Jim Jones (Nebraska politician)

Jones was born in Ashby, Nebraska, in 1931, and gradudated from Maxwell High School.^[1] He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from 1950 to 1954, and was a farmer and rancher in Eddyville.^[1][2]

In 1992, State Senator Howard Lamb declined to seek re-election in the 43rd district, which included Blaine, Brown, Cherry, Custer, Grant, Hooker, Keya Paha, Logan, Loup, McPherson, Rock, Sheridan, and Thomas counties in northern Nebraska.^[3] Three candidates ran to succeed him, and Gordon Hyde and Jeff Kirkpatrick placed first in the primary election, advancing to the general election.^[4][5] However, Hyde withdrew from the general election, and Jones gathered signatures to appear on the general election ballot with the support of Hyde and Lamb.^[6][7] Jones ultimately defeated Kirkpatrick, winning 59 percent of the vote to Kirkpatrick's 41 percent.^[4][8]

Jones ran for re-election in 1996, and was re-elected unopposed.^[9][10] He ran for a third term in 2000, and no candidates filed to run against him. However, surgeon Cleve Trimble filed to run as a write-in candidate,^[11] and received 1,671 votes, and 23 percent of the vote,^[12] enough to advance to the general election.^[13] Jones only narrowly defeated Trimble in the general election, winning 52–48 percent.^[12][14]

In 2004, Jones opted against seeking a fourth term in the legislature,^[15] and was succeeded by Deb Fischer.