Jim Tomes

Jim Tomes (born July 31, 1948) is a Republican member of the Indiana Senate, representing the 49th District since 2010. As one of the founders of the 2nd Amendment Patriots gun rights grassroots organization, he has served as its director since its inception in January 1999. This group is dedicated to protecting the Second Amendment, guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. He has received support from the Tea Party and is a proponent for conservative causes including smaller government, right to life and the 2nd amendment. For 33 years, he was a trucker and served as a union steward. He broke ranks with Republican leadership in the State Senate and the administration of Republican Governor Mitch Daniels to oppose the "right-to-work" legislation that became law in Indiana in 2012. He is also an opponent of Transgender Rights, introducing SB 35 in the 2016 session of the Indiana General Assembly. SB 35 is a 'Bathroom Bill,' and defines "biological gender" as being set at birth "by an individual's chromosomes and identified at birth by the individual's anatomy."