James David Santini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James David Santini
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's at-large district |
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| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | David Towell |
| Succeeded by | Harry Reid (1st district) Barbara Vucanovich (2nd district) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 13, 1937 Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
| Died | September 22, 2015 (aged 78) Rockville, Maryland, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (until 1986) Republican (after 1986) |
| Education | University of Nevada, Reno (BA) University of California, Hastings (JD) |
James David Santini (born August 13, 1937 – died September 22, 2015) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative for Nevada from 1975 to 1983. He was a member of the Democratic Party for most of his career. Later, in 1986, he joined the Republican Party.
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Early Life and Education
James Santini was born in Reno, Nevada. He went to Bishop Manogue High School and graduated in 1955. After high school, he attended the University of Nevada, Reno. He later earned his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1962. He became a licensed lawyer in Nevada that same year.
Public Service Career
Santini served in the United States Army from 1963 to 1966. After his military service, he held several important legal jobs in Clark County, Nevada. He worked as a deputy district attorney from 1966 to 1968. Then, he was the public defender for Clark County from 1968 to 1970. He also served as a justice of the peace in Las Vegas from 1970 to 1972. Before becoming a U.S. Representative, he was a district court judge in Clark County from 1972 to 1974.
Serving in Congress
In 1974, James Santini was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He represented Nevada's at-large congressional district as a Democrat. An "at-large" district means he represented the entire state, not just a small part of it. He served in Congress from 1975 to 1983. During his time there, he was known for having moderate-to-conservative views. He was re-elected easily several times.
In 1982, Santini decided to run for the United States Senate. However, he lost in the Democratic primary election to the person who was already serving, Howard Cannon. After this, Nevada's population grew, so the state was given two Congressional seats instead of one. This change is called reapportionment. James Santini was the last person to represent all of Nevada in the U.S. House. He was followed by Harry Reid and Barbara Vucanovich, who represented the new 1st and 2nd districts.
In 1986, Santini changed his political party and became a Republican. He ran for the Senate again, but he was defeated by Harry Reid in the main election.
Life After Congress
After leaving public office, James Santini moved to Washington, D.C.. He worked as a lobbyist. A lobbyist is someone who tries to influence lawmakers on behalf of a group or company. Santini represented companies involved in tourism. For example, he worked for the National Tour Association. He helped them with government issues related to tourism both in the U.S. and internationally.
Personal Life
In 1990, James Santini and his family appeared as contestants on the TV game show Family Feud.
Death
James Santini passed away on September 22, 2015, in Rockville, Maryland. He was 78 years old. He died from esophageal cancer.
