Jim Matheson

Jim Matheson
Official portrait, 2009
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Utah
In office
January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2015
Preceded byMerrill Cook
Succeeded byMia Love
Constituency2nd district (2001–2013)
4th district (2013–2015)
Personal details
Born
James David Matheson

(1960-03-21) March 21, 1960 (age 64)
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseAmy
Children2
Parents
RelativesScott Matheson Jr. (brother)
EducationHarvard University (BA)
University of California, Los Angeles (MBA)

James David Matheson (born March 21, 1960) is an American politician who served as a United States Representative from Utah from 2001 to 2015. He represented Utah's 2nd district from 2001 to 2013 and its 4th district from 2013 to 2015 as a member of the Democratic Party. While in office, he was Utah's only congressional Democrat, and his district was one of the most Republican-leaning districts to be represented by a Democrat.[1]

On December 17, 2013, Matheson announced he would not seek reelection in the 2014 elections.[2] There was speculation that Matheson, a moderate Democrat, might run in 2016 for Governor of Utah or for the Utah U.S. Senate seat coming open then, but this did not happen.[3] In 2015, he joined the law firm of Squire Patton Boggs as a lobbyist.[4] On June 13, 2016, he was named the CEO of National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, a trade organization for rural electric cooperatives,[5] and on July 19, 2016, he succeeded fellow former Representative Jo Ann Emerson as CEO.[6]

  1. ^ "Introducing The Cook Political Report Partisan Voting Index (PVI) for the 111th Congress". Archived from the original on April 13, 2009. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  2. ^ Livingston, Abby (December 17, 2013). "Democrat Jim Matheson Announces Retirement". Roll Call. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  3. ^ "Matheson's legacy: A Democrat who can win over Republicans". The Salt Lake Tribune. December 21, 2014. Archived from the original on December 22, 2014. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  4. ^ Wilson, Megan R. (January 20, 2015). "Former Rep. Matheson joins K Street firm". The Hill. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  5. ^ "NRECA Names Former U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson New CEO" (Press release). NRECA. June 13, 2016. Archived from the original on August 26, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
  6. ^ "Jim Matheson Starts as NRECA CEO" (Press release). NRECA. July 19, 2016. Archived from the original on August 26, 2018. Retrieved August 26, 2018.