James C. Fields

James C. Fields
Member of the Alabama House of Representatives from the 12th district
In office 2008–2010
Succeeded by	Mac Buttram
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Yvette Fields
Children	7
Education	Jacksonville State University

James C. Fields Jr. is an American civil servant and minister in the United Methodist Church who served in the Alabama House of Representatives from 2008 until 2010. A native of Colony, Alabama, Fields was the first African American to be a candidate for elective office in Cullman County, Alabama, which is predominantly white.^[1]

Early life and education

James Fields grew up on his family's small farm in Colony. After graduating from Hanceville High School, he attended Jacksonville State University, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in law enforcement.

Military service

Subsequently, he served in the U.S. Marines, attending officer training at the Marine Corps Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and leaving with an honorable discharge.^[2]

Alabama House of Representatives

James Fields was elected as a Democratic member of the Alabama House of Representatives in a special election on January 29, 2008.^[1] He was defeated for reelection in 2010 by fellow Methodist minister Mac Buttram.^[3]

Personal life

James Fields and his wife Yvette have seven children and 13 grandchildren.^[4]

James Fields has worked for the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations for nearly three decades and is a minister at St. James United Methodist Church in Irondale, Alabama.^[2]

Elections

In November 2013, James Fields announced that he would be a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Alabama in the 2014 elections.^[5] He ran in the Democratic primary uncontested and was defeated by incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey in the general election.

Electoral history

2010 Alabama House of Representatives Election, District 12^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mac Buttram	9,062	54.10%
	Democratic	James C. Fields	7,667	45.78%
		Write in	20	0.12%
Total votes			16,749	100
	Republican gain from Democratic

2014 Alabama Lieutenant Gubernatorial Election^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Kay Ivey (incumbent)	738,090	63.23%	+11.76%
	Democratic	James C. Fields	428,007	36.67%	−11.73%
		Write in	1,146	0.01%	−0.12%
Total votes			1,167,243	100%
	Republican hold

References

1. Dawidoff, Nicholas (February 25, 2010). "Race in the South in the Age of Obama". New York Times.
2. "About". Fields for Lieutenant Governor. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
3. "Alabama House of Representatives — Representative James C. Fields, Jr (D)". Archived from the original on 2008-02-15. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
4. "Project VoteSmart listing for James C. Fields, Jr (D)". Retrieved 2008-08-22.
5. Lockette, Tim (November 20, 2013). "Cullman County Democrat to enter Lt. Gov. race". Anniston Star. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
6. Chapman, Beth (November 22, 2010). "2010 Statewide Election Results" (PDF). Retrieved April 24, 2022.
7. Bennett, Jim (November 24, 2014). "2010 Official Results" (PDF). Retrieved April 24, 2022.

External links

• Fields for Lieutenant Governor

Party political offices
Preceded by Jim Folsom Jr.	Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Alabama 2014	Succeeded by Will Boyd