James Cooper (born January 5, 1964) is the current Sheriff of Sacramento County [1] and politician who served in the California State Assembly. He is a Democrat who represented the 9th Assembly District, which encompassed portions of Sacramento and San Joaquin Counties.
Jim Cooper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 37th Sheriff of Sacramento County | |
| Assumed office December 16, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Scott Jones |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 9th district | |
| In office December 1, 2014 – December 8, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Pan |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie Nguyen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 5, 1964 Verdun, France |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Kristen |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence(s) | Elk Grove, California, U.S. |
| Profession | Sheriff |
Cooper was a member of the California Legislative Black Caucus and Assistant Majority Floor Leader.[2] Prior to being elected to the Assembly in 2014, he was an Elk Grove Founding Mayor and 15-year City Councilmember and 30-year Sacramento County Sheriff's Captain.
On March 3, 2022, Cooper was stopped by TSA officers at the Sacramento airport for having a loaded gun in his purse.[3] Cooper was sworn in as the sheriff of Sacramento County, California on December 16, 2022.
Political positions
editCooper was graded an “F” in 2020 by the California Rifle and Pistol Association for his positions associated with the Second Amendment.[4]
Cooper has also been described as a "crusader against criminal justice reform".[5] Examples of this include his opposition to Proposition 47 and support for Proposition 20.[6]
Cooper is opposed to fossil fuel divestment and played a key role in halting the progression of SB 1173, a bill that would have forced CalPERS and CalSTRS to divest from most fossil fuel holdings.[7][8][9][10][11]
Sacramento County Sheriff 2010
editCooper unsuccessfully ran for Sheriff of Sacramento County, California in 2010 and lost against Scott Jones. Before running, he had a thirty-year career in various positions at the Sheriff's office.[12]
He ran again in 2022, where he won the election and currently serves as Sheriff for the County of Sacramento.
California State Assembly 2014-2022
edit| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jim Cooper | 18,923 | 31.1 | |
| Democratic | Darrell Fong | 17,752 | 29.2 | |
| Republican | Tim Gorsulowsky | 10,938 | 18.0 | |
| Republican | Manuel J. Martin | 8,111 | 13.3 | |
| Democratic | Diana Rodriguez-Suruki | 5,080 | 8.4 | |
| Total votes | 60,804 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jim Cooper | 50,188 | 55.5 | |
| Democratic | Darrell Fong | 40,220 | 44.5 | |
| Total votes | 90,408 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jim Cooper (incumbent) | 64,879 | 69.9 | |
| Republican | Timothy Scott Gorsulowsky | 27,924 | 30.1 | |
| Total votes | 92,803 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jim Cooper (incumbent) | 109,979 | 66.8 | |
| Republican | Timothy Scott Gorsulowsky | 54,729 | 33.2 | |
| Total votes | 164,708 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jim Cooper (incumbent) | 49,675 | 67.8 | |
| Democratic | Harry He | 11,927 | 16.3 | |
| Democratic | Mario Garcia | 11,643 | 15.9 | |
| Total votes | 73,245 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jim Cooper (incumbent) | 92,951 | 68.3 | |
| Democratic | Harry He | 43,225 | 31.7 | |
| Total votes | 136,176 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Democratic | Jim Cooper (incumbent) | 50,609 | 43.8 | |
| Republican | Eric M. Rigard | 33,997 | 29.4 | |
| Democratic | Tracie Stafford | 27,974 | 24.2 | |
| Democratic | Mushtaq A. Tahirkheli | 3,015 | 2.6 | |
| Total votes | 115,595 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Democratic | Jim Cooper (incumbent) | 142,088 | 65.8 | |
| Republican | Eric M. Rigard | 73,742 | 34.2 | |
| Total votes | 215,830 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
2022 Sacramento County Sheriff
editOn March 15, 2022, Cooper announced that he would be a candidate for Sacramento County Sheriff.[13] In the election, he defeated his opponent, undersheriff Jim Barnes with 54.48% of the vote.[14]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Jim Cooper | 168,374 | 54.5 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jim Barnes | 140,803 | 45.5 | |
| Total votes | 309,177 | 100.0 | ||
References
edit- ^ "Sac Sheriff". www.sacsheriff.com. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ "CLBC Members Legislative Black Caucus". Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
- ^ "Sacramento County Sheriff candidate stopped at airport with loaded gun in carry-on". March 8, 2022.
- ^ "CRPA 2020 Congressional Candidates Ratings and Endorsements" (PDF). Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "In Liberal California, A Crusader Against Criminal Justice Reform". The Appeal. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "California gears up for blockbuster year of ballot measures". politico.com. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ "California bill requiring CalPERS, CalSTRS to divest halted by committee chair". Pensions & Investments. June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ^ "'Moral Failure': California Dem Pulls Plug on Fossil Fuel Divestment Legislation". Common Dreams. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ^ Venteicher, Wes (June 21, 2022). "California pension funds won't be forced to divest from oil, gas after bill is withdrawn". The Sacramento Bee. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
- ^ "Analysis | Bills in blue states target the fossil fuel industry for climate damage". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ^ Cantu, Aaron. "Advocates Fear Top Democratic Lawmaker Will Kill California Fossil Fuel Divestment Bill". Visalia Times-Delta. Retrieved June 22, 2022.
- ^ Gonzalez, Vicki (May 19, 2022). "Sacramento County Sheriff: Who's running in the June 7 primary election". Capital Public Radio. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
- ^ "Jim Cooper Runs for Sheriff a Second Time". March 15, 2022.
- ^ Miles-Tan, Sarah (June 27, 2022). "Assembly member Jim Cooper will be Sacramento County's next sheriff". Capital Public Radio. Retrieved December 2, 2022.