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|birth_date=December 14, 1944 ​

|birth_date=December 14, 1944 ​

|birth_place=[[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]]​

|birth_place=[[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]]​

|spouse=Merilynn Boudreaux "Mopsy" Donelson

|spouse=Merilynn Boudreaux "Mopsy" Donelson

|children=Four daughters<br>

|children=Four daughters<br>

Jim was the only guy I knew who could help me restore the credibility and integrity of an office embarrassed because the three previous insurance commissioners had gone to jail ... He is a consumer advocate who does the right thing for the right reasons, and he knows insurance inside and out. I believe he is the most qualified commissioner of insurance ever to assume the position.</blockquote>

Jim was the only guy I knew who could help me restore the credibility and integrity of an office embarrassed because the three previous insurance commissioners had gone to jail ... He is a consumer advocate who does the right thing for the right reasons, and he knows insurance inside and out. I believe he is the most qualified commissioner of insurance ever to assume the position.</blockquote>

Donelon serves on the executive committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and was chosen as chairman of that body in 2013.<ref name=bio/> He also chairs the NAIC Surplus Lines Task Force. He also sits on the board of directors of the [[New Orleans]] Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the Blood Center for Southeast Louisiana. The Alliance for Good Government honored Donelon as both "Outstanding Jefferson Parish Official" and "Legislator of Distinction".

Donelon serves on the executive committee of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and was chosen as chairman of that body in 2013. He also chairs the NAIC Surplus Lines Task Force.<ref name=bio/> He also sits on the board of directors of the [[New Orleans]] Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the Blood Center for Southeast Louisiana. The Alliance for Good Government honored Donelon as both "Outstanding Jefferson Parish Official" and "Legislator of Distinction".

==Background==

==Background==

In 1979, Donelon, still a Democrat, passed up a reelection bid to the Jefferson Parish Council to make an unsuccessful race for lieutenant governor against the Democrat Bobby Freeman of Plaquemine in Iberville Parish. Donelon was considered the "[[conservative]]" in that race to the "[[liberal]]" Freeman. Most of the supporters of Republican [[David C. Treen]], the narrow winner of the gubernatorial election that year, are believed to have backed Donelon, and most of the backers of Treen's general election opponent, Democrat Louis Lambert, a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, went with Freeman.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journa]]l,''February 21, 1980, p. 13C.</ref>  

In 1979, Donelon, still a Democrat, passed up a reelection bid to the Jefferson Parish Council to make an unsuccessful race for lieutenant governor against the Democrat Bobby Freeman of Plaquemine in Iberville Parish. Donelon was considered the "[[conservative]]" in that race to the "[[liberal]]" Freeman. Most of the supporters of Republican [[David C. Treen]], the narrow winner of the gubernatorial election that year, are believed to have backed Donelon, and most of the backers of Treen's general election opponent, Democrat Louis Lambert, a member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, went with Freeman.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journa]]l,''February 21, 1980, p. 13C.</ref>  

There was also a Republican in the race, Russel C. "Russ" Kiger, II (1914-1995), then a field representative of the National Cash Register Company based in Baton Rouge. Kiger said that his views parallelled those of Treen and claimed that his non-political technical background would have brought new insight into state government.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' October 11, 1979, special election supplement.</ref> Yet, Kiger polled only 46,847 votes in the primary, fewer than half of the registered Republicans then on the Louisiana voter rolls, and was hence eliminated from the Donelon-Freeman general election. Jesse Monroe Knowles, a state senator and decorated World War II veteran from [[Lake Charles]], was yet another candidate in the lieutenant governor's contest. Like Donelon, Knowles also switched to Republican affiliation.<ref>''Baton Rouge Advocate,'' April 3, 1980, p. B1.</ref>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

There was also a Republican in the race, Russel C. "Russ" Kiger, II (1914-1995), then a field representative of the National Cash Register Company based in Baton Rouge. Kiger said that his views parallelled those of Treen and claimed that his non-political technical background would have brought new insight into state government.<ref>''[[Shreveport Journal]],'' October 11, 1979, special election supplement.</ref> Yet, Kiger polled only 46,847 votes in the primary, fewer than half of the registered Republicans then on the Louisiana voter rolls, and was hence eliminated from the Donelon-Freeman general election. Jesse Monroe Knowles, a state senator and decorated World War II veteran from [[Lake Charles]], was yet another candidate in the lieutenant governor's contest. Like Donelon, Knowles also switched to Republican affiliation.<ref>''Baton Rouge Advocate,'' April 3, 1980, p. B1.</ref>                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

==Congressional campaign, 1980==

==Congressional campaign, 1980==

Former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] had initially told Donelon, who had been an Edwards aide prior to 1975, that Edwards would not become involved in the campaign. When Treen began to campaign for Donelon, Edwards endorsed Tauzin, a former floor leader for Edwards.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' April 12, 1980, p. 981.</ref> Donelon entered the first round of balloting as a slight favorite in that he had won some 57 percent of the vote in the parishes which then comprised the Third District in the lieutenant governor's race against Bobby Freeman just seven months earlier.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' April 12, 1980, p. 981.</ref> Guarisco, who was endorsed by the ''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' which had supported Treen for governor in 1979, said that he did not want the support of either Edwards or Treen because he was "independent of all that."<ref>''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 19, 1980,  p. 1.</ref> Tauzin was also endorsed by Lieutenant Governor Freeman, United States Senator [[Russell Long]], and Congressman [[John Breaux]], whom Donelon would oppose eighteen years later when Breaux won his third term in the [[United States Senate]].

Former Governor [[Edwin Edwards]] had initially told Donelon, who had been an Edwards aide prior to 1975, that Edwards would not become involved in the campaign. When Treen began to campaign for Donelon, Edwards endorsed Tauzin, a former floor leader for Edwards.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' April 12, 1980, p. 981.</ref> Donelon entered the first round of balloting as a slight favorite in that he had won some 57 percent of the vote in the parishes which then comprised the Third District in the lieutenant governor's race against Bobby Freeman just seven months earlier.<ref>''Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report,'' April 12, 1980, p. 981.</ref> Guarisco, who was endorsed by the ''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' which had supported Treen for governor in 1979, said that he did not want the support of either Edwards or Treen because he was "independent of all that."<ref>''New Orleans Times-Picayune,'' April 19, 1980,  p. 1.</ref> Tauzin was also endorsed by Lieutenant Governor Freeman, United States Senator [[Russell Long]], and Congressman [[John Breaux]], whom Donelon would oppose eighteen years later when Breaux won his third term in the [[United States Senate]].

 

Donelon led in the first balloting for the congressional seat with 37,191 votes (45.1 percent), but he had peaked and could not sufficiently broaden his appeal into the special election runoff. Tauzin followed with 35,384 ballots (42.9 percent); Guarisco had 8,827 (10.7 percent), and Namer 1,067 (1.3 percent). Donelon won his own Jefferson Parish with 67.4 percent and eked out a bare 50.5 percent in often Republican-leaning Iberia Parish at the western end of the district. In the other French parishes, Donelon fared poorly, taking just 14.9 percent in Tauzin's home base of Lafourche, 33.5 percent in Terrebonne Parish (Houma), 27.3 percent in St. Mary Parish, 30.2 percent in the two St. Martin Parish precincts in the district, and 38.7 percent in St. Charles Parish. Some 60 percent of Donelon's vote came from his own Jefferson Parish.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, April 19, 1980.</ref>

Donelon led in the first balloting with 37,191 votes (45.1 percent), but he had peaked and could not sufficiently broaden his appeal into the special election runoff. Tauzin followed with 35,384 ballots (42.9 percent); Guarisco had 8,827 (10.7 percent), and Namer 1,067 (1.3 percent). Donelon won his own Jefferson Parish with 67.4 percent and eked out a bare 50.5 percent in often Republican-leaning Iberia Parish at the western end of the district. In the other French parishes, Donelon fared poorly, taking just 14.9 percent in Tauzin's home base of Lafourche, 33.5 percent in Terrebonne Parish (Houma), 27.3 percent in St. Mary Parish, 30.2 percent in the two St. Martin Parish precincts in the district, and 38.7 percent in St. Charles Parish. Some 60 percent of Donelon's vote came from his own Jefferson Parish.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, April 19, 1980.</ref>

The Republican National Committee joined the National Republican Congressional Committee to raise money nationwide for Donelon. RNC Chairman [[Bill Brock]], former U.S. Senator from [[Tennessee]], and congressional chairman Guy Vander Jagt of [[Michigan]], said that funds were need to purchase media and newspaper advertising to reach undecided voters and to conduct a massive "get-out-the-vote" drive. Brock and Vander Jagt said that the Louisiana special election was "[a]n opportunity to hold this congressional seat. Donelon is an outstanding Republican and former Jefferson Parish president. His Democratic opponent [future Republican Tauzin] is pro-big labor and a big spender. Democrats and labor bosses will go all out with massive campaign blitz to win control of this district. Republican leaders in Louisiana join us in urgently requesting your immediate action to stop them ..."<ref>Letter from National Republican Congressional Committee by National Chairman William Brock and Congressional Chairman Guy Vander Jagt, [[Washington, D.C]], to Republican contributors across the nation, May 1980.</ref>

The Republican National Committee joined the National Republican Congressional Committee to raise money nationwide for Donelon. RNC Chairman [[Bill Brock]], former U.S. Senator from [[Tennessee]], and congressional chairman Guy Vander Jagt of [[Michigan]], said that funds were need to purchase media and newspaper advertising to reach undecided voters and to conduct a massive "get-out-the-vote" drive. Brock and Vander Jagt said that the Louisiana special election was "[a]n opportunity to hold this congressional seat. Donelon is an outstanding Republican and former Jefferson Parish president. His Democratic opponent [future Republican Tauzin] is pro-big labor and a big spender. Democrats and labor bosses will go all out with massive campaign blitz to win control of this district. Republican leaders in Louisiana join us in urgently requesting your immediate action to stop them ..."<ref>Letter from National Republican Congressional Committee by National Chairman William Brock and Congressional Chairman Guy Vander Jagt, [[Washington, D.C]], to Republican contributors across the nation, May 1980.</ref>

After his loss, Donelon announced that he would not challenge Tauzin for a full term later in the year. Tauzin became unbeatable in the district. Even when he switched parties, he was then untouchable by a Democratic opponent.

After his loss, Donelon announced that he would not challenge Tauzin for a full term later in the year. Tauzin became unbeatable in the district. Even when he switched parties, he was then untouchable by a Democratic opponent.

==Election to legislature, 1982==

==Election to legislature, 1982==

In a special election in 1982, Donelon won the seat vacated by the resignation of Representative Charles Grisbaum, Jr., a Democrat-turned-Republican. Grisbaum, who became a judge on the new Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal in Gretna in Jefferson Parish, also ran for Congress as a Democrat in 1974 against David Treen. Grisbaum became a friend of Treen's during that campaign, and, in 1977, he switched parties while continuing his legislative service from Jefferson Parish. Grisbaum by 1980 had become one of Treen's point men in the legislature.

In a special election in 1982, Donelon won the seat vacated by the resignation of Representative Charles Grisbaum, Jr., a Democrat-turned-Republican. Grisbaum, who became a judge on the new Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal in Gretna in Jefferson Parish, also ran for Congress as a Democrat in 1974 against David Treen. Grisbaum became a friend of Treen's during that campaign, and, in 1977, he switched parties while continuing his legislative service from Jefferson Parish. Grisbaum by 1980 had become one of Treen's point men in the legislature.

==2011 reelection==  

==2011 reelection==  

Donelon was challenged for his second full term as commissioner in the primary held on October 22, 2011, by public-interest attorney Donald Carl Hodge, a Democrat. During the campaign, questions arose about the ethics of the Department of Insurance, the high cost of insurance rates, and the amount of funds that Donelon received from insurance companies. Donelon, however, handily prevailed with 651,285 votes (67.5 percent) to Hodge's 313,931 (32.5 percent).

Donelon was challenged for his second full term as commissioner in the primary held on October 22, 2011, by public-interest attorney Donald Carl Hodge, a Democrat from Lake Charles. During the campaign, questions arose about the ethics of the Department of Insurance, the high cost of insurance rates, and the amount of funds that Donelon received from insurance companies. Donelon, however, handily prevailed with 651,285 votes (67.5 percent) to Hodge's 313,931 (32.5 percent).

==2015 campaign==

==2015 campaign==