Despite Political Divide, Brothers Jim and Tom Ross Prioritize Family Bond
SACRAMENTO, CA – In the high-stakes world of California politics, where fierce competition and partisan battles are commonplace, two brothers have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to preserving their personal relationship despite working on opposing sides of key campaigns. Jim Ross, a veteran campaign manager, and Tom Ross, a Sacramento-based businessman, have navigated professional rivalries while maintaining a deep and enduring familial bond.
The brothers’ differing political alignments recently surfaced during Newsom‘s redistricting measure, Proposition 50, with Jim remaining neutral and Tom actively working to defeat it. This isn’t the first time they’ve found themselves on opposite sides of an issue; in 2018, they clashed over a ballot measure to expand rent control, which was ultimately rejected by voters.However, the professional disagreements pale in comparison to the strength of their connection. Jim recounted a especially challenging period during Newsom’s campaign, where the stress lead to chest pains and a hospital visit, prompting him to seek counsel from Tom. ”The only person I could really call and talk to was Tom,” Jim said. “He understands what it is to work that hard on a campaign. And he wasn’t going to go and leak it to the press, or tell someone who would use it in some way to hurt me.”
The brothers consciously avoid discussing politics, recognizing the value of their relationship. This commitment was forged during childhood, sharing a bedroom, and solidified through life’s most difficult moments. Last spring, while their mother was dying, the brothers received the news of her passing while at their father’s home in Incline Village. Tom’s immediate concern was for the overnight nurse, asking, “Are you OK? Is it hard for you to deal with this?” a gesture that exemplifies his empathetic nature, according to Jim.
Tom’s own story highlights the depth of their bond. Following his treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2017, he celebrated by attempting a challenging mountain bike ride on the Flume Trail in Tahoe. Despite still recovering from six months of chemotherapy, he persevered, and Jim was there to greet him at the summit, proudly telling two strangers, “That’s my brother. He beat cancer.”
The experience brought Tom to tears. ”Do I want to sacrifice that relationship for some stupid tweet, or some in-the-moment anger?” he asked, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing their connection over fleeting political disputes. “That connection with someone, you want to cut it over that? That’s just stupid.That’s just silly.”