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Jim Marshall (U.S. politician)
Encyclopedia
James Creel "Jim" Marshall (born March 31, 1948) is the former U.S. Representative
for , serving from 2003 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 3rd District from 2003 to 2007, is based in Macon
and includes much of rural Middle Georgia.
, but moved frequently during his childhood and graduated from high school in Mobile, Alabama
. He entered Princeton University
in 1966, but left college in 1968 to enlist in the United States Army
. He served in Vietnam
as an Airborne Ranger reconnaissance platoon sergeant and earned two Bronze Stars
(with "V" devices for valor) and a Purple Heart
. On June 29, 2006, Marshall was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame. He returned to Princeton in 1970 and graduated in 1972. Marshall worked various jobs for two years before entering law school at Boston University
, where he earned his J.D.
in 1977.
After clerking for two federal district court judges, Marshall was appointed a professor at Mercer University
's Walter F. George School of Law
in Macon, teaching in the areas of property, commercial, insurance, creditor's rights, insolvency, reorganization, and small business law. He was minority recruiter and advisor to the Black Law Student Association at Mercer. From 1987 to 1995, he not only taught at Mercer but also developed a commercial litigation and business insolvency consulting practice, and became involved in civic affairs. Among other things, he served as president of Leadership Macon and the Macon Bar Association. He was also chairman of the Macon Housing Authority. It was during this period that Marshall first became active in politics. He co-chaired the 1990 gubernatorial campaign of former former U.S. Congressman, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.
, and current Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young
. Young was defeated in a primary run-off against Zell Miller
. Marshall also chaired the successful state senate campaign of Robert Brown
, the first African American since reconstruction to be elected to that body from outside the Atlanta metro area.
communications system
. Marshall received national news attention for running down (on foot) a felon
and encouraging Macon citizens to voluntarily house thousands of refugees from Hurricane Hugo
. He was elected to the Advisory Board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and co-chaired the National Democratic Mayors Conference
.
Marshall first ran for Congress in 2000 as the Democratic candidate for the 8th District. He was defeated by incumbent then-U.S. Representative (and now U.S. Senator) Saxby Chambliss
, 59% to 41%. Notably, during his years in Congress, Marshall formed a close working relationship with Chambliss.
2002
After the 2000 Census, the state legislature carved away much of the heavily Republican southern portion of the old 8th, including Chambliss' home in Moultrie
. They replaced it with some more rural, Democratic-leaning territory around Macon and renumbered it the 3rd District. Marshall defeated Republican Bibb County
Commissioner Calder Clay in a race that was far closer than expected. Marshall was hampered by voter anger over Warner Robins being cut out of the district. The reconfigured 3rd included all of Houston County
except for a long gash where Warner Robins had been drawn into the 1st District. Marshall also had to contend with the presence of Sonny Perdue
(a Houston County resident) and Chambliss atop the ballot.
Marshall defeated Clay 51%-49%. Marshall thus became the only white Democrat in Georgia's House delegation, and the first since Nathan Deal
switched parties in 1995.
2004
Marshall defeated Clay in their 2004 rematch, winning 63% of the vote, even as George W. Bush
won the district with 70% of the vote.
2006
Early in 2005, the Georgia state legislature, now controlled by Republicans, approved a new map of congressional districts. The Macon-based district was significantly redrawn and renumbered once again as the 8th. The reconfigured 8th was considerably more Republican than its predecessor, even though it included 60% of Marshall's former territory as well as all of Macon. The new district closely resembled the area Chambliss represented for eight years. Had the district existed in 2004,President Bush would have carried it with 61% of the vote.
Marshall's Republican opponent was former U.S. Congressman Mac Collins
. Collins had represented a district in the southern Atlanta suburbs during his first stint in Congress, but moved back to his native Butts County
after it was drawn into the reconfigured 8th. Collins benefited from two visits by President Bush, massive amounts of national party and PAC funding and Perdue's presence atop the ticket.
Marshall defeated Collins 51%-49%. It was the second-closest any Democratic incumbent came to losing his seat to a Republican in the 2006 elections. The closest election that year was Georgia Democrat U.S. Congressman John Barrow
. As a result, the 8th became one of the most Republican districts in the nation to be represented by a Democrat.
2008
In 2008, Marshall faced Rick Goddard
, who was a retired Air Force
major general
and the former commander of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center
. This race was initially viewed as one of the few where a Republican had a realistic chance of defeating a Democrat. However, Marshall won with 57% of the vote, the same winning percentage that the district gave Republican Presidential nominee John McCain
.
2010
In a landslide year for Republicans, Marshall was defeated 53%-47% by Republican State Representative
Austin Scott
.
On economic issues, Marshall compiled a pro-business record. He was a prominent supporter of the TARP bailout legislation, declaring that he would give up his seat by voting for the bill, which he believed to be essential to avoid a second Great Depression. This issue became a centerpiece of both Marshall's successful 2008 re-election and his unsuccessful 2010 campaign. As a senior Democrat on the Agriculture subcommitte regulating futures and derivatives, Marshall was a moderating voice in the regulation of derivatives during the formulation of the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation. Marshall was a consistent supporter of the Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, and in 2010 he founded the Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus..jpg)
Due to his military background, Marshall became a prominent voice on defense matters early in his first term when he won partial repeal of "the Disabled Veterans Tax" (also known as "concurrent receipt"). Marshall's one-man campaign brought disabled veterans their first victory on the issue in 19 years, leading the Retired Enlisted Association's TREA affiliate to name him legislator of the year for 2003. In December 2005, Marshall was the sole Democrat to vote against HR 2863. This defense appropriations bill, which passed 308-122 with 107 Republicans in support, included language supporting increased protections for detainees held in U.S. custody. In February 2007, along with Gene Taylor from Mississippi
, he was one of two Democrats to vote against H CON RES 63, which expressed opposition to a troop surge
in the Iraq War.
Along with 38 other Democrats, Marshall voted against the Affordable Health Care for America Act
.
, and for whom Hurricane Camille
was named. They have two children, Mary and Robert, both of whom attended his alma mater, Princeton University. His great-great-great-grandfather is former U.S. Congressman and famed inventor Hezekiah Bradley Smith
.
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...
for , serving from 2003 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 3rd District from 2003 to 2007, is based in Macon
Macon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
and includes much of rural Middle Georgia.
Early life, education, and early career
The son and grandson of army generals, Marshall was born in Ithaca, New YorkIthaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, but moved frequently during his childhood and graduated from high school in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. He entered Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1966, but left college in 1968 to enlist in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He served in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
as an Airborne Ranger reconnaissance platoon sergeant and earned two Bronze Stars
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
(with "V" devices for valor) and a Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. On June 29, 2006, Marshall was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame. He returned to Princeton in 1970 and graduated in 1972. Marshall worked various jobs for two years before entering law school at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, where he earned his J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
in 1977.
After clerking for two federal district court judges, Marshall was appointed a professor at Mercer University
Mercer University
Mercer University is an independent, private, coeducational university with a Baptist heritage located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Mercer is the only university of its size in the United States that offers programs in eleven diversified fields of study: liberal arts, business, education, music,...
's Walter F. George School of Law
Walter F. George School of Law
The Walter F. George School of Law of Mercer University, founded in 1873, is one of the oldest law schools in the United States and is the second oldest of Mercer's eleven colleges and schools. The School of Law, with approximately 420 students, is located in Macon, Georgia on its own campus one...
in Macon, teaching in the areas of property, commercial, insurance, creditor's rights, insolvency, reorganization, and small business law. He was minority recruiter and advisor to the Black Law Student Association at Mercer. From 1987 to 1995, he not only taught at Mercer but also developed a commercial litigation and business insolvency consulting practice, and became involved in civic affairs. Among other things, he served as president of Leadership Macon and the Macon Bar Association. He was also chairman of the Macon Housing Authority. It was during this period that Marshall first became active in politics. He co-chaired the 1990 gubernatorial campaign of former former U.S. Congressman, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N.
United States Ambassador to the United Nations
The United States Ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is more formally known as the "Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador...
, and current Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young
Andrew Young
Andrew Jackson Young is an American politician, diplomat, activist and pastor from Georgia. He has served as Mayor of Atlanta, a Congressman from the 5th district, and United States Ambassador to the United Nations...
. Young was defeated in a primary run-off against Zell Miller
Zell Miller
Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the US state of Georgia. A Democrat, Miller served as Lieutenant Governor from 1975 to 1991, 79th Governor of Georgia from 1991 to 1999, and as United States Senator from 2000 to 2005....
. Marshall also chaired the successful state senate campaign of Robert Brown
Robert Brown
- Athletes :* Robert J. Brown , American football player* Robert Brown , retired NASCAR Cup Series driver* Robert Brown , former American football player...
, the first African American since reconstruction to be elected to that body from outside the Atlanta metro area.
Mayor of Macon
From 1995 to 1999, Marshall served as mayor of Macon. During his tenure, the City of Macon increased its reserves, decreased its debt, lowered its property taxes and acquired a new public safetyPublic Safety
Public safety involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters .-See also:* By nation...
communications system
Communications system
In telecommunication, a communications system is a collection of individual communications networks, transmission systems, relay stations, tributary stations, and data terminal equipment usually capable of interconnection and interoperation to form an integrated whole...
. Marshall received national news attention for running down (on foot) a felon
Felon
Felon may refer to:* Someone who commits a felony* Whitlow, a purulent inflammation of the pulp of a finger* A slang term for Summer Mastitis in cows in the United Kingdom* Felon, Territoire de Belfort, a commune of the Franche-Comté region, in France...
and encouraging Macon citizens to voluntarily house thousands of refugees from Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
. He was elected to the Advisory Board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and co-chaired the National Democratic Mayors Conference
National Conference of Democratic Mayors
The National Conference of Democratic Mayors is the representative body of city mayors in the United States affiliated to the Democratic Party, in the same way that the Democratic Governors Association represents state governors within the party....
.
Elections
2000Marshall first ran for Congress in 2000 as the Democratic candidate for the 8th District. He was defeated by incumbent then-U.S. Representative (and now U.S. Senator) Saxby Chambliss
Saxby Chambliss
Clarence Saxby Chambliss, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Georgia. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a U.S. Representative ....
, 59% to 41%. Notably, during his years in Congress, Marshall formed a close working relationship with Chambliss.
2002
After the 2000 Census, the state legislature carved away much of the heavily Republican southern portion of the old 8th, including Chambliss' home in Moultrie
Moultrie, Georgia
Moultrie is the county seat and largest city of Colquitt County and the third largest in Southwest Georgia behind Thomasville and Albany. As of 2009, Moultrie's population is 15,199 people. Since 2000, it has had a population growth of 6.07 percent....
. They replaced it with some more rural, Democratic-leaning territory around Macon and renumbered it the 3rd District. Marshall defeated Republican Bibb County
Bibb County, Georgia
Bibb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 153,887. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 154,709...
Commissioner Calder Clay in a race that was far closer than expected. Marshall was hampered by voter anger over Warner Robins being cut out of the district. The reconfigured 3rd included all of Houston County
Houston County, Georgia
Houston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on May 15, 1821, as one of five huge counties, later reduced in the formation of Bibb, Crawford, Pike, Macon and Peach counties. As of the 2000 census, the population is 110,765...
except for a long gash where Warner Robins had been drawn into the 1st District. Marshall also had to contend with the presence of Sonny Perdue
Sonny Perdue
George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III, was the 81st Governor of Georgia. Upon his inauguration in January 2003, he became the first Republican governor of Georgia since Benjamin F. Conley served during Reconstruction in the 1870s....
(a Houston County resident) and Chambliss atop the ballot.
Marshall defeated Clay 51%-49%. Marshall thus became the only white Democrat in Georgia's House delegation, and the first since Nathan Deal
Nathan Deal
John Nathan Deal is a United States politician, the 82nd and current Governor of Georgia. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1992 but switched to the Republican Party in 1995...
switched parties in 1995.
2004
Marshall defeated Clay in their 2004 rematch, winning 63% of the vote, even as George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
won the district with 70% of the vote.
2006
Early in 2005, the Georgia state legislature, now controlled by Republicans, approved a new map of congressional districts. The Macon-based district was significantly redrawn and renumbered once again as the 8th. The reconfigured 8th was considerably more Republican than its predecessor, even though it included 60% of Marshall's former territory as well as all of Macon. The new district closely resembled the area Chambliss represented for eight years. Had the district existed in 2004,President Bush would have carried it with 61% of the vote.
Marshall's Republican opponent was former U.S. Congressman Mac Collins
Mac Collins
Michael Allen "Mac" Collins , American politician, was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 2005, representing the...
. Collins had represented a district in the southern Atlanta suburbs during his first stint in Congress, but moved back to his native Butts County
Butts County, Georgia
Butts County is a county located in the northern half of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created on December 24, 1825. As of 2000, the population was 19,522. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 23,759...
after it was drawn into the reconfigured 8th. Collins benefited from two visits by President Bush, massive amounts of national party and PAC funding and Perdue's presence atop the ticket.
Marshall defeated Collins 51%-49%. It was the second-closest any Democratic incumbent came to losing his seat to a Republican in the 2006 elections. The closest election that year was Georgia Democrat U.S. Congressman John Barrow
John Barrow (U.S. politician)
John Jenkins Barrow is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district stretches along the eastern portion of the state, from Augusta to Savannah.-Early life, education and career:...
. As a result, the 8th became one of the most Republican districts in the nation to be represented by a Democrat.
2008
In 2008, Marshall faced Rick Goddard
Rick Goddard
Richard N. "Rick" Goddard, a retired U.S. Air Force Major General, ran for the United States Congress in the 2008 election for Georgia's 8th congressional district as a Republican....
, who was a retired Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
and the former commander of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center
Warner Robins Air Logistics Center
The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center performs sustainment and depot maintenance on a number of US Air Force weapon systems. Specifically it supports AC-130, C-5 Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, E-8 Joint STARS, EC-130, F-15 Eagle, HC-130, HH-60 Pave Hawk, MC-130, MH-53 Pave Low,...
. This race was initially viewed as one of the few where a Republican had a realistic chance of defeating a Democrat. However, Marshall won with 57% of the vote, the same winning percentage that the district gave Republican Presidential nominee John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
.
2010
In a landslide year for Republicans, Marshall was defeated 53%-47% by Republican State Representative
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
Austin Scott
Austin Scott (politician)
James Austin Scott is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and career:...
.
Tenure
Marshall was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of conservative congressional Democrats. The National Journal analyzed his voting record as right-of-center, leaning a bit toward the Republican side. On social issues, Marshall generally voted in line with the conservative bent of his very rural Southern district.On economic issues, Marshall compiled a pro-business record. He was a prominent supporter of the TARP bailout legislation, declaring that he would give up his seat by voting for the bill, which he believed to be essential to avoid a second Great Depression. This issue became a centerpiece of both Marshall's successful 2008 re-election and his unsuccessful 2010 campaign. As a senior Democrat on the Agriculture subcommitte regulating futures and derivatives, Marshall was a moderating voice in the regulation of derivatives during the formulation of the Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation. Marshall was a consistent supporter of the Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, and in 2010 he founded the Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus.
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, he was one of two Democrats to vote against H CON RES 63, which expressed opposition to a troop surge
Iraq War troop surge of 2007
In the context of the Iraq War, the surge refers to United States President George W. Bush's 2007 increase in the number of American troops in order to provide security to Baghdad and Al Anbar Province....
in the Iraq War.
Along with 38 other Democrats, Marshall voted against the Affordable Health Care for America Act
Affordable Health Care for America Act
The Affordable Health Care for America Act was a bill that was crafted by the United States House of Representatives in November 2009. At the encouragement of the Obama administration, the 111th Congress devoted much of its time to enacting reform of the United States' health care system...
.
Committee assignments
- Committee on AgricultureUnited States House Committee on AgricultureThe U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, or Agriculture Committee is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The House Committee on Agriculture has general jurisdiction over federal agriculture policy and oversight of some federal agencies, and it can recommend funding...
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk ManagementUnited States House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk ManagementThe House Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management is a subcommittee within the House Agriculture Committee. The subcommittee oversees program and markets for major commercial crops, such as cotton, cottonseed, wheat, feed grains , soybeans, oilseeds, rice, dry beans, peas, and...
- Subcommittee on Specialty Crops, Rural Development and Foreign Agriculture
- Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management
- Committee on Armed ServicesUnited States House Committee on Armed Servicesthumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
- Subcommittee on ReadinessUnited States House Armed Services Subcommittee on ReadinessHouse Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness is a subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee in the United States House of Representatives.-Jurisdiction:The Readiness Subcommittee exercises oversight and legislative jurisdiction over:...
- Subcommittee on Air and Land Forces
- Subcommittee on Terrorism and Unconventional Threats
- Subcommittee on Readiness
- Committee on Financial Services
- Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government-Sponsored Enterprises
- Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, Trade and Technology
Caucus memberships
- Chairman of the Board of Visitors of the United States Military Academy at West Point
- Founding Chair of the Financial Markets Caucus
- Founding Co-chair of the Balanced Budget Amendment Caucus
- Co-chair of the Air Force Caucus *Co-chair of the Air Force Caucus
- Steering Committee of the Rural Health Care Coalition
Post-Congressional career
Marshall is a visiting Professor at Princeton University, where he has been teaching since the spring of 2011. In February, 2011, he joined the Board of the National Futures Association.Personal life
Marshall lives in Macon with his wife Camille Hope, the daughter of National Hurricane Center meteorologist John HopeJohn Hope (meteorologist)
John Raymond Hope was an American meteorologist who specialized in hurricane forecasting and was an on-air personality on The Weather Channel.-Life history:...
, and for whom Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille
Hurricane Camille was the third and strongest tropical cyclone and second hurricane during the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season. The second of three catastrophic Category 5 hurricanes to make landfall in the United States during the 20th century , which it did near the mouth of the Mississippi River...
was named. They have two children, Mary and Robert, both of whom attended his alma mater, Princeton University. His great-great-great-grandfather is former U.S. Congressman and famed inventor Hezekiah Bradley Smith
Hezekiah Bradley Smith
Hezekiah Bradley Smith , was an American inventor and a Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1879 to 1881....
.
External links
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...