James Graves Scrugham (January 19, 1880 – June 23, 1945) was an American politician. He was a Representative, a Senator, and the 14th Governor of the U.S. state of Nevada. He was a member of the Democratic Party. James Scrugham was born in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1880. He graduated from the University of Kentucky at Lexington in 1906, He was a professor of mechanical engineering, Engineering College, University of Nevada from 1903 to 1914 and dean from 1914 to 1917. He was state public service commissioner from 1919 to 1923. He was the Governor of Nevada between 1923 and 1927. He was the editor and publisher of the Nevada State Journal from 1927 to 1932. He became a special adviser to the Secretary of the Interior on Colorado River development projects in 1927. Later, he was elected as a Democrat to Congress and served from 1933 until December 7, 1942, when he resigned, having been elected to the United States Senate to fill the unexpired term of Key Pittman on November 3, 1942. James Scrugham served from December 7, 1942, until his death on June 23, 1945 in San Diego, California, at the age of 65. The University of Nevada named a building for him. The James G. Scrugham Engineering & Mines Building, opened in 1963, houses the dean’s office and several departments in the College of Engineering, as well as the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology.