How Did Jim Kolbe Die? Arizona GOP Rep. Cause of Death Explained
Jim Kolbe, a Republican congressman who supported gay rights and served for more than two decades as a representative of a predominantly Democratic area of Arizona, has passed away.
How Did Jim Kolbe Die?
Jim Kolbe, a former congressman from Tucson who was a moderate Republican and supported free trade and more lenient immigration laws throughout his 22 years in office, passed away at the age of 80.
In a statement, Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona confirmed Kolbe’s passing on Saturday.
Arizona lost a true elder statesman and political powerhouse today. Congressman Jim Kolbe never wavered in his responsibility to our state and nation. We are deeply saddened by his passing. 1/
— Doug Ducey (@DougDucey) December 3, 2022
Till Sunday evening, Ducey ordered the flags to be lowered.
In a written statement released on Saturday to announce his passing, Sharon Bronson, the chair of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, said, “Pima County and Southern Arizona could always count on Jim Kolbe.”
Statement from Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bronson on the passing of former state legislator and U.S. Congressman Jim Kolbe:
“Pima County and Southern Arizona could always count on Jim Kolbe. Whether when he was in the state Legislature or in the Congress …
🧵— Official Pima County (@pimaarizona) December 3, 2022
“Jim was old school Republican in the mold of Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower – a friend of business and the environment.
“The preservation and conservation of beloved wild spaces and cultural treasures like Canoa Ranch and the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area are the result in large part to Jim’s leadership while in the Congress.”
Jim Kolbe Cause of Death
Jim Kolbe cause of death was not disclosed yet. There are no information available about Jim Kolbe cause of death.
Medico topics have been trying to reach out to the family and relatives for comment on the incident. So far no responses have been received. We will update the page once enough information is available. More information on Jim Kolbe cause of death will be added soon.
Who was Jim Kolbe?
Although Kolbe was raised in Patagonia, he was born in Evanston, Illinois.
John Kolbe, Jim’s older brother, who rose to prominence as a political columnist for the Phoenix Gazette and The Arizona Republic before passing away from cancer in 1998, and Jim both developed a passion for politics because of their family’s interest in it.
Jim Kolbe started his career in the public sector early on.
Graduation
Kolbe served as Barry Goldwater, a Republican senator from Arizona page, in Washington from 1958 to 1960.
In 1965, he graduated with a bachelor’s in political science from Northwestern University, and two years later, he earned a master’s in business administration from Stanford University.
Vietnam War Period
He served in the U.S. Navy’s active combat unit for two years during the Vietnam War before joining the Naval Reserve in 1977.
Following the conclusion of his active duty in 1969, Kolbe served as the governor of Illinois’ special assistant for capital projects and the Illinois Building Authority.
He moved back to Arizona and started working in real estate, but he also started planning to run for office. He won the first of his three terms in the Arizona Senate in 1976.
“Happy Warrior”
With votes in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment and a plan to provide certain immigrants living in Arizona access to in-state college tuition, he rapidly established himself as a moderate there.
Kolbe, called the “Happy Warrior” by some, left the Legislature in 1982 to run for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Kolbe said in 1982,
“When you hear the word ‘liberal’ used about me, they are usually talking about two issues − the ERA and abortion,”
“I don’t think I’m a liberal at all. I have a background in economics at Stanford University, a pretty conservative institution, and I am death on government regulations.”
1982 Economic Policy
Kolbe ran against Democrat Jim McNulty in a contest that served mostly as a referendum on Reagan’s handling of the economy at a time when the country was still recovering from high unemployment and interest rates.
Kolbe narrowly defeated McNulty in a rematch in 1984 after losing by fewer than 2 percentage points the first time.
The public overwhelmingly credited Kolbe’s economic policies from 1982 because the economy was in better health by that point.
Kolbe’s criticism
Kolbe also criticized McNulty’s voting history in Washington, calling it “bizarre” and “erratic.” Kolbe pointed out that McNulty had voted in favor of punishing employers who knowingly hired illegal immigrants.
He declared that he would have opposed the legislation, which helped him win over some of the Hispanic voters who supported McNulty’s election in 1982. I
It was the beginning of Kolbe’s 22-year tenure in Washington, during which time the GOP transitioned from being in the House’s minority for many years to taking control following the 1994 elections.
Kolbe’s Private life
Kolbe was a social moderate and fiscal conservative in Washington.
He advocated for ending the production of the penny, which he claimed was overpriced and backed a constitutional amendment that would outlaw the burning of the American flag.
He opposed abortion restrictions because he opposed state meddling in people’s private affairs.
Kolbe’s private life briefly captured public attention in August 1996.
His brother revealed Jim Kolbe’s homosexuality in a front-page editorial for The Republic.
That I am a gay person has never affected the way that I legislate.”
Kolbe wedding
In Washington, D.C., where homosexual marriage was permitted, Kolbe wed Hector Alfonso, a teacher from Panama, in 2013.
At around the same time, he gave a testimony before the U.S. Senate about the necessity of providing same-sex couples with legal protections in a comprehensive immigration measure that was under consideration but eventually failed.