Janice Bowling

Janice Bowling is a public official and community activist in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Born on April 1, 1947 in Selma, Alabama, she was a teacher in the public school system before marrying her husband, who was then in the U.S. Air Force. After being stationed at the Vandenburg Air Force Base in California, the family moved to Tullahoma, Tennessee. Janice Bowling was a homemaker at first, and became interested in public and community issues, volunteering in many organizations. In 1992, this led to her being elected to the Tullahoma City Board of Aldermen. Issues of economic development and safety were her initial focus, but she developed a broader range. In 1994, conservative Republican Van Hilleary, whom Bowling strongly supported, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and in 1995, he appointed Bowling to be his District Director. In that capacity, she dealt with a great deal of constituent and community concerns. Bowling remained in that position until 2000. Bowling became a much more public figure in 2002, when Hilleary was the Republican nominee for Governor. Encouraged by her friends and supporters, Bowling became the Republican nominee to succeed Hilleary on Congress. It was a difficult campaign, as her Democratic opponent, state Senator Lincoln Davis, was far better-known and better-funded, as well. However, Bowling campaigned energetically and made the race competitive. On election day, however, she came up short, winning 47% of the vote. Bowling tried again in 2004, but Davis had compiled an uncontroversial record, sometimes breaking with his own party, and outspent her by a wider margin than before. He increased his margin, winning by 55% to 43%. Bowling continued her municipal service, and in 2007, became Mayor Pro-Tem of Tullahoma.

References

* [http://www.tullahoma-tn.com/Boardbios.htm City of Tullahoma Board of Mayor & Aldermen Bios]