Jim Jontz
Encyclopedia
James Prather Jontz was an American politician
from Indianapolis
, who represented the 5th Congressional District
in the United States House of Representatives
from 1987 to 1995. He was previously a state representative.
in 1951, and grew up on the north side of the city in a three-bedroom ranch home on East 80th Street. Jontz reached the rank of Eagle Scout as a member of Boy Scout Troop Number 117. He graduated at the age of 17 from North Central High School in Washington Township.
and transferred to Indiana University
, where he graduated with honors (Phi Beta Kappa) in less than three years with a degree in geology
. He was active in Crisis Biology and lobbied on behalf of a host of environmental causes while a student on the IU Bloomington campus. Despite a heavy study load, and involvement in student government and extra curricular affairs, Jontz co-founded the Indiana Public Interest Research Group as a Senior working project. He graduated with a B.S. from the Indiana University (Bloomington). He obtained a Master's Degree in History from Butler University
, and graduated from Valparaiso University School of Law
during his third term as State Representative .
against the dam's sponsor, John Guy, the House Majority Leader, he was elected at age 22 by a margin of only 2 votes. He was reelected five more times as a Democrat
in a heavily Republican
district, even after Republican gerrymandering
in 1980 drastically re-drew his district. He was elected to the Indiana Senate
in 1984, where he served for only two years before being elected to the United States House of Representatives
.
. He was handily reelected in 1988
, but faced much stiffer competition in 1990
. Jontz was a progressive
Democrat, which seemingly made him a hard fit for his mostly rural north central Indiana district, centering on Kokomo
and Logansport
.
Jontz relied on two key strategies for his congressional elections. First, he embraced a very personal style of populist
politics that included frequent appearances in every community in his district. Secondly, Jontz assembled a highly talented and dedicated staff of individuals to work with him, and later many of them-including Tom Sugar, Mike Busch, and Kathy Altman-held prominent government positions.
. He also championed the preservation of the ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest
, and worked to foster collaborations between organized labor and environmentalist
s. He was considered by colleagues to be one of the hardest working members of the U.S. Congress.
His campaigns for Congress drew national attention. Celebrity supporters included singers Carole King
, Bob Weir
, and Don Henley
, designer Liz Claiborne, and actors Bonnie Franklin
and Woody Harrelson
. Most of this support stemmed from Jontz's work on environmental issues.
instead of seeking re-election to his house seat. He lost to Lugar by more than 600,000 votes.
, where he began working as Executive Director for the Western Ancient Forest Campaign. In 1999, Jontz helped organize the Alliance for Sustainable Jobs and the Environment (ASJE). While with WAFC, Jontz built an extremely effective grassroots organizing campaign, which pushed aggressively to protect forests, remove federal subsidies that financed clearcutting, and preserve millions of acres of previously unprotected roadless areas in National Forests. During his tenure with WAFC, he travelled extensively around the country forming relationships with state and local forest protection groups. As a result, Jontz was revered by forest activists throughout North America. In the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr., Jontz participated in acts of civil disobedience — including blocking a logging road in the Siskiyou National Forest in Oregon — to raise awareness about the plight of ancient forests. Those courageous acts were hailed by forest advocates as further proof that Jontz was one of the greatest leaders of the modern environmental movement. In 1998, Jontz was elected president of Americans for Democratic Action
(ADA). He was most recently the ADA president emeritus and served as a project coordinator for ADA's Working Families Win project.
Jontz died on April 14, 2007 in Portland, following a lengthy battle with colon cancer.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
from Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, who represented the 5th Congressional District
Indiana's 5th congressional district
Indiana's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Indiana that takes in the eastern and northern suburbs of Indianapolis, including Marion, Carmel, Shelbyville, and Noblesville and parts of Kokomo...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1987 to 1995. He was previously a state representative.
Early life
He was born in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
in 1951, and grew up on the north side of the city in a three-bedroom ranch home on East 80th Street. Jontz reached the rank of Eagle Scout as a member of Boy Scout Troop Number 117. He graduated at the age of 17 from North Central High School in Washington Township.
College
Jontz began his collegiate studies at Williams CollegeWilliams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
and transferred to Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, where he graduated with honors (Phi Beta Kappa) in less than three years with a degree in geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
. He was active in Crisis Biology and lobbied on behalf of a host of environmental causes while a student on the IU Bloomington campus. Despite a heavy study load, and involvement in student government and extra curricular affairs, Jontz co-founded the Indiana Public Interest Research Group as a Senior working project. He graduated with a B.S. from the Indiana University (Bloomington). He obtained a Master's Degree in History from Butler University
Butler University
Butler University is a private university located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1855 and named after founder Ovid Butler, the university offers 60 degree programs to 4,400 students through six colleges: business, communication, education, liberal Arts and sciences, pharmacy and health...
, and graduated from Valparaiso University School of Law
Valparaiso University School of Law
The Valparaiso University School of Law is located on the campus of Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, a community located less than an hour from Chicago...
during his third term as State Representative .
State legislature
His political career began in 1974, sparked by his opposition to a dam-building project in Central Indiana. Running for a seat in the Indiana House of RepresentativesIndiana House of Representatives
The Indiana House of Representatives is the lower house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The House is composed of 100 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. House members serve two-year terms without term limits...
against the dam's sponsor, John Guy, the House Majority Leader, he was elected at age 22 by a margin of only 2 votes. He was reelected five more times as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in a heavily Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
district, even after Republican gerrymandering
Gerrymandering
In the process of setting electoral districts, gerrymandering is a practice that attempts to establish a political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating geographic boundaries to create partisan, incumbent-protected districts...
in 1980 drastically re-drew his district. He was elected to the Indiana Senate
Indiana Senate
The Indiana Senate is the upper house of the Indiana General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Indiana. The Senate is composed of 50 members representing an equal number of constituent districts. Senators serve four-year terms without term limits...
in 1984, where he served for only two years before being elected to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
Elections
Jontz was elected to Congress in 1986 after the retirement of 16-year incumbent Bud HillisElwood Hillis
Elwood Haynes "Bud" Hillis is a former U.S. Representative from Indiana.-Biography:Born in Kokomo, Indiana, Hillis attended Kokomo public schools.He graduated from Culver Military Academy, 1944.B.S., Indiana University, 1949....
. He was handily reelected in 1988
United States House elections, 1988
The U.S. House election, 1988 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1988 which coincided with the election of George H. W. Bush as President...
, but faced much stiffer competition in 1990
United States House elections, 1990
The U.S. House election, 1990 was an election for the United States House of Representatives in 1990 which occurred in the middle of President George H. W. Bush's term...
. Jontz was a progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
Democrat, which seemingly made him a hard fit for his mostly rural north central Indiana district, centering on Kokomo
Kokomo
-Places:* Kokomo, Indiana, a city located in Howard County, Indiana, United States, that is also its county seat** Indiana University Kokomo* Kokomo, Mississippi, United States* Kokomo, Hawaii, United States - on the island of Maui...
and Logansport
Logansport
Logansport is the name of some places in the United States:*Logansport, Indiana*Logansport, Louisiana...
.
Jontz relied on two key strategies for his congressional elections. First, he embraced a very personal style of populist
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
politics that included frequent appearances in every community in his district. Secondly, Jontz assembled a highly talented and dedicated staff of individuals to work with him, and later many of them-including Tom Sugar, Mike Busch, and Kathy Altman-held prominent government positions.
Committees
During his six-year tenure, he simultaneously held committee memberships on the House Agriculture, Education and Labor, Veterans Affairs, and Select Committee on AgingUnited States House Permanent Select Committee on Aging
The United States House Permanent Select Committee on Aging was a permanent select committee of the United States House of Representatives between 1974 and 1992....
. He also championed the preservation of the ancient forests in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, and worked to foster collaborations between organized labor and environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
s. He was considered by colleagues to be one of the hardest working members of the U.S. Congress.
His campaigns for Congress drew national attention. Celebrity supporters included singers Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
, Bob Weir
Bob Weir
Bob Weir is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, most recognized as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the Grateful Dead disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead, together with other former members of the Grateful Dead...
, and Don Henley
Don Henley
Donald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
, designer Liz Claiborne, and actors Bonnie Franklin
Bonnie Franklin
Bonnie Gail Franklin is an American actress, best known for her starring role in the television series One Day at a Time.-Personal life:...
and Woody Harrelson
Woody Harrelson
Woodrow Tracy "Woody" Harrelson is an American actor.Harrelson's breakthrough role came in the television sitcom Cheers as bartender Woody Boyd...
. Most of this support stemmed from Jontz's work on environmental issues.
1994 United States Senate Campaign
Jontz chose to challenge Senator Richard Lugar in the 1994United States Senate elections, 1994
The U.S. Senate election, 1994 was an election held on November 8, in which the Republican Party was able to take control of the Senate from the Democrats. In a midterm election, the opposition Republicans held the traditional advantage...
instead of seeking re-election to his house seat. He lost to Lugar by more than 600,000 votes.
Post-congressional career
Following his 1994 defeat, Jontz subsequently moved to Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, where he began working as Executive Director for the Western Ancient Forest Campaign. In 1999, Jontz helped organize the Alliance for Sustainable Jobs and the Environment (ASJE). While with WAFC, Jontz built an extremely effective grassroots organizing campaign, which pushed aggressively to protect forests, remove federal subsidies that financed clearcutting, and preserve millions of acres of previously unprotected roadless areas in National Forests. During his tenure with WAFC, he travelled extensively around the country forming relationships with state and local forest protection groups. As a result, Jontz was revered by forest activists throughout North America. In the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr., Jontz participated in acts of civil disobedience — including blocking a logging road in the Siskiyou National Forest in Oregon — to raise awareness about the plight of ancient forests. Those courageous acts were hailed by forest advocates as further proof that Jontz was one of the greatest leaders of the modern environmental movement. In 1998, Jontz was elected president of Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action
Americans for Democratic Action is an American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA works for social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research and supporting progressive candidates.-History:...
(ADA). He was most recently the ADA president emeritus and served as a project coordinator for ADA's Working Families Win project.
Jontz died on April 14, 2007 in Portland, following a lengthy battle with colon cancer.