Hailing his traditional Republican values, Jim Gilmore,
a former Virginia governor and Republican National Committee
chairman, is vying for the Republican presidential nomination.
"I believe that this nation needs conservative leadership,"
he has said. "Alone among those considering a candidacy
for the Republican nomination, I have a record of real leadership
as a tax cutter and job creator, as a leader on national
security issues, and as a national leader in our party."
Gilmore was elected governor of Virginia in 1997 after
running on a platform stressing property tax cuts. Virginia
law prohibits governors from serving consecutive terms.
In January 2001, President Bush appointed Gilmore chairman
of the Republican National Committee.
From 1999 to 2003, Gilmore chaired a national advisory
panel on terrorism that became known as the Gilmore Commission.
One of the committee's reports released before the Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attacks found the United States unprepared
for a terrorist attack and recommended creating a Cabinet-level
position focused on fighting terrorism. It encouraged better
communication and intelligence sharing among federal agencies,
increased border security, and better cooperation between
the federal government and local and state authorities.
After serving in the U.S. Army, Gilmore graduated with
a law degree from the University of Virginia in 1977. He
opened a law firm and was elected prosecutor in Henrico
County, Va. From 1994 to 1996, he served as attorney general
of Virginia, investigating Medicaid fraud and government
waste.
| 
