James Clayborne Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Clayborne
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| Majority Leader of Illinois Senate | |
| In office January 3, 2009 – January 9, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Debbie Halvorson |
| Succeeded by | Kimberly A. Lightford |
| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 57th district |
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| In office April 1995 – January 9, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Kenneth Hall |
| Succeeded by | Christopher Belt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 29, 1963 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Staci Clayborne |
| Children | 4 |
| Education | Tennessee State University (BA) University of Miami (JD) |
James Clayborne Jr. (born December 29, 1963) is an American politician. He was a member of the Illinois Senate for many years. He represented the 57th District from 1995 until 2019. This district is in the Metro East region of Illinois. It includes towns like Freeburg, Belleville, and East St. Louis.
When he retired, Clayborne was the second most powerful person in the Illinois Senate. He held the important position of Senate Majority Leader. He decided not to run for re-election in 2018. Christopher Belt took his place as senator.
Early Life and Education
James Clayborne Jr. grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois. After finishing high school there, he went to college. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Tennessee State University. Later, he studied law at the University of Miami. While at the University of Miami, he met his wife, Staci. They have four sons together.
Starting His Career
After law school, Clayborne worked as a lawyer. He was an assistant state's attorney in St. Clair County. He helped with cases involving child support and juvenile abuse. He also worked on felony cases. He was even chosen for a special program with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Later, he started his own law practice.
Serving in the Illinois Senate
In 1995, James Clayborne Jr. was chosen to fill a vacant seat in the Illinois Senate. He took over for Senator Kenneth Hall. He was then elected by voters in 1996.
In 2009, he became the Senate Majority Leader. This is a very important leadership role in the state government. As Majority Leader, he helped guide laws and policies in Illinois. He also served on several important committees. These included committees for energy, insurance, and public pensions.
Clayborne also represented Illinois at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. This is a big meeting where the Democratic Party chooses its candidate for president.
When he retired in 2019, Christopher Belt became the senator for the 57th District. Kimberly A. Lightford took over his role as Senate Majority Leader.
