Jump to content

Jim Cooper

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Jim Cooper, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 2025
Jim Cooper
Born (1954-06-19) June 19, 1954 (age 72)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Occupation(s)Attorney, entrepreneur, academic, politician
Years active1983–1995, 2003–2023 (U.S. House of Representatives)
Known forU.S. representative from Tennessee's 4th and 5th congressional districts; founder of the Golden Goose Award

James Hayes Shofner Cooper (born June 19, 1954) is an American attorney, entrepreneur, academic, and politician who represented as the U.S. representative from 2003 until 2023. This district includes Nashville along with portions of Davidson, Cheatham, and Dickson Counties. A Southern Democrat affiliated with the Blue Dog Coalition, Cooper previously served the from 1983 to 1995. During his tenure, he led the United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces and was a member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, United States House Committee on the Budget, and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, holding more committee roles than any other congressman. By the conclusion of his service, he was the longest-serving member of Tennessee’s delegation and ranked third in seniority statewide.

Cooper’s time in Congress is marked by two distinct focuses: initially concentrating on regulatory matters and health policy in the largely rural 4th district, then shifting to defense-related issues representing the more urban 5th district. He gained considerable seniority and esteem across various committees, with The New York Times columnist Joe Nocera referring to him as "the conscience of the House, a lonely voice for civility in this ugly era."

In 2022, Cooper declared his retirement following allegations that Tennessee’s Republican-controlled legislature engaged in partisan gerrymandering during the 2020 redistricting process. The revised district boundaries split Davidson County into three parts, transforming TN-5 from a Democratic-leaning area into one favoring Republicans. His successor was Republican Andy Ogles.

Early life, education, and legal career

Born in Nashville and raised in Shelbyville, Tennessee, Cooper is the son of former Governor Prentice Cooper and Hortense (Powell). His grandfather on his father’s side, William Prentice Cooper, held positions as mayor of Shelbyville and speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives. The Cooper family possesses multiple historic residences listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the River Side Farmhouse, the Gov. Prentice Cooper House, and the 1866-built Absalom Lowe Landis House.

Cooper attended Massachusetts’ Episcopal boarding institution Groton School before enrolling at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There, as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, he earned a B.A. in history with highest honors alongside honors in economics within three years. He then secured a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University, completing a B.A./M.A. in philosophy, politics, and economics by 1977. In 1980, he graduated with a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Following two years practicing law at Nashville’s firm Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP, Cooper embarked on his political journey by running for Congress in 1982.

1982

Cooper captured the Democratic nomination for Tennessee’s newly established 4th congressional district in 1982. This district encompassed five media markets and extended into six states. He defeated Cissy Baker—daughter of Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker—with 66% of votes cast, becoming Congress’s youngest member at age 28.

He went on to secure reelection five times with little contest, running without opposition in both 1986 and 1988. Prior to his election, much of eastern Tennessee’s 4th district had not elected a Democrat since the Civil War era.

Tenure

In 1992, Cooper played a key role in developing a bipartisan health-care reform proposal that excluded employer mandates for universal coverage. This initiative, often referred to as "Clinton-Lite," encountered significant resistance from Hillary Clinton despite receiving bipartisan backing.

Back in 1990, Cooper was among three House Democrats who opposed the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Committee assignments

During his initial term in Congress, Cooper was appointed to the Financial Services Committee and subsequently served on the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Together with Representative Fred Grandy and Senator John Breaux, Cooper helped author the Cooper-Breaux bipartisan health reform plan, which notably broadened health insurance access and secured support from the business sector.

Cooper established himself as an authority on rural electrical cooperatives, contributing the article "Electric Co-operatives: From New Deal to Bad Deal?" published in the Harvard Journal on Legislation.

1994 U.S. Senate election

Cooper sought election to the U.S. Senate in 1994 for the seat left vacant by Al Gore’s ascension to the Vice Presidency in 1992 but was defeated by Republican attorney and actor Fred Thompson, garnering just under 40% of the vote. This election cycle proved difficult for Tennessee Democrats, as Republican Bill Frist captured the other Senate seat and Don Sundquist was elected governor. Additionally, Republicans secured the 4th congressional district with Van Hilleary, resulting in a Republican majority in Tennessee’s congressional delegation for only the second time since Reconstruction.

Inter-congressional years (1995–2003)

Following his Senate campaign loss, Cooper relocated to Nashville and embarked on a career as an investment banker at Equitable Securities. He subsequently co-founded Brentwood Capital Advisors, a boutique investment banking firm based in Nashville. Concurrently, he served as an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management until 2015.

2002

With Fred Thompson opting not to seek reelection to the Senate in 2002, incumbent 5th district Congressman Bob Clement pursued Thompson’s seat. Cooper entered the Democratic primary for the 5th district, competing against candidates including Davidson County Sheriff Gayle Ray and state legislator John Arriola. He secured the primary with 47% of the vote and went on to defeat Republican Robert Duvall in the general election by a margin of 64% to 33%.

The 5th district, centered around strongly Democratic Nashville, has been held continuously by Democrats since 1875 and has long been regarded as secure from serious Republican challenges. Upon his return to Congress, Cooper reclaimed his seniority status.

2010

Cooper won reelection against Republican David Hall with 57% of the vote—the closest contest he faced while representing the 5th district.

2012

Following Republicans’ historic takeover of Tennessee’s state government—the first since Reconstruction—there was speculation about potential redistricting aimed at favoring GOP candidates in the 5th district. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Cooper both addressed rumors that Nashville could be divided into three Republican-leaning districts, breaking with tradition that kept most of Nashville within a single district. One proposed map would have placed Cooper’s residence into the heavily Republican 6th district while transforming the 5th into a GOP stronghold stretching from Murfreesboro to the Alabama border; meanwhile, much of Nashville would have fallen into the 7th district. Such changes would have forced Cooper into a difficult contest either against incumbent Republican Diane Black or within a reconfigured 5th district favoring State Senator Bill Ketron. Ultimately, however, the enacted map was less severe—it slightly increased Democratic advantage in the 5th district and retained all of Nashville within its boundaries.

Cooper was reelected with 65% of the vote over Republican challenger B. Staats.

2020

During the 2020 Democratic primary, Cooper was challenged by public defender Keeda Haynes, activist Justin Jones (who later withdrew), and former Republican Joshua Rawlings. Haynes garnered backing from state senator Brenda Gilmore and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson. Ultimately, Cooper won the nomination with 57% of the vote, while Haynes received 40% and Rawlings took 3%.

In the general election, Cooper faced no Republican opponent and secured victory with 99.99% of the vote, facing only minor write-in opposition.

The Golden Goose Award

In 2012, Cooper established the Golden Goose Award to showcase the societal and economic advantages stemming from federally funded research. This accolade is presented annually to researchers whose seemingly obscure projects have resulted in substantial breakthroughs with wide-reaching impact. Designed as a response to former Senator William Proxmire's "Golden Fleece Award," which criticized government research expenditures, Cooper—nicknamed "Father Goose"—was recognized at the 2022 ceremony.

Retirement

On January 25, 2022, Cooper declared his intention to retire from Congress, attributing his decision to a contentious redistricting plan by the state legislature that divided Davidson County into three districts favoring Republicans. This redistricting transformed the 5th District into a predominantly Republican area, diminishing his chances of reelection. Confronted with the option of campaigning in unfamiliar districts or challenging sitting incumbents nearby, Cooper opted to retire.

Tenure

As a participant in both the Blue Dog and New Democrat Coalitions, Cooper upheld a centrist voting approach and served on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. He was an early supporter of Barack Obama but initially opposed the 2009 stimulus proposal before endorsing the finalized $787 billion package. Notably, he avoided seeking earmarks and voted in favor of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

In 2006, Cooper introduced The Financial Report of the United States, addressing issues related to federal accounting practices. He persistently highlighted the seriousness of the national deficit and criticized government cash accounting methods as deceptive.

In 2011, he was among five Democrats who backed the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act and co-sponsored the Stop Online Piracy Act. Cooper authored the No Budget, No Pay Act in 2012, which tied congressional salaries to budget approval; this legislation was enacted in an amended form in 2015. That same year, he successfully pushed for a congressional vote on the Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction proposal.

Cooper’s Golden Goose Award events held at the Library of Congress aimed to boost morale among federally funded scientists often targeted by political criticism. In 2013, he stood as the only Democrat opposing additional Hurricane Sandy relief funding after supporting initial aid efforts.

He consistently voted against Nancy Pelosi for House Speaker until breaking with that pattern in 2021 by endorsing her candidacy. Cooper partnered with Republican Mike Rogers on a Space Corps initiative within the Air Force; although initially unsuccessful, a similar idea eventually contributed to creating the U.S. Space Force in 2019.

Cooper voted in favor of both impeachments of President Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021. In 2022, he denounced McMinn County Schools’ removal of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Holocaust graphic novel Maus from its curriculum as both "outrageous" and "shameful."

Serving on the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, Cooper played a significant role as a Democratic overseer of nuclear weapons and military satellite programs. He supported weaponizing space as a deterrent measure and advocated for establishing the Space Development Agency. Alongside Republican Doug Lamborn, he co-authored an article clarifying misunderstandings surrounding nuclear modernization.

Criticism of Congress

Cooper co-authored "Real Acquisition Reform" published in Joint Forces Quarterly (2009) and engaged with Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig on reforming Congress. He characterized Congress as a "farm league for K Street," emphasizing members’ focus on future lobbying careers rather than public service.

In 2011, Cooper voiced his frustration over partisan gridlock and debt ceiling brinkmanship, labeling such conduct as reckless and perilous. The Lugar Center’s Bipartisan Index ranked him as Tennessee’s most bipartisan House member during the 114th Congress due to his consistent cross-party collaboration.

In 2022, Cooper was among sixteen Democrats who opposed the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act, an antitrust bill aimed at curbing corporate anti-competitive behavior.

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

  • Blue Dog Coalition
  • New Democrat Coalition
  • Congressional Skin Cancer Caucus (Co-Chair)
  • Congressional Wire Products Caucus (Co-Chair)
  • Fix Congress Now Caucus (Co-Chair)
  • 21st Century Healthcare Caucus
  • Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus/Disabilities Advisory Caucus
  • Congressional Arts Caucus
  • Congressional HBCU Caucus
  • Kurdish American Caucus
  • National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus
  • Servicewomen and Women Veterans Congressional Caucus
  • Bipartisan Task Force Combating Anti-Semitism
  • Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Post-government career

By 2024, Cooper holds a position on the advisory board of the National Security Space Association.

Personal life

Cooper was wed to Martha Bryan Hays, an ornithologist, from 1985 until her passing due to Alzheimer's disease in 2021 at age 66. Together, they had three children. His daughter Mary served as student body president at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His sons Jamie and Hayes graduated from the University of Georgia and UNC Chapel Hill respectively; Hayes is currently working toward an M.F.A. in poetry at Vanderbilt University.

His brother John held office as mayor of Nashville from 2019 to 2023 and had previously been a member of the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County.

In March 2022, Cooper married Mary Beltz Falls.

He identifies as an Episcopalian.

Electoral history

2004 U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 168,970 69.3% Republican Scott Knapp Republican 74,978 30.7% - 2006 U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 122,919 68.9% Republican Tom Kovach Republican 49,702 28.0% Independent Virginia Welsch Independent 3,766 2.1% Independent Scott Knapp Independent 1,755 1.0% - 2008 U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 181,467 65.9% Republican Gerard Donovan Republican 85,471 31.0% Independent Jon Jackson Independent 5,464 2.0% Green John Miglietta Green 3,196 1.0% - 2010 U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 99,162 56.2% Republican David Hall Republican 74,204 42.1% - 2012 U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 171,621 65.2% Republican Brad Staats Republican 86,240 32.8% Green John Miglietta Green 5,222 2.0% - 2014 U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 96,148 62.3% Republican Bob Ries Republican 55,078 35.3% Independent Paul Deakin Independent 3,050 6.4% - 2016 U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 171,111 62.6% Republican Stacy Ries Snyder Republican 102,433 37.4% - 2018 U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 177,923 67.8% Republican Jody Ball Republican 84,317 32.2% - 2020 (Primary) U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 50,752 57.1% Democrat Keeda Haynes Democrat 35,472 39.9 Democrat Joshua Rawlings Democrat 2,681 3.0% - 2020 (General) U.S. Representative Democratic Jim Cooper Democratic 252,155 100.0%
Election results
Year Office Candidate Party Votes % Opponent Party Votes %
1982 U.S. Representative Template:Party shading/Democratic |Jim Cooper Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic Template:Party shading/Democratic |93,453 Template:Party shading/Democratic |66.1 Template:Party shading/Republican |Cissy Baker Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican Template:Party shading/Republican |47,865 Template:Party shading/Republican |33.9%
1984 U.S. Representative Template:Party shading/Democratic |Jim Cooper Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic Template:Party shading/Democratic |93,848 Template:Party shading/Democratic |75.2% Template:Party shading/Republican |James Beau Seigneur Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican Template:Party shading/Republican |31,011 Template:Party shading/Republican |24.8%
1986 U.S. Representative Template:Party shading/Democratic |Jim Cooper Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic Template:Party shading/Democratic |86,997 Template:Party shading/Democratic |100.0%
1988 U.S. Representative Template:Party shading/Democratic |Jim Cooper Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic Template:Party shading/Democratic |94,129 Template:Party shading/Democratic |100.0%
1990 U.S. Representative Template:Party shading/Democratic |Jim Cooper Template:Party shading/Democratic |Democratic Template:Party shading/Democratic |52,101 Template:Party shading/Democratic |67.4% Template:Party shading/Republican |Claiborne Sanders Template:Party shading/Republican |Republican Template:Party shading/Republican |26,424 Template:Party shading/Republican |29.6% Template:Party shading/Independent |Gene M. Bullington Independent 3,793 3.0%
1992 U.S. Representative Template:Party shading/Democratic |Jim Cooper Democratic 98,984 64.6% James Beau Seigneur Republican 50,340 32.9% Ginnia C. Fox Independent 3,970 2.5% Kieven Parks Independent 1,210 1.0%
1994 U.S. Senator Jim Cooper Democratic 565,930 38.6% 'Republican' Fred Thompson 'Republican' '885,998' '60.4%'
2002 U.S. Representative 'Democratic' Jim Cooper 'Democratic' '108,903' '63.7%' 'Republican' Robert Duvall 'Republican' '56,825' '33.3%' 'Independent' John Jay Hooker 'Independent' '3,063' '1.8%' 'Independent' Jonathan Farley 'Independent' '1,205' '1.0%' 'Independent' Jesse Turner 'Independent' '877' '1.0%'


External links




|-


|-



|-


|-


|-

Related profiles

BBill HagertyNNicholas KatzenbachDDaniel HannanEEdward Wyckoff Williams
Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Jim_Cooper&oldid=55173"