James Atticus Bowden will be 57 on November 18th. He was born in Lawton, OK, in 1950. He has been married to the former Katherine Kyle of Beckley, WV, for over 32 years. They have two daughters, one son and one son-in-law, one granddaughter and twin grandchildren in the womb. They have resided in Poquoson since 1989.
Jim earned a competitive Presidential appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point for the Class of 1974. He was commissioned as an Infantry Officer. He served in five combat divisions as an Airborne, Ranger-qualified officer and retired after 20 years in service. He has been a defense consultant ever since.
Jim earned a Masters of Public Administration from the JFK School of Government, Harvard University in 1981. He taught American Government, Public Administration, and Research and Methodology for the Social Science courses for 3 years in the Department of Social Sciences, United States Military Academy. He was an Army officer graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Quantico, VA, in 1985. He earned a Masters in Philosophy of Political Science at Columbia University in 1985. Bowden taught one semester, “Politics of the Cold War,” as adjunct faculty in the Government Department at the College of William and Mary in 1993.
Jim joined the Republican Party the week he retired from active duty. He was the chairman of the Poquoson City Committee 1997-2004. He was elected at competitive conventions, like the one on November 10th, to the State Central Committee, RPV in 2002 and re-elected in 2004. Jim has contributed to 7 local elections where his side was outspent and still won – contrary to all political wisdom – when the odds were 2:1, 3:1, 5:1. 10:1 and 40:1. He has helped win every local election where he had an active role.
He served as the First Vice-Chairman of the First District until Russ Moulton, the former Chairman, resigned. Russ asked him to step up. Congresswoman Davis took the unusual act of endorsing Bowden in public. Jim was elected the Chairman, First District Committee, RPV on September 21st. He resigned this position to avoid the appearance of any conflict of interest in this nomination process to select our Republican candidate.
Jim has been involved in community affairs in many aspects – often as a grassroots activist.
Jim writes an op ed column for the Yorktown Crier/Poquoson Post. He contributes to the premier policy web site and ezine in Virginia, "Bacon’s Rebellion." He was a local columnist at the request of the Daily Press. He has a web site and blogs at Deo Vindice. His first novel, Rosetta 6.2, was published in 2007. Many websites carry his op eds regularly. National sites, like Newsmax.com and PatriotPost.us, carry him on occasion.
Jim is a member and Sunday School teacher of Emmaus Baptist Church in Poquoson.
Jim Bowden for Congress