, would not run for treasurer.[8] Flanagan and Ruse had been involved in a behind the scenes dispute over details of an auditor's report about the treasurer's office; Flanagan disclaimed any interest in the treasurer's post.[9]

As a result of Ruse's decision not to run again, only Douglas had filed as a major party candidate for treasurer; in the absence of a Democratic candidate, Douglas won the Democratic nomination by write in vote.[10] In the general election, Douglas faced only token opposition, and received over 91% of the votes.[11]

Ruse's deputy had retired in October 1994.[12] After Douglas won the treasurer's election, Ruse offered him the deputy's position so that Douglas would have an opportunity to learn the workings of the treasurer's office.[13] Douglas accepted, and served as deputy state treasurer from November 1994 until beginning his term as treasurer in January 1995.[14] Douglas was reelected in 1996, 1998 and 2000.[15]

Governor of Vermont

Douglas and EEOC Chair Cari Dominguez sign a resolution aimed at enhancing employment opportunities in state government for people with disabilities.

In the 2002 gubernatorial election to succeed five-term Governor Howard Dean, Douglas achieved a plurality over Democratic Lieutenant Governor Doug Racine, 45 to 42 percent. The Vermont constitution requires that the legislature select the governor if no candidate receives over 50 percent. The Vermont General Assembly almost always chooses the candidate who won a plurality, and Racine did not contest the results. In January 2003, the legislature selected Douglas by a vote of 159 to 16. Douglas won reelection to a second two-year term in 2004, defeating Democrat Peter Clavelle, 59 to 38 percent.

In early 2005, Douglas announced that he would not run against Democratic-leaning independent Jim Jeffords in the 2006 Senate race. In April 2005, Jeffords announced that he would not seek re-election, which led to speculation that Douglas would throw his hat into the ring against Vermont independent Congressman Bernie Sanders, who had announced his candidacy for the seat. On April 30, Douglas announced again that he would not seek Jeffords' seat, and simultaneously announced that he would run for re-election for governor in 2006. Many pundits believed that Douglas was the only Republican who could possibly defeat Sanders, and his decision to run for governor effectively handed the open Senate seat to Sanders. Douglas was re-elected governor with 57% of the vote over Democrat Scudder Parker.

On May 22, 2007, Governor Douglas signed a landmark civil rights bill banning discrimination on the basis of gender identity by employers, financial institutions, housing, public accommodations, and other contexts.[16] After the Vermont Human Rights Commission recommended that Governor Douglas veto a similar bill in 2006,[17] Douglas worked with legislators to craft a new bill in 2007. This bill passed both chambers of the legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support.[18]

Douglas decided to stand for re-election in 2008 and ran unopposed in the Republican primary on September 9, 2008. His principal challengers in the general election were Independent/Progressive Anthony Pollina, and Democrat Gaye Symington. Douglas won a fourth term with nearly 54% of the vote. Although that was his lowest percentage since his initial narrow victory over Doug Racine, he bested his closest challenge, Pollina, by 32%.

Douglas became the first governor to meet with President Barack Obama in the White House on February 2, 2009.[19] He also served as Chairman of the National Governors Association from 2009 to 2010.

On April 6, 2009, Douglas vetoed a bill allowing marriage for same-sex couples in Vermont. Democrats in the Vermont House and Senate overrode the veto with a supermajority the next day, marking the first time Douglas had been overridden during his tenure.[20]

On June 2, 2009, Democrats in the Vermont House and Senate voted to override Douglas's veto of the Vermont state budget.[21]

On August 27, 2009, Douglas announced that he would not seek re-election in 2010.[22]

In early 2010, Douglas became the first American political leader to be appointed to the National Order of Quebec ("L'Ordre National du Quebec" in French), receiving the insignia of an Officer of the order from Premier Jean Charest at a ceremony at the National Assembly of Quebec. He was recognized for strengthening Vermont's historical bonds with Quebec and making improved relations with the province a priority of his governorship.[23]

On June 17, 2010, his approval rating stood at 65 percent.[24]

Cabinet and administration

The Douglas Cabinet
OFFICE NAME TERM
Governor Jim Douglas 2003–2011
Lt. Governor Brian Dubie 2003–2011
Secretary of Administration Michael K. Smith
Charles Plympton Smith
Michael K. Smith
Neale F. Lunderville		 2003–2005
2005–2006
2006–2008
2008–2011
Secretary of Commerce & Community Development Kevin Dorn 2003–2011
Secretary of Natural Resources Elizabeth "Wibs" McLain
Thomas Torti
George Crombie
Jonathan Wood		 2003–2005
2005–2007
2007–2008
2008–2011
Secretary of Agriculture Steve Kerr
Roger Allbee		 2003–2006
2006–2011
Secretary of Human Services Charles Plympton Smith
Michael K. Smith
Cynthia LaWare
Robert Hofmann		 2003–2005
2005–2006
2006–2008
2008–2011
Secretary of Transportation Patricia MacDonald
Dawn Terrill
Neale F. Lunderville
David K. Dill		 2003–2004
2004–2006
2006–2008
2008–2011
Commissioner of Labor Michael Bertrand
Patricia MacDonald
Patricia Moulton Powden		 2003–2004
2004–2007
2007–2010
Commissioner of Public Service David O'Brien 2003–2011
Commissioner of Public Safety Kerry Sleeper
Thomas Tremblay		 2003–2007
2007–2011
Commissioner of Banking, Insurance, Securities and Health Care Administration John Crowley
Paulette Thabault
Michael Bertrand		 2003–2006
2006–2010
2010–2011
Chief Recovery Officer Tom Evslin 2009–2010

Post-gubernatorial career

Douglas was succeeded as Governor by Democrat Peter Shumlin.

After leaving office Douglas became an Executive in Residence at Middlebury College and authored a memoir, which was published in late 2012.[25] On July 29, 2015, Douglas was named the interim director of the Vermont Historical Society.[26]

Electoral history

Vermont Gubernatorial Election 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Douglas (incumbent) 170,492 53.43
Independent Anthony Pollina 69,791 21.87
Democratic Gaye Symington 69,534 21.79
Vermont Gubernatorial Election 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Douglas (incumbent) 148,014 56.38
Democratic Scudder Parker 108,090 41.17
Vermont Gubernatorial Election 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Douglas (incumbent) 181,540 58.70
Democratic Peter Clavelle 117,327 37.93
Vermont Gubernatorial Election 2002
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jim Douglas 103,436 44.94
Democratic Doug Racine 97,565 42.39
Independent Cornelius Hogan 22,353 9.71
Vermont U.S. Senate Election 1992
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Patrick Leahy (incumbent) 154,762 54.16
Republican Jim Douglas 123,854 43.35

Notes

  1. ^ "The governor becomes a teacher". Middlebury. 2010-11-05. Archived from the original on 2018-03-13. Retrieved 2018-03-13.
  2. ^ "Middlebury.edu". Archived from the original on 2011-02-18. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  3. ^ Former Gov. Douglas interim director of historical society, WCAX, Jul. 29, 2015 [1] Archived 2015-09-11 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Heintz, Paul (September 3, 2014). "Former Gov. Jim Douglas Dishes on Politics, Press in Memoir". Seven Days. Archived from the original on May 27, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  5. ^ Executive Order No. 100-91 ("Vermont-Karelia Sister-State Relationship") (January 7, 1991). The text of this Executive Order is available on leg.state.vt.us Archived 2012-02-18 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ Sessions, William K., Judge (August 28, 2000). "Landell v. Sorrell". Ravellaw.com. San Francisco, CA: Ravel Law. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 15, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Graf, Christopher (July 20, 1994). "Political Feud Kept Ruse Quiet: Treasurer Says He Kept Mum to Keep Flanagan Out of Race". St. Albans Messenger. St. Albans, VT. Associated Press. p. 2. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  8. ^ ""Political Feud Kept Ruse Quiet"". Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  9. ^ ""Political Feud Kept Ruse Quiet"". Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  10. ^ "Election results: Vermont State Treasurer: 1813-2014" (PDF). www.sec.state.vt.us/. Vermont State Archives and Records Administration. 2014. p. 22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  11. ^ ""Election results: Vermont State Treasurer: 1813-2014"" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  12. ^ Sneyd, Ross (November 15, 1994). "Douglas Takes Office as Deputy Treasurer". St. Albans Messenger. St. Albans, VT. p. 2. Archived from the original on August 28, 2008. Retrieved August 15, 2016.
  13. ^ ""Douglas Takes Office as Deputy Treasurer"". Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  14. ^ ""Douglas Takes Office as Deputy Treasurer"". Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  15. ^ ""Election results: Vermont State Treasurer: 1813-2014"" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  16. ^ "Vermont Governor Signs Non-Discrimination Bill Into Law, available at". Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
  17. ^ Gov. Douglas vetoes gender discrimination bill, Times Argus, May 18, 2006 [2] Archived 2015-11-19 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ Acts and Resolves of the 2007–2008 session of the Vermont General Assembly, Act 41 (S.51). The text of this act is available on leg.state.vt.us Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ "Douglas Meets with President Obama," WCAX Archived 2012-02-14 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ^ Vermont Legislature Legalizes Gay Marriage, WMUR Archived 2014-01-02 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ "Vermont House, Senate Override Douglas Veto," WPTZ (June 2, 2009) Archived July 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ "Douglas Will Not Seek Re-Election," WCAX (August 27, 2009) Archived March 17, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  23. ^ Communiques.gov.qc.ca Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine "Ordre national du Québec – The Premier honours the Governor of the State of Vermont" (March 11, 2010)
  24. ^ Rasmussenreports.com Archived 2010-06-28 at the Wayback Machine Rasmussen Reports "Toplines 2010 Vermont Governor" (June 17, 2010)
  25. ^ John Flowers Archived 2012-05-27 at the Wayback Machine, Gov. Douglas pens autobiography, Addison Independent, May 24, 2012
  26. ^ Former Gov. Douglas interim director of historical society, WCAX, Jul. 29, 2015 [3] Archived 2015-09-11 at the Wayback Machine
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State of Vermont
1981–1993 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Treasurer of Vermont
1995–2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Vermont
2003–2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of National Governors Association
2009–2010 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for U.S. Senator from Vermont
(Class 3)
1992 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Republican nominee for Governor of Vermont
2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former Governor Order of precedence of the United States Succeeded byas Former Governor
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