James N. Azim, Jr.

James N. Azim Jr. (January 17, 1936 – June 14, 1976) was an American attorney and Republican politician. He was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Grant County from 1964 until his death in 1976.

Early life and education Azim was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin, in Richland County. During his childhood, he moved with his family to Muscoda, Wisconsin, and graduated from Muscoda's St. John's High School.

Political career While attending college at Platteville, Azim had become involved with the Young Republicans and became a passionate member of the Republican Party of Wisconsin. A year after completing his undergraduate degree, in 1958, Azim made his first attempt at elected office when he launched a primary challenge against long-time Republican incumbent State Representative Hugh A. Harper. Despite a vigorous campaign, the 22-year-old Azim came in a distant third behind Harper and challenger William A. Loy, of Fennimore. He remained actively involved in politics, and was active in the 1960 congressional campaign of Vernon Wallace Thomson.

In 1961, he was elected to a seat on Muscoda Village Board. The next year, he launched another campaign for State Assembly, again challenging incumbent Hugh Harper in the Republican primary. Following the 1962 election, Azim went to Madison to attend the University of Wisconsin Law School and, while there, worked as a legislative assistant in the Assembly. When Harper died unexpectedly in 1963, Azim announced he would make another attempt at election to the Assembly. On his third attempt for State Assembly, Azim was finally victorious. He took 63% in the Republican primary and 62% in the April special election.

Azim was reelected to a full term in November 1964, and completed his law degree in the spring of 1965. He was subsequently reelected three more times in the Grant County Assembly district and two more times in the 49th Assembly district after the 1972 redistricting.

Personal life and family Azim married Elizabeth "Betty" Nalepinski, April 26, 1958, at St. John's Catholic Church in Muscoda. They had three children together before his death in 1976. After three years of dialysis, early on the morning of May 16, 1976, Azim received word from the Mayo Clinic that a compatible kidney was available for transplantation. He and his wife immediately drove to Minnesota, and the transplant took place at 10am that morning. Azim suffered complications from the surgery and required two additional surgeries to correct digestive problems. Azim's condition continued to deteriorate, and, after 30 days in the hospital, he died.