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January 9, 2007
Former Va. Gov. Gilmore Sets Up Exploratory Presidential Campaign
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore has set up an exploratory presidential campaign for 2008. Gilmore's aide, Matt Williams, says the Republican filed papers today with the Federal Election Commission in Washington to form the Jim Gilmore for President Exploratory Committee. Williams said Gilmore was in a meeting and not immediately available for comment.
Gilmore, who's 57, said in interviews last month that he didn't see a true conservative running for president, and said he would assess his own chances for a presidential run. Gilmore was elected governor in 1997 by promising to cut Virginia's property tax that local governments levy on personal cars and pickup trucks.
He becomes the sixth Republican to form an exploratory committee for 2008 after former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Senator John McCain, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson and Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas.
January 9, 2007
Gilmore Makes it Official: Former Virginia Governor Files a Presidential Exploratory Committee
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore made it official today by filing the necessary paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to form an exploratory committee to explore a potential candidacy for President of the United States.
"Today, I filed the papers necessary to explore a candidacy for President because I believe that this nation needs conservative leadership. 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. I intend to move quickly to form a national campaign team and to make my decision on moving to a formal candidacy," Gilmore said.
Governor Gilmore will soon announce his committee’s leadership structure, which will include several prominent Republicans with experience in presidential campaigns.
Jim Gilmore was the governor of Virginia when the Pentagon was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001. A former Army counter-intelligence agent, he chaired the Congressional "Gilmore Commission" from 1999 to 2003 to assess America's terrorism response capabilities. Mr. Gilmore is now serving as Chairman of the National Council on Readiness and Preparedness, a non-profit community-based grassroots organization to strengthen homeland security and provide forums to develop a national strategy that includes the local first responders, small and large business, and the leaders of many communities throughout America. A former Chairman of the Republican National Committee and Republican Governors Association, he is currently a partner at the Washington office of Kelley Drye Collier Shannon, where he chairs the Homeland Security Practice Group.
April 26, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
JIM GILMORE MAKES IT OFFICIAL IN WEBCAST FROM IOWA;
WARNS ABOUT THE NEED FOR A MORE SECURE AMERICA
DES MOINES – Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore sounded a warning about America’s preparedness for a terrorist attack today and announced that he is officially entering the race for the Republican presidential nomination “because we must do more to keep our country and our families safe.”
Gilmore, who served as a noncommissioned officer in U.S. Army counter-intelligence, was Governor of Virginia when terrorists flew a plane into the Pentagon. At the time he was serving as the chairman of the Gilmore Commission, which for three years have been making recommendations on ways to prevent and respond to terrorism. After the attacks, Congress and the federal government adopted 146 of the commission’s 164 recommendations.
"When terrorists hit the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Virginia, many of us lost friends and loved ones. And our nation forever lost a sense of ‘It can’t happen here.’ Well, it did happen here and, make no mistake, it will happen again. And next time our nation must be better prepared.”
In a live online chat following the announcement at www.GilmoreforPresident.com, Gilmore answered questions and responded to comments from voters across the country ranging from Iraq to property rights. The former Governor said he hopes to become the first blogging President.
Gilmore’s formal entry into the most wide open presidential race in more than 50 years came as he made his third visit to Iowa in the last three weeks. The Iowa presidential caucuses will be held on January 14, 2008. So far, conservatives in Iowa and elsewhere are expressing their dissatisfaction with the so-called front runners for the Republican nomination
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Gilmore, 57, is the son of working class parents. As Governor of Virginia, he became a champion of the taxpayers by reducing taxes on working men and woman by $1.5 billion. He has been awarded the Friend of the Taxpayer Award three times by Americans for Tax Reform, is a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and is a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the U.S. Air Force Academy.
April 24, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
GILMORE TO OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE CANDIDACY IN LIVE WEBCAST FROM IOWA GOP HEADQUARTERS
DES MOINES – Making his third visit to Iowa in three weeks, former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore will officially announce as a candidate for President of the United States Thursday in a live webcast from the Republican Party of Iowa headquarters.
Gilmore’s entry in the race comes as conservatives in Iowa and elsewhere continue to express their dissatisfaction with the so-called front runners for the Republican nomination. A tax cutting former Virginia Governor, Gilmore is a leading authority on homeland security and is making the need for a more secure America a central part of his campaign message.
Gilmore’s official announcement of candidacy will be at 12 noon Thursday at GOP headquarters, 621 East 9th Street in Des Moines. The announcement will be broadcast live on the web at www.gilmoreforpresident.com. Following the announcement, Gilmore will answer questions from voters on a live blog chat.
A native of Richmond Virginia, Gilmore, 57, is the son of working class parents. As Governor of Virginia, he became a champion of the taxpayers by reducing taxes on working men and woman by $1.5 billion. He has been awarded the Friend of the Taxpayer Award three times by Americans for Tax Reform. He is a former chairman of the Republican National Committee and is a former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Gilmore, who served as a noncommissioned officer in U.S. Army counter-intelligence and was a tough crime busting prosecutor in Virginia, was Governor of Virginia when terrorists flew a plane into the Pentagon on 9/11. He was appointed by Congress as the chairman of a Congressionally created national commission charged with making recommendations on ways to prevent and respond to terrorism, which became known as the Gilmore Commission.
July 14, 2007
Dear Friend:
I am today withdrawing my candidacy for the Republican nomination for President.
It has been a positive and rewarding experience for me, for my family, and for my supporters.
It has become apparent to me that the combination of my late start, and the front loaded nature of the primary schedule, have made it impractical to continue to pursue this path towards further public service.
I am proud of the fact that my campaign focused on the issues, worked hard to block amnesty for illegal immigrants, brought attention to the need to protect private property rights, and called for a new path in Iraq that would provide our valiant military men and women with a more clearly defi ned and achievable mission.
However, I have come to believe that it takes more than a positive vision for our nation’s future to successfully compete for the Presidency. I believe that it takes years of preparation to put in place both the political and financial infrastructure to contest what now amounts to a one-day national primary in February.
In the coming weeks and months, I intend to remain active in the Republican Party and in the public debate. I will be forming a state political action committee to assist
Republican candidates in the Virginia General Assembly races. Additionally, I will be actively looking for other opportunities to continue in public service in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Thank you for your interest and support of my candidacy. I look forward to finding opportunities to continue working with you in the future so that together we can make
America an even better place to live, work and raise a family.
Sincerely,
Jim Gilmore
Source: Gilmore for President