Jim Kolbe

James Thomas Kolbe June 28 1942 December 3 2022 was an American politician who served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives He represented Arizonas 5th congressional district from 1985 to 2003 and its 8th congressional district from 2003 to 2007 A moderate proabortion rights Republican he came out as gay in 1996 after voting in support of the Defense of Marriage Act his subsequent reelections made him the second openly gay Republican elected to Congress After leaving Congress Kolbe served on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations under Democratic president Barack Obama Kolbe left the Republican Party and became an independent in 2018 after the election of Donald Trump He endorsed Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election