James Grubbs Martin (born December 11, 1935) is an American chemist and politician who served as the 70th governor of North Carolina from 1985 to 1993.

A member of the Republican Party, he previously served six terms as the U.S. representative for North Carolina's 9th congressional district from 1973 to 1985.

[citation needed] Martin received his PhD in chemistry from Princeton University in 1960, after completing a doctoral dissertation titled "Stereochemistry of the Diels-Alder reaction.

[4] In 1984, with incumbent governor Jim Hunt leaving office due to the term limit, Martin ran for the Republican nomination and won.

He was also helped when Lieutenant Governor Jimmy Green endorsed him after being defeated by Edmisten in the Democratic primary.

Green was from eastern North Carolina, and his endorsement helped Martin win support among conservative Democrats in that part of the state.

The long-neglected and last leg of I-40 from Barstow, California would open up the southeastern coastal area to the rest of the state.