James Michael Tabilio

James (Jim) Tabilio of Fair Oaks, a longtime political consultant, writer, poker aficionado and Internet poker entrepreneur, died suddenly of a massive heart attack late Wednesday, February 16. He was 59.

Known for his dry wit, generous spirit and brilliant, strategic mind, Tabilio was beloved by hundreds of friends and colleagues in London, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento.

Born in Trenton, New Jersey and raised in Sacramento, Tabilio had an early passion for politics, canvassing for John F. Kennedy at the tender age of 10. After graduating from Jesuit High School, he went on to The University of San Francisco where, as freshman he was soon spotted by the school’s Young Democrats. He was immediately recognized as a comer by members several years his senior. “Who is that guy?” was often whispered. Upon graduation, he founded the legendary YBDC (the Yerba Buena Democratic Club). Club members remained close friends and met most recently just days before Tabilio’s death.

He spent 25 years as an independent political consultant before becoming strategic consultant and then Vice President for San Francisco-based political messaging and direct mail firm Winning Directions in 2005. Clients included national and statewide labor organizations, major corporations and political candidates throughout the United States. He wrote speeches for others but hated public speaking, so in the early eighties, Tabilio decided to try stand-up comedy to get over his fear. He performed over forty times at places like San Francisco’s Holy City Zoo and LA’s famous Improv. In the early 1990s, Tabilio worked briefly as a joke writer for Tonight Show host Jay Leno. He also sold and optioned several TV and film scripts and wrote a feature film. Once produced and onscreen, Tabilio said Sweet Justice made him wince.

During his political consulting career, Tabilio wrote more than 2,000 pieces of direct mail and scores of radio and television spots for more than 150 campaigns throughout the United States. His clients included national campaigns as well as candidates and ballot measures in California and 18 other states.

More recently, Tabilio developed a business that combined his love of poker with his political expertise, and established himself as a pioneer in intrastate online gaming. As political strategist for Poker Voters of America, and most recently principal of his own company, Secured American Games, he worked with Congressman Lloyd Levine and others on drafting the first intrastate poker bills based on the framework provided by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act 2006. The act set the stage for legalizing Internet poker on a state-by-state basis.

He fell in love with Martine Schoordijk of Woodland when he was 18, already a sophomore in college; the two married 13 years later and were virtually inseparable for 27 years. They raised a daughter, Marika, in Hermosa Beach. The couple lived modestly in favor of sending their daughter to excellent private schools and supporting the songwriting/singing career of Martine Tabilio. In Hermosa Jim’s culinary skills were known far and wide and he and Marty’s dinner parties were legend. Tabilio was able to prepare and serve a gumbo or a baked ziti for fifty at a moment’s notice. He was passionately devoted to soccer, coaching a number of his daughter’s teams and serving as AYSO Soccer Commissioner two years running. He missed only one game during the twelve years Marika played ball. Jim fervently followed the fortunes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea and was a huge fan of US professional women’s soccer. The hyper articulate Tabilio could only babble on meeting his idol, Mia Hamm. He was an avid reader of history, of politics, of science fiction. Jim said that what he wanted to do after retiring was travel, cook and grapple with the inflationary universe theory.

Marika Tabilio, now 23, graduated from Wesleyan University in Connecticut and lives in Boston. James and Martine Tabilio moved to Fair Oaks in 2007 to be closer to his elderly parents. In addition to his wife, Tabilio is survived by his parents, Jim and Elvira Tabilio, sister, Lena Tabilio of Sacramento, and a large extended family.

A private, family memorial service will be held Thursday, and a celebration of Jim’s life is being planned for late March. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association.

Mount Vernon Mortuary assisted with final arrangements.