Jim Kolbe | |
|---|---|
 Kolbe in the 1990s | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona | |
| In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Preceded by | James F. McNulty Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Gabby Giffords |
| Constituency |
|
| Member of the Arizona Senate from the 14th district | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – December 31, 1982 | |
| Preceded by | Lucy Davidson |
| Succeeded by | William De Long |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Thomas Kolbe June 28, 1942 Evanston, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | December 3, 2022 (aged 80) |
| Political party |
|
| Spouses |
|
| Education | |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service |
|
James Thomas Kolbe (June 28, 1942 – December 3, 2022) was an American politician who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Arizona's 5th congressional district from 1985 to 2003 and its 8th congressional district from 2003 to 2007. A moderate, pro–abortion rights Republican, he came out as gay in 1996 after voting in support of the Defense of Marriage Act; his subsequent re-elections made him the second openly gay Republican elected to Congress.
After leaving Congress, Kolbe served on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations under Democratic president Barack Obama. Kolbe left the Republican Party and became an independent in 2018 after the election of Donald Trump. He endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.