Jim Coburn

Jim Coburn
Personal details
Born	1944 (age 72–73) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Political party	Republican

James B. "Jim" Coburn (born 1944 in Boston, Massachusetts, United States) is an entrepreneur, former New Hampshire state representative, and the 2006 Republican nominee for Governor of New Hampshire. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but moved to Chester, New Hampshire when he was seven years old to live with his grandmother after his mother died of cancer.

Coburn graduated from Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire, and worked in a shoe factory before joining the United States Air Force. He was stationed in West Germany, serving as the crew chief of a special weapons maintenance team. It was there that he met his wife, Christa.

Settling in Chester with his wife, after leaving the service, he worked for Digital Equipment Corporation for 21 years. In 1994, he and a partner left Digital to start Valco Data Systems, which makes software to archive medical records.

Coburn’s wife died in 2004 after a lengthy battle with multiple sclerosis. When she was diagnosed, he promised her that he would not put her in a nursing home or let her become bedridden. He also promised he would not enter politics as long as she lived.

He has said her experience has helped make health-care reform one of his top political priorities.

Soon after his wife's death, Coburn sold his share of Valco to his partner and entered politics. He won a seat in the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2004 representing Windham.

His voting record as a state representative has reflected a conservative position on taxes, abortion and opposition to gay marriage.

In March, 2006, he hired the Manchester firm Meridian Communications to handle his upcoming gubernatorial campaign, and on June 14, 2006, filed his candidacy for governor at the statehouse in Concord.

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