Jimmy Duncan (politician)

Jimmy Duncan (John James Duncan Jr.) (born July 21, 1947) is an American politician and attorney who served as a Republican U.S. Representative for Tennessee's 2nd congressional district from 1988 to 2019.

Duncan was born in Lebanon, Tennessee. He received a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Tennessee in 1969 and a J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1973. He served in the Tennessee Army National Guard from 1970 to 1987, attaining the rank of captain.

Prior to his congressional career, Duncan served as a state trial judge for the Sixth Judicial Circuit of Tennessee from 1981 to 1988. He was elected to Congress in a special election held in November 1988, following the death of his father, John James Duncan Sr., who had represented the district for over 23 years.

Duncan was known for his generally conservative voting record, although he occasionally broke with his party on issues such as government spending and foreign policy. He was a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.

During his time in Congress, Duncan focused on issues affecting his East Tennessee district, including tourism, infrastructure, and economic development. He was a strong advocate for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a major tourist destination in the region.

Duncan retired from Congress in 2019 and was succeeded by Tim Burchett.