Jim Gilmore

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Jim Gilmore

James Stuart Gilmore III (born October 6, 1949) is an American politician, diplomat, and former attorney who served as the 68th Governor of Virginia from 1998 to 2002. A member of the Republican Party, Gilmore also served as the 59th Attorney General of Virginia from 1994 to 1997. He was a candidate for the 2008 and 2016 Republican presidential nominations.

Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]

Gilmore was born in Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from John Randolph Tucker High School and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia in 1971. He later received a Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1977.

Military Service[edit | edit source]

After completing his undergraduate degree, Gilmore joined the United States Army and served as a counterintelligence agent. He was stationed in West Germany during the Cold War.

Political Career[edit | edit source]

Attorney General of Virginia[edit | edit source]

In 1993, Gilmore was elected as the Attorney General of Virginia. During his tenure, he focused on issues such as consumer protection, crime prevention, and internet safety.

Governor of Virginia[edit | edit source]

Gilmore was elected as the Governor of Virginia in 1997 and served from 1998 to 2002. His administration is noted for its efforts to reduce the car tax and for its response to the September 11 attacks.

Presidential Campaigns[edit | edit source]

Gilmore announced his candidacy for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination but withdrew before the primaries began. He also ran in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries but did not gain significant support.

Diplomatic Career[edit | edit source]

In 2019, Gilmore was appointed by President Donald Trump as the U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), a position he held until 2021.