Jim Doyle

Jim Doyle (born November 23, 1945) is an American politician and the current and 44th Governor of Wisconsin. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He defeated the incumbent Republican governor, Scott McCallum, in 2002, by a margin of 45%-41%. The race was influenced by a libertarian candidate, Ed Thompson, who received 10% of the vote. Doyle took office in January 2003.

Personal background

Governor Doyle was born in Madison, Wisconsin to James E. Doyle Sr. and Ruth Bachhuber Doyle. Doyle's parents were founding members of the modern Democratic Party in Wisconsin. James E. Doyle, Sr. ran for governor in 1954 and was appointed as a federal judge in 1965. Ruth Doyle was the first woman from Dane County to be elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1948.

Doyle attended Stanford University for three years, then returned home to Madison to finish his senior year at UW-Madison. After graduating from college, Doyle left for Africa to work as a teacher in the Peace Corps, inspired by John F. Kennedy’s call to public service.

In 1972, Doyle earned his law degree from Harvard University. Doyle then moved to the Navajo Indian Reservation in Chinle, Arizona where he worked as an attorney in a federal legal services office.

In 1975, Doyle returned to Madison, was elected Dane County District Attorney and served three terms from 1977 to 1982. After he left that office, he spent eight years building his own private law practice until he was elected Wisconsin Attorney General in 1990. Doyle was reelected as Attorney General in 1994 and 1998, during which time he served as the president of the National Association of Attorneys General (1997-1998).

Doyle is married to Jessica Laird Doyle and they have two adult sons, Gus and Gabe.

External links

• Wisconsin Office of the Governor (http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/)