James Wayne "Jim" Silva (born January 15, 1944) is a Republican United States politician who served in the California State Assembly. A native of Orange County, Silva earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business from San Jose State University and a master's degree from Chapman University. He was an economics teacher in the Garden Grove Unified School District from 1966 until 1994, when he was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors. Silva holds a real estate broker's license.