Jim Moeller

{{Short description|American politician (1955–2023)}}

{{for|the justice of the Arizona Supreme Court|James Moeller}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Jim Moeller

| honorific-suffix =

| image =

| office = Speaker pro tempore of the Washington House of Representatives

| term_start = January 10, 2011

| term_end = January 9, 2017

| predecessor = Jeff Morris

| successor = Tina Orwall

| state_house1 = Washington

| district1 = 49th

| term_start1 = January 13, 2003

| term_end1 = January 9, 2017

| preceded1 = Val Ogden

| succeeded1 = Monica Stonier

| birth_name = James Carl Moeller

| birth_date = {{birth date|1955|07|02}}

| birth_place = Vancouver, Washington, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|03|08|1955|07|02}}

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

}}

James Carl Moeller{{cite web|url=https://web.pdc.wa.gov/rptimg/default.aspx?filerid_election_year=MOELJ%20%20663%3A%7C%3A2010|title=Candidate Registration, James Carl Moeller|work=Public Disclosure Commission, State of Washington|date=2009-01-12|access-date=2021-12-25}} (July 2, 1955 – March 8, 2023) was an American politician and mental health professional who served as a member of the Washington State House of Representatives, representing the 49th Legislative District from 2003 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented the Clark County communities of Hazel Dell, Walnut Grove, Minnehaha and his native Vancouver.

Rep. Moeller was one of Washington State's first openly gay lawmakers.

During the 2013–14 Washington State House legislative session, he served as speaker pro tempore. He had previously served two terms as deputy speaker pro tempore (2007–10).{{Cite news|url=https://www.columbian.com/news/2018/mar/23/moeller-to-challenge-stewart-for-county-council-seat/|title=Jim Moeller announces bid for Clark County Council|date=23 March 2018|work=The Columbian}}

Moeller grew up in Vancouver. He went to Clark College and Washington State University, before doing graduate work at Portland State University.

Elected in 1995 to Vancouver City Council, he was re-elected to a second term in 1999. In 2002, when veteran legislator Val Ogden retired, Moeller ran to succeed her in the state House of Representatives. In a hotly contested Democratic primary, Moeller prevailed by less than 1,000 votes – winning 6,564 votes to his opponent's 5,615.{{Cite web |url=http://www.secstate.wa.gov/elections/results_report.aspx?e=&c=moeller&c2=&t=&t2=&p=&p2=&y= |title=Washington Secretary of State: election results |access-date=2007-09-17 }} He won the subsequent general election handily and took office in January 2003. He was subsequently re-elected at two-year intervals. He attempted to unseat incumbent U.S. Representative Jaime Herrera Beutler in 2016, and lost by 24 points.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/washington-house-district-3-herrera-beutler-moeller|title=Washington U.S. House 3rd District Results: Jaime Herrera Beutler Wins|date=1 August 2017|work=New York Times}}

Moeller died from complications of Parkinson's disease on March 8, 2023, at the age of 67.{{cite news|url = https://tdn.com/news/state-and-regional/former-state-vancouver-political-leader-jim-moeller-dies/article_70d276ee-bebd-11ed-8a17-639143fcec11.html#tracking-source=home-top-story|title = Former state, Vancouver political leader Jim Moeller dies|newspaper = The Columbian|date = March 8, 2023|accessdate = March 9, 2023|last = Phiel|first = Shari}}