Born in Sherman, Texas, Hightower came from a working-class background. He worked his way through college as assistant general manager of the Denton Chamber of Commerce, and later landed a spot as a management trainee for the United States Department of Commerce. He received a B.A in government from North Texas State University and later did graduate work at Columbia University in international affairs.
In the late 1960s he worked in Washington, D.C as legislative aide to U.S. Senator Ralph Yarborough. He returned to Texas in 1976 to become the editor of the magazine Texas Observer. His first run for office was for the Democratic nomination for the Texas Railroad Commission which he lost. Hightower was elected Agricultural Commissoner in 1983, serving in that capacity to 1991. He was defeated in 1990 by current Texas governor and former Democrat, Rick Perry, a Karl Rove client.
Since 1993, he has hosted a talk radio program, "Hightower Radio," carried by over 100 affiliates. Recently, Hightower has been involved in a project called the "Rolling Thunder Down-Home Democracy Tour," a series of festivals in various communities thoughout the United States with the goal of organizing grassroots activism.
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Books by Jim Hightower
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