- published: 08 Aug 2012
- views: 338
- author: LSUDVM
Vimeo results:
Youtube results:
MORE VIDEOS
Loading...
..." width="225" height="168" class="playvideo1 gotop" onClick="activateTab('playlist1'); return false" style="display: block;" />
..." width="225" height="168" class="playvideo1 gotop" onClick="activateTab('playlist1'); return false" style="display: block;" />
Open Collage in a new Window
Email the Collage
- Loading...
Loading suggestions ...
- Abortion
- Ada Simond
- Al Franken
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Alicia Chacon
- Alma mater
- Alvia Wardlaw
- Amanda Dunbar
- Amy Freeman Lee
- Amy Klobuchar
- Angela Murdaugh
- Ann Richards
- Anna Maria Farias
- Anne Armstrong
- Annette Strauss
- Anthology series
- Arizona
- Austin, Texas
- Bachelor of arts
- Bachelor of Arts
- Barbara Boxer
- Barbara Bush
- Barbara Jordan
- Barbara Mikulski
- Beau Boulter
- Ben Cardin
- Ben Nelson
- Benjy Frances Brooks
- Bernie Sanders
- Bert Kruger Smith
- Bess Whitehead Scott
- Bill Clements
- Bill Clinton
- Bill Flores
- Bill Frist
- Bill Nelson
- Blake Farenthold
- Bob Casey, Jr.
- Bob Corker
- Bob Krueger
- Bob Menendez
- Bond attorney
- Bryan, Texas
- C-SPAN
- California
- Carl Levin
- Caro Crawford Brown
- Carol Dinkins
- Carolyn Peterson
- Cathie Adams
- Charlie Gonzalez
- Chris Coons
- Chris Matthews
- Christia Adair
- Chuck Grassley
- Chuck Schumer
- Claire McCaskill
- Clotilde Garcia
- Clymer Wright
- Connecticut
- Dallas
- Dallas Morning News
- Dallas, Texas
- Dan Coats
- Daniel Akaka
- Daniel Inouye
- Dark horse
- David Vitter
- Dealey Herndon
- Dean Heller
- Debbie Stabenow
- Debra Medina
- Dian Graves Stai
- Diana Natalicio
- Dianne Feinstein
- Dick Cheney
- Dick Durbin
- Divorce
- Dixie Melillo
- Donna Lopiano
- Donnya Stephens
- Dora Jean Strother
- DREAM Act
- Earmark (politics)
- Ebby Halliday
- Edna Gardner Whyte
- Eleanor Anne Young
- Eleanor Montague
- Eleanor Tinsley
- Ellen Vitetta
- Elsa Murano
- Erma Johnson Hadley
- Fox Business Network
- Frances Goff
- Frank Lautenberg
- Fraternity
- Galveston, Texas
- Gene Green
- General election
- George H. W. Bush
- George W. Bush
- Georgia (U.S. state)
- Glenna Goodacre
- Gloria G. Rodriguez
- Governor of Texas
- GovTrack
- Grand jury
- Gussie Nell Davis
- Hallie Stillwell
- Harry Reid
- Hawaii
- Helen Farabee
- Helen Oujesky
- Henry Cuellar
- Herb Kohl
- Hermine Tobolowsky
- Hillary Clinton
- Horace Chilton
- Houston
- Houston, Texas
- Huda Zoghbi
- Incumbent
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Jack Fields
- James Baker
- James M. Collins
- James W. Flanagan
- Jane Wetzel
- Jay Rockefeller
- Jeane Porter Hester
- Jeanne Shaheen
- Jeb Hensarling
- Jeff Bingaman
- Jeff Merkley
- Jeff Sessions
- Jenny Lind Porter
- Jerry Moran
- Jim DeMint
- Jim Inhofe
- Jim Risch
- Jim Webb
- Jinger L. Heath
- Jo Stewart Randel
- Jody Conradt
- Joe Barton
- Joe Lieberman
- Joe Manchin
- John Barrasso
- John Boozman
- John Carter (Texas)
- John Cornyn
- John Culberson
- John Ensign
- John Hoeven
- John Kerry
- John McCain
- John Thune
- John Tower
- Johnnie Benson
- Johnny Isakson
- Jon Kyl
- Jon Tester
- Joseph Weldon Bailey
- Journalist
- Judith Craven
- Judy Castle Scott
- Judy Rankin
- Juliet V. Garcia
- Juris Doctor
- Kansas
- Karen Hughes
- Kate Atkinson Bell
- Kathleen Foster
- Katie Sherrod
- Kay Bailey Hutchison
- Kay Granger
- Kay Hagan
- Kelly Ayotte
- Kenny Marchant
- Kent Conrad
- Kevin Brady
- Kim Dawson
- Kirsten Gillibrand
- KPRC-TV
- KXAS-TV
- L. Ruth Guy
- La Marque, Texas
- Ladies Home Journal
- Lady Bird Johnson
- Lamar Alexander
- Lamar S. Smith
- Lane Murray
- Laredo, Texas
- Lawyer
- Lila Cockrell
- Lillian Dunlap
- Linda Louise Craft
- Lindsey Graham
- Lisa Murkowski
- Liz Carpenter
- Lloyd Bentsen
- Lloyd Doggett
- Los Angeles Times
- Lou Zaeske
- Louie Gohmert
- Louis Wigfall
- Louise Raggio
- Louise Ritter
- Louisiana
- Lucia Rede Madrid
- Lucy G. Acosta
- Lydia Mendoza
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Mac Thornberry
- Mae Jemison
- Maine
- Mamie L. McKnight
- Marco Rubio
- Margaret Cousins
- Margaret Swan Forbes
- Maria Cantwell
- Maria Elena Flood
- Mark Begich
- Mark Kirk
- Mark Pryor
- Mark Udall
- Mark Warner
- Marsha Sharp
- Martha Whitehead
- Martha Wong
- Mary Beth Rogers
- Mary Kay Ash
- Mary Landrieu
- Mary Nan West
- Mary Ruwart
- Massachusetts
- Matthias Ward
- Max Baucus
- May Owen
- Mercury (element)
- Michael Bennet
- Michael C. Burgess
- Michael McCaul
- Michigan
- Mike Conaway
- Mike Crapo
- Mike Enzi
- Mike Johanns
- Mississippi
- Mitch McConnell
- Montana
- Morgan C. Hamilton
- Morris Sheppard
- Nacogdoches, Texas
- Nancy Brinker
- Nancy W. Dickey
- NARAL
- NASA
- National Journal
- New Mexico
- New York
- New York Times
- Newt Gingrich
- Ninfa Laurenzo
- Norma Lea Beasley
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Olympia Snowe
- On the Issues
- Orrin Hatch
- Oveta Culp Hobby
- Pamela Willeford
- Pat Roberts
- Pat Toomey
- Patrick Leahy
- Patty Murray
- Paul Coverdell
- Pete Olson
- Pete Sessions
- Phil Gramm
- Philly.com
- Pi Beta Phi
- Pistols
- Plano, Texas
- Political activist
- Politician
- Pork barrel
- Portal Texas
- Price Daniel
- Primary election
- Pro-choice
- Pro-life
- Project Vote Smart
- Quico Canseco
- Ralph Hall
- Ralph Yarborough
- Rand Paul
- Randy Neugebauer
- Ranking member
- Ranking Member
- Rape
- Ray Hutchison
- Richard Blumenthal
- Richard Burr
- Richard Coke
- Richard Lugar
- Richard Shelby
- Richard W. Fisher
- Rick Perry
- Rick Santorum
- Rifle
- Rob Portman
- Roe v. Wade
- Roger Q. Mills
- Roger Wicker
- Ron Paul
- Ron Wyden
- Ronnie Earle
- Roy Blunt
- Ruby Lee Piester
- Rubén Hinojosa
- Ruth Sharp Altshuler
- Ruth Taubert Seeger
- Sally Ride
- Sam Houston
- Sam Johnson
- Samuel B. Maxey
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Sarah T. Hughes
- Sarah Weddington
- Saxby Chambliss
- Scott Brown
- Scott Jameson
- Senior Senator
- Sheila Jackson Lee
- Sheldon Whitehouse
- Sherrod Brown
- Sheryl Swoopes
- Shirley Neeley
- Shotgun
- Silvestre Reyes
- Single-sex education
- Sonya Eva Singletary
- SourceWatch
- South Dakota
- Steve Bartlett
- Susan Collins
- Susan Combs
- Sybil Harrington
- Tea Party movement
- Ted Poe
- Television series
- Template 2008
- Template TX-FedRep
- Template USSenChairs
- Template USSenTX
- Tennessee
- Teresa Lozano Long
- Terry Hershey
- Texas
- Thad Cochran
- The New York Times
- The Washington Post
- Tillie Burgin
- Tom Carper
- Tom Coburn
- Tom Connally
- Tom Harkin
- Tom Udall
- Tommie Clack
- Travis County, Texas
- Trinidad Mendenhall
- United States Senate
- Utah
- Vassar Miller
- Vermont
- Vinson & Elkins
- Virginia
- Vivian Castleberry
- W. Lee O'Daniel
- Washington (state)
- Watchdog journalism
- Webb County
- Webb County, Texas
- Wendy Harpham
- West Virginia
- Wikipedia Link rot
- Wikipedia Persondata
- William A. Blakley
- Willie Lee Glass
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Zina Garrison
-
Alabama
Alabama (
i/ˌæləˈbæmə/) is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama is the 30th-most extensive and the 23rd-most populous of the 50 United States. Alabama ranks second in the area of its inland waterways.
From the American Civil War until World War II, Alabama, like many Southern states, suffered economic hardship, in part because of continued dependence on agriculture. Despite the growth of major industries and urban centers, white rural interests dominated the state legislature until the 1960s, while urban interests and African Americans were under-represented. Following World War II, Alabama experienced growth as the economy of the state transitioned from agriculture to diversified interests in heavy manufacturing, mineral extraction, education, and technology. In addition, the establishment or expansion of multiple military installations, primarily those of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, added to state jobs.
wn.com/Alabama -
Alaska
Alaska (i/əˈlæskə/) is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait. Alaska is the 4th least populous and the least densely populated of the 50 United States. Approximately half of Alaska's 722,718 residents live within the Anchorage metropolitan area.
Alaska was purchased from Russia on March 30, 1867, for $7.2 million ($120 million in today's[when?] dollars) at approximately two cents per acre ($4.74/km²). The land went through several administrative changes before becoming an organized (or incorporated) territory on May 11, 1912, and the 49th state of the U.S. on January 3, 1959.
The name "Alaska" (Аляска) was already introduced in the Russian colonial period, when it was used only for the peninsula and is derived from the Aleut alaxsxaq, meaning "the mainland" or, more literally, "the object towards which the action of the sea is directed". It is also known as Alyeska, the "great land", an Aleut word derived from the same root.
wn.com/Alaska -
Austin, Texas
Austin (/ˈɒstɨn/ or /ˈɔːstɨn/) is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in the nation from 2000 to 2006. Austin has a population of 790,390 (2010 U.S. Census). The city is the cultural and economic center of the Austin–Round Rock–San Marcos metropolitan area, which had an estimated population 1,783,519 (2011 U.S. Census), making it the 34th-largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States.
In the 1830s, pioneers began to the settle the area in central Austin along the Colorado River. After Republic of Texas Vice President Mirabeau B. Lamar visited the area during a buffalo-hunting expedition between 1837 and 1838, he proposed that the republic's capital then located in Houston, Texas, be relocated to the area situated on the north bank of the Colorado River near the present-day Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge. In 1839, the site was officially chosen as the republic's new capital (the republic's seventh and final location) and was incorporated under the name, Waterloo. Shortly thereafter, the name was changed to Austin in honor of Stephen F. Austin, the "Father of Texas" and the republic's first secretary of state.
wn.com/Austin,_Texas -
Bryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley (Southeast Central Texas). It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south. Together they are referred to as the Bryan-College Station metropolitan area, the sixteenth largest Metropolitan area in Texas containing around 190,000 people.
The city is centrally located, approximately equidistant from three of the 10 largest cities in the United States. It is 92 miles (148 km) north-northwest of Houston, 166 miles (267 km) northeast of San Antonio and 169 miles (272 km) south of Dallas. It is 104 miles (167 km) east of Austin, the state capital of Texas. 75% of the Texas and Louisiana populations (13.1 million people) live within 3.5 driving hours of Bryan.
The area around Bryan, Texas was part of a land grant to Moses Austin by Spain. Moses Austin's son, Stephen F. Austin helped bring settlers to the area. Among the settlers was William Joel Bryan, the nephew of Stephen F. Austin. The town of Bryan was founded in 1821. It grew quickly when the Houston and Texas Central Railroad arrived in 1860. In 1866, the county seat of Brazos County, Texas was changed from Boonville, Texas to Bryan. A short time later, in 1871, the City of Bryan became incorporated.
wn.com/Bryan,_Texas -
California
California (pronouncedi/kælɨˈfɔrnjə/) is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third most extensive (after Alaska and Texas). It is home to the nation's second- and sixth-largest census statistical areas (Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and San Francisco Bay Area), and eight of the nation's fifty most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach and Oakland). The capital city is Sacramento.
California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east – from the Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States (Mount Whitney and Death Valley), and has the third-longest coastline of all states (after Alaska and Florida). Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire: about 37,000 are recorded annually.
wn.com/California -
Connecticut
Connecticut (i/kəˈnɛtɨkət/) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south (with which it shares a water boundary in Long Island Sound).
Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately bisects the state. Its capital city is Hartford. Much of southern and western Connecticut (along with the majority of the state's population) is part of the New York metropolitan area; three of Connecticut's eight counties are statistically included in the New York City combined statistical area, the same area is widely referred to as the Tri-State area. Connecticut's center of population is in Cheshire, New Haven County, which is also located within the Tri-State area.
Connecticut is the 3rd least extensive, the 29th most populous, and 4th most densely populated of the 50 United States. Called the Constitution State, Nutmeg State, and "The Land of Steady Habits", Connecticut was influential in the development of the federal government of the United States.
wn.com/Connecticut -
Dallas
Dallas (
/ˈdæləs/) is the third-largest city in the state of Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Divided between Collin, Dallas, Denton, Kaufman, and Rockwall counties, the city had a population of 1,197,816 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau.
The city is the largest economic center of the 12-county Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area (the DFW MSA) that according to the March 2010 U.S. Census Bureau release, had a population of 6,371,773. The metroplex economy is the sixth largest in the United States, with a 2010 gross metropolitan product of $374 billion.
Dallas was founded in 1841 and was formally incorporated as a city in February 1856. The city's economy is primarily based on banking, commerce, telecommunications, computer technology, energy, healthcare and medical research, transportation and logistics. The city is home to the third largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the nation. Located in North Texas and a major city in the American South, Dallas is the main core of the largest inland metropolitan area in the United States that lacks any navigable link to the sea.
wn.com/Dallas -
Dallas, Texas
Dallas ( /ˈdæləs/) is the third-largest city in the state of Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Divided between Collin, Dallas, Denton, Kaufman, and Rockwall counties, the city had a population of 1,197,816 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau.
The city is the largest economic center of the 12-county Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area (the DFW MSA) that according to the March 2010 U.S. Census Bureau release, had a population of 6,371,773. The metroplex economy is the sixth largest in the United States, with a 2010 gross metropolitan product of $374 billion.
Dallas was founded in 1841 and was formally incorporated as a city in February 1856. The city's economy is primarily based on banking, commerce, telecommunications, computer technology, energy, healthcare and medical research, transportation and logistics. The city is home to the third largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies in the nation. Located in North Texas and a major city in the American South, Dallas is the main core of the largest inland metropolitan area in the United States that lacks any navigable link to the sea.
wn.com/Dallas,_Texas -
Galveston, Texas
Galveston ( /ˈɡælvɨstən/) is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census[update], the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of 208 square miles (540 km2). Located within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the city is the seat and second-largest city of Galveston County in population.
Named after Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid, Count of Gálvez, Galveston's first European settlements on the island were constructed around 1816. The Port of Galveston was established in 1825 by the Congress of Mexico following its successful independence from Spain. The city served as the main port for the Texas Navy during the Texas Revolution and later served as the capital of the Republic of Texas.
During the 19th century, Galveston became a major U.S. commercial center and one of the largest ports in the United States. Galveston is known for the hurricane that devastated the city in 1900. The natural disaster that followed still counts as the deadliest in American history.
wn.com/Galveston,_Texas -
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia (i/ˈdʒɔrdʒⁱə/) is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. Named after King George II of Great Britain, Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788. It declared its secession from the Union on January 21, 1861, and was one of the original seven Confederate states. It was the last state to be restored to the Union, on July 15, 1870. Georgia is the 24th most extensive and the 9th most populous of the 50 United States. From 2007 to 2008, 14 of Georgia's counties ranked among the nation's 100 fastest-growing, second only to Texas. Georgia is known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South.Atlanta is the state's capital and its most populous city.
Georgia is bordered on the south by Florida; on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and South Carolina; on the west by Alabama; and on the north by Tennessee and North Carolina. The northern part of the state is in the Blue Ridge Mountains, a mountain range in the Appalachian Mountains system. The central piedmont extends from the foothills to the fall line, where the rivers cascade down in elevation to the continental coastal plain of the southern part of the state. The highest point in Georgia is Brasstown Bald, 4,784 feet (1,458 m); the lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean.
wn.com/Georgia_(U.S._state) -
Hawaii
Coordinates: 21°18′41″N 157°47′47″W / 21.31139°N 157.79639°W / 21.31139; -157.79639
Hawaii (i/həˈwaɪ.iː/ or /həˈwaɪʔiː/; Hawaiian: Hawaiʻi Hawaiian pronunciation: [hɐˈvɐiʔi]) is the most recent of the 50 U.S. states (August 21, 1959), and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean.
Hawaii’s diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, abundance of public beaches and oceanic surrounding, and active volcanoes make it a popular destination for tourists, surfers, biologists, and volcanologists alike. Due to its mid-Pacific location, Hawaii has many North American and Asian influences along with its own vibrant native culture. Hawaii has over a million permanent residents along with many visitors and U.S. military personnel. Its capital is Honolulu on the island of Oʻahu.
The state encompasses nearly the entire volcanic Hawaiian Island chain, which comprises hundreds of islands spread over 1,500 miles (2,400 km). At the southeastern end of the archipelago, the eight "main islands" are (from the northwest to southeast) Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Kahoʻolawe, Maui, and the island of Hawaiʻi. The last is by far the largest and is often called "The Big Island" to avoid confusion with the state as a whole. The archipelago is physiographically and ethnologically part of the Polynesian subregion of Oceania.
wn.com/Hawaii -
Houston
Houston ( /ˈhjuːstən/) (Alibamu: Yosti ) is the largest city in the state of Texas, and the fourth-largest city in the United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of 656.3 square miles (1,700 km2). Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown, which is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States, with 6.08 million people as of July 1st, 2011.
Houston was founded in 1836 on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou. It was incorporated as a city on June 5, 1837, and named after then-President of the Republic of Texas—former General Sam Houston—who had commanded at the Battle of San Jacinto, which took place 25 miles (40 km) east of where the city was established. The burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the city's population. In the mid-twentieth century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center—the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions—and NASA's Johnson Space Center, where the Mission Control Center is located.
wn.com/Houston -
Houston, Texas
Houston ( /ˈhjuːstən/) (Alibamu: Yosti ) is the largest city in the state of Texas, and the fourth-largest city in the United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of 656.3 square miles (1,700 km2). Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown, which is the fifth-largest metropolitan area in the United States, with 6.08 million people as of July 1st, 2011.
Houston was founded in 1836 on land near the banks of Buffalo Bayou. It was incorporated as a city on June 5, 1837, and named after then-President of the Republic of Texas—former General Sam Houston—who had commanded at the Battle of San Jacinto, which took place 25 miles (40 km) east of where the city was established. The burgeoning port and railroad industry, combined with oil discovery in 1901, has induced continual surges in the city's population. In the mid-twentieth century, Houston became the home of the Texas Medical Center—the world's largest concentration of healthcare and research institutions—and NASA's Johnson Space Center, where the Mission Control Center is located.
wn.com/Houston,_Texas -
Iowa
Iowa (i/ˈaɪ.əwə/) is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New France. After the Louisiana Purchase, settlers laid the foundation for an agriculture-based economy in the heart of the Corn Belt. Iowa is often known as the "Food Capital of the World".
In the latter half of the 20th century, Iowa's agricultural economy transitioned to a diversified economy of advanced manufacturing, processing, financial services, biotechnology, and green energy production. Iowa is the 26th most extensive and the 30th most populous of the 50 United States. Its capital and largest city is Des Moines. Iowa has been listed as one of the safest states to live in.
Iowa is bordered by the Mississippi River on the east; the Missouri River and the Big Sioux River on the west; the northern boundary is a line along 43 degrees, 30 minutes north latitude. The southern border is the Des Moines River and a not-quite-straight line along approximately 40 degrees 35 minutes north, as decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in Missouri v. Iowa after a standoff between Missouri and Iowa known as the Honey War.
wn.com/Iowa -
Kansas
Kansas (i/ˈkænzəs/) is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name (natively kką:ze) is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was probably not the term's original meaning. Residents of Kansas are called "Kansans."
For thousands of years what is now Kansas was home to numerous and diverse Native American tribes. Tribes in the Eastern part of the state generally lived in villages along the river valleys. Tribes in the Western part of the state were semi-nomadic and hunted large herds of bison. Kansas was first settled by European Americans in the 1830s, but the pace of settlement accelerated in the 1850s, in the midst of political wars over the slavery issue. When officially opened to settlement by the U.S. government in 1854, abolitionist Free-Staters from New England and pro-slavery settlers from neighboring Missouri rushed to the territory to determine if Kansas would become a free state or a slave state. Thus, the area was a hotbed of violence and chaos in its early days as these forces collided, and was known as Bleeding Kansas. The abolitionists eventually prevailed and on January 29, 1861, Kansas entered the Union as a free state. After the Civil War, the population of Kansas grew rapidly, when waves of immigrants turned the prairie into farmland. Today, Kansas is one of the most productive agricultural states, producing high yields of wheat, sorghum and sunflowers. Kansas is the 15th most extensive and the 33rd most populous of the 50 United States.
wn.com/Kansas -
La Marque, Texas
La Marque (formerly Lamarque) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 14,509. Located in Galveston County near oil fields, it is the hometown of Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and Robin Armstrong.
In the 2000s, rising real estate costs in Galveston forced many families to move to other areas, including La Marque. This meant an influx of children from the Galveston Independent School District into other school districts.
La Marque is located at 29°22′00″N 94°58′26″W / 29.366684°N 94.973922°W / 29.366684; -94.973922 (29.366684, -94.973922).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.3 square miles (37 km2), of which, 14.2 square miles (37 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.28%) is water.
As of the census of 2000, there were 13,682 people, 5,237 households, and 3,713 families residing in the city. The population density was 962.0 people per square mile (371.5/km2). There were 5,732 housing units at an average density of 403.0 per square mile (155.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 55.84% White, 34.69% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.21% from other races, and 2.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.43% of the population.
wn.com/La_Marque,_Texas -
Laredo, Texas
Laredo (/ləˈreɪdoʊ/ lə-RAY-doh; Spanish: [laˈɾeðo]) is the county seat of Webb County, Texas, United States, located on the north bank of the Rio Grande in South Texas, across from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 236,091 making it the 3rd most populated on the United States-Mexican border, after San Diego, California and El Paso, Texas. Laredo is part of the Laredo-Nuevo Laredo Metropolitan Area with an estimate population of 636,516. Laredo's economy is based on international trade with Mexico. Most major transportation companies have a facility in Laredo. Laredo's location along the southern end of I-35 close to the manufacturers in North Mexico promotes its vital role in trade between the United States and Mexico.
Laredo has the distinction of flying seven flags (the Flag of the Republic of the Rio Grande in addition to the Six Flags of Texas). Founded in 1755, Laredo grew from a villa to the capital of the brief Republic of the Rio Grande to the largest inland port on the United States-Mexican Border. Today, it has four international bridges and one railway bridge. Laredo's weather is semi-arid during the summer and mild during the winter.
wn.com/Laredo,_Texas -
Louisiana
Louisiana (i/luːˌiːziˈænə/ or i/ˌluːziˈænə/; French: État de Louisiane, [lwizjan] (
listen); Louisiana Creole: Léta de la Lwizyàn) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Louisiana is the 31st most extensive and the 25th most populous of the 50 United States. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties. The largest parish by population is East Baton Rouge Parish, and the largest by land area is Cameron Parish.
Much of the state was formed from sediment washed down the Mississippi River, leaving enormous deltas and vast areas of coastal marsh and swamp. These contain a rich southern biota; typical examples include birds such as ibis and egrets. There are also many species of tree frogs, and fish such as sturgeon and paddlefish. In more elevated areas, fire is a natural process in the landscape, and has produced extensive areas of longleaf pine forest and wet savannas. These support an exceptionally large number of plant species including many species of orchids and carnivorus plants.
wn.com/Louisiana -
Maine
Maine (i/ˈmeɪn/) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost portion of New England. It is known for its scenery—its jagged, mostly rocky coastline, its low, rolling mountains, its heavily forested interior and picturesque waterways—as well as for its seafood cuisine, especially lobsters and clams.
For thousands of years, indigenous peoples were the only inhabitants of the territory that is now Maine. At the time of European encounter, several Algonquian-speaking peoples inhabited the area. The first European settlement in Maine was by the French in 1604 on Saint Croix Island, by Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons. The first English settlement in Maine, the short-lived Popham Colony, was established by the Plymouth Company in 1607. A number of English settlements were established along the coast of Maine in the 1620s, although the rugged climate, deprivations, and conflict with the local peoples caused many to fail over the years. As Maine entered the 18th century, only a half dozen European settlements survived. Patriot and British forces contended for Maine's territory during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Maine was part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1820, when it voted to secede from Massachusetts. On March 15, 1820, it was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state under the Missouri Compromise. Maine is the 39th most extensive and the 41st most populous of the 50 United States.
wn.com/Maine -
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (i/ˌmæsəˈtʃuːsɨts/), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Massachusetts is the 7th least extensive, but the 14th most populous and the 3rd most densely populated of the 50 United States. The state features two separate metropolitan areas – the eastern Boston metropolitan area and the western Springfield metropolitan area. Approximately two thirds of the state's population lives in Greater Boston, most of which is either urban or suburban. Western Massachusetts features one urban area – the Knowledge Corridor along the Connecticut River – and a mix of college towns and rural areas. Massachusetts is the most populous of the six New England states and has the US's sixth highest GDP per capita.
wn.com/Massachusetts -
Michigan
Michigan (i/ˈmɪʃɨɡən/) is a state located in the Great Lakes region of the Midwestern United States. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake". Michigan is the 8th most populous of the 50 United States, with the 11th most extensive total area. Its capital is Lansing, and the largest city is Detroit. Michigan was admitted into the Union on January 26, 1837 as the 26th state.
Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline of any political subdivision in the world, being bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair. Michigan is one of the leading U.S. states for recreational boating. The state has 64,980 inland lakes and ponds. A person in the state is never more than six miles (9.7 km) from a natural water source or more than 85 miles (137 km) from a Great Lakes shoreline. It is the largest state by total area east of the Mississippi River.
Michigan is the only state to consist of two peninsulas. The Lower Peninsula, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is often noted to be shaped like a mitten. The Upper Peninsula (often referred to as "the U.P.") is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile (8 km) channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The two peninsulas are connected by the Mackinac Bridge. The Upper Peninsula is economically important due to its status as a tourist destination. There is also a variety of natural resources to be found there, including a sizable amount of iron ore.
wn.com/Michigan -
Mississippi
Mississippi (i/ˌmɪsɨˈsɪpi/) is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi ("Great River"). Mississippi is the 32nd most extensive and the 31st most populous of the 50 United States. The state is heavily forested outside of the Mississippi Delta area, which was cleared for cotton cultivation in the 19th century. Today, its catfish aquaculture farms produce the majority of farm-raised catfish consumed in the United States. The state symbol is the magnolia grandiflora tree.
Mississippi is bordered on the north by Tennessee, on the east by Alabama, on the south by Louisiana and a narrow coast on the Gulf of Mexico and on the west, across the Mississippi River, by Louisiana and Arkansas.
In addition to its namesake, major rivers in Mississippi include the Big Black River, the Pearl River, the Yazoo River, the Pascagoula River, and the Tombigbee River. Major lakes include Ross Barnett Reservoir, Arkabutla Lake, Sardis Lake and Grenada Lake. The largest lake in Mississippi is Grenada Lake.
wn.com/Mississippi -
Montana
Montana (i/mɒnˈtænə/) is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges that are part of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name, derived from the Spanish word montaña (mountain). Montana has several nicknames, none official, including: "Big Sky Country" and "The Treasure State", and slogans that include "Land of the Shining Mountains" and more recently, "The Last Best Place". Montana is the 4th-most extensive, but the 7th-least populous and the 3rd-least densely populated of the 50 United States. The economy is primarily based on services, with ranching, wheat farming, oil and coal mining in the east, and lumber, tourism, and hard rock mining in the west. Millions of tourists annually visit Glacier National Park, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, and three of the five entrances to Yellowstone National Park.
wn.com/Montana -
Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches ( /ˌnækəˈdoʊtʃɨs/ NAK-ə-DOH-chəs) is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.
Nacogdoches is the home of Stephen F. Austin State University and of the Association for Business Communication.
The town made international headlines in February 2003, after receiving much of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster debris.
Nacogdoches is located at 31°36′32″N 94°39′3″W / 31.60889°N 94.65083°W / 31.60889; -94.65083 (31.608855, -94.650862). Its location is approximately 140 miles (225 km) NNE of Houston, 180 miles (290 km) SE of Dallas and 90 miles (145 km) SW of Shreveport.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.3 square miles (66 km2), of which, 25.2 square miles (65 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.24%) is water. The city center is located just to the north of the fork of two creeks, the LaNana and Banita.
wn.com/Nacogdoches,_Texas -
NASA
Coordinates: 38°52′59″N 77°0′59″W / 38.88306°N 77.01639°W / 38.88306; -77.01639
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research. Since February 2006, NASA's mission statement has been to "pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research." On September 14, 2011, NASA announced that it had selected the design of a new Space Launch System that it said would take the agency's astronauts farther into space than ever before and provide the cornerstone for future human space exploration efforts by the U.S.
NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The agency became operational on October 1, 1958. U.S. space exploration efforts have since been led by NASA, including the Apollo moon-landing missions, the Skylab space station, and later the Space Shuttle. Currently, NASA is supporting the International Space Station and is overseeing the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and Commercial Crew vehicles. The agency is also responsible for the Launch Services Program (LSP) which provides oversight of launch operations and countdown management for unmanned NASA launches.
wn.com/NASA -
New Mexico
New Mexico (i/nuː ˈmɛksɨkoʊ/) is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. New Mexico is the 5th most extensive, the 36th most populous, and the 6th least densely populated of the 50 United States.
Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, New Mexico has also been part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. Among U.S. states, New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanics, including descendants of Spanish colonists and recent immigrants from Latin America. It also has the second-highest percentage of Native Americans, after Alaska, and the fourth-highest total number of Native Americans after California, Oklahoma, and Arizona. The tribes in the state consist of mostly Navajo and Pueblo peoples. As a result, the demographics and culture of the state are unique for their strong Hispanic and Native American influences. The flag of New Mexico is represented by the red and gold colors, which represent Spain, as well as the Zia symbol, an ancient Native American symbol for the sun.
wn.com/New_Mexico -
New York
New York (/njuː ˈjɔrk/; locally IPA: [nɪu ˈjɔək] or [nuː ˈjɔɹk] (
listen)) is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. New York is the 27th most extensive, the 3rd most populous, and the 7th most densely populated of the 50 United States. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east. The state has a maritime border with Rhode Island east of Long Island, as well as an international border with the Canadian provinces of Ontario to the west and north, and Quebec to the north. The state of New York is often referred to as New York State to distinguish it from New York City.
New York City, with a population of over 8.1 million, is the most populous city in the United States. Alone, it makes up over 40 percent of the population of New York state. It is known for its status as a center for finance and culture and for its status as the largest gateway for immigration to the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, New York City is also a destination of choice for many foreign visitors. Both the state and city were named for the 17th century Duke of York, James Stuart, future James II and VII of England and Scotland.
wn.com/New_York -
North Carolina
North Carolina (i/ˌnɔrθ kærəˈlaɪnə/) is a state in the Southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina is the 28th most extensive and the 10th most populous of the 50 United States.
North Carolina is comprised of 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte. In the past five decades, North Carolina's economy has undergone a transition from heavy reliance upon tobacco and furniture making to a more diversified economy with engineering, biotechnology, and finance sectors.
North Carolina has a wide range of elevations, from sea level on the coast to 6,684 feet (2,037 m) at Mount Mitchell, the highest point in the Eastern US. The climate of the coastal plains is strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. Most of the state falls in the humid subtropical climate zone. More than 300 miles (500 km) from the coast, the western, mountainous part of the state has a subtropical highland climate.
wn.com/North_Carolina -
North Dakota
North Dakota (i/ˌnɔrθ dəˈkoʊtə/) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Manitoba and Saskatchewan to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th most extensive, but the 3rd least populous and the 4th least densely populated of the 50 United States. North Dakota was created from the northern portion of the Dakota Territory and admitted to the Union on November 2, 1889, simultaneously with South Dakota.
The state capital is Bismarck and the largest city is Fargo. The primary public universities are located in Grand Forks and Fargo. The U.S. Air Force operates air bases at Minot AFB and Grand Forks AFB.
For more than a decade, the state has had a strong economy, with unemployment lower than the national average, job and population growth, and low housing vacancies. Much of the growth has been based on development of the Bakken oil shale fields in the western part of the state, but it has also had growth in the technology and service sectors. Flooding in June 2011 has caused extensive damage to Minot and threatened Bismarck, the capital city.
wn.com/North_Dakota -
Oklahoma
Oklahoma (i/ˌoʊkləˈhoʊmə/) (Pawnee: Uukuhuúwa , Cayuga: Gahnawiyoˀgeh ) is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. Oklahoma is the 20th most extensive and the 28th most populous of the 50 United States. The state's name is derived from the Choctaw words okla and humma, meaning "red people", and it is known informally by its nickname, The Sooner State. Formed by the combination of Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory on November 16, 1907, Oklahoma was the 46th state to enter the union. Its residents are known as Oklahomans or, informally "Okies", and its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City.
A major producer of natural gas, oil, and agriculture, Oklahoma relies on an economic base of aviation, energy, telecommunications, and biotechnology. It has one of the fastest growing economies in the nation, ranking among the top states in per capita income growth and gross domestic product growth. Oklahoma City and Tulsa serve as Oklahoma's primary economic anchors, with nearly 60 percent of Oklahomans living in their metropolitan statistical areas.
wn.com/Oklahoma -
Plano, Texas
Plano ( /ˈpleɪnoʊ/) is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas (Corpus Christi is ranked at #8 and Laredo is ranked at #10) and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The city is home to many corporate headquarters: Alliance Data, Cinemark Theatres, Dell Services, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Ericsson, Frito-Lay, HP Enterprise Services, Huawei, J. C. Penney, Pizza Hut, Rent-A-Center, Traxxas, and Siemens PLM Software.
In 2005, Plano was designated the best place to live in the Western United States by CNN Money magazine. In 2006, Plano was selected as the 11th best place to live in the United States by CNN Money magazine. Plano schools consistently score among the highest in the nation. It has been rated as the wealthiest city in the United States by CNN Money with a poverty rate of less than 6.4%. In 2008, Forbes.com selected Plano, University Park, and Highland Park as the three "Top Suburbs To Live Well" of Dallas. The United States Census Bureau declared Plano the wealthiest city of 2008 by comparing the median household income for all U.S. cities whose populations were greater than 250,000. The annual Plano Balloon Festival and the Plano International Festival are two of the city's premiere cultural and entertainment events. In October 2010, Forbes magazine named Plano the safest city to live in America with a population greater than 250,000. In December 2011, Plano once again topped the list of Forbes Magazine's safest cities in America.
wn.com/Plano,_Texas -
South Dakota
South Dakota (i/ˌsaʊθ dəˈkoʊtə/) is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. South Dakota is the 17th most extensive, but the 5th least populous and the 5th least densely populated of the 50 United States. Once the southern portion of the Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls, with a population of nearly 160,000, is South Dakota's largest city.
South Dakota is bordered by the states of North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. The state is bisected by the Missouri River, dividing South Dakota into two geographically and socially distinct halves, known to residents as "East River" and "West River". Eastern South Dakota is home to most of the state's population, and fertile soil in this area is used to grow a variety of crops. West of the Missouri, ranching is the predominant agricultural activity, and the economy is more dependent on tourism and defense spending.
wn.com/South_Dakota -
Tennessee
Tennessee (i/tɛnɨˈsiː/) (Cherokee: ᏔᎾᏏ) is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. Tennessee is the 36th most extensive and the 17th most populous of the 50 United States. Tennessee is bordered by Kentucky and Virginia to the north, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, and Arkansas and Missouri to the west. The Appalachian Mountains dominate the eastern part of the state, and the Mississippi River forms the state's western border. Tennessee's capital and second largest city is Nashville, which has a population of 626,144.Memphis is the state's largest city, with a population of 670,902.
The state of Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association, a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachians. What is now Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina, and later part of the Southwest Territory. Tennessee was admitted to the Union as the 16th state on June 1, 1796. Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy at the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War in 1861, and the first state to be readmitted to the Union at the end of the war.
wn.com/Tennessee -
Texas
Texas (i/ˈtɛksəs/) (Alibamu: Teksi ) is the second most populous and the second most extensive of the 50 United States, and the most extensive state of the 48 contiguous United States. The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in East Texas. Located in the South Central United States, Texas shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Tamaulipas to the south, and borders the US states of New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km2), and a growing population of 25.7 million residents.
During the Spanish colonial rule, the area was officially known as the Nuevo Reino de Filipinas: La Provincia de Texas. Antonio Margil de Jesús was known to be the first person to use the name in a letter to the Viceroy of Mexico in July 20, 1716. The name was not popularly used in daily speech but often appeared in legal documents until the end of the 1800s.
wn.com/Texas -
Travis County, Texas
Travis County is a county located in south central Texas astride the Balcones Fault, the boundary between the Edwards Plateau to the west and the Blackland Prairie to the east. It is part of the Austin-Round Rock metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,024,266. The county has gained more than 400,000 residents since 1990. Its county seat is Austin, the capital of Texas. The county is named in honor of William Barret Travis, the commander of the Republic of Texas forces at the Battle of the Alamo.
1st - Slavery is abolished in the republic.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,022 square miles (2,647 km²). 989 square miles (2,562 km²) is land and 33 square miles (85 km²) (3.21%) is water.
As of 2010, the U.S. census there were 1,024,266 people, 320,766 households, and 183,798 families residing in the county. The population density was 821 people per square mile (317/km²). There were 335,881 housing units at an average density of 340 per square mile (131/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 68.21% White, 9.26% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 4.47% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 14.56% other races, and 2.85% from two or more races. 28.20% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 12.0% were of German, 7.7% English, 6.6% Irish and 5.5% American ancestry according to Census 2000. English is the sole language spoken at home by 71.42% of the population age 5 or over, while 22.35% speak Spanish, and a Chinese language (including Mandarin, Taiwanese, and Cantonese) is spoken by 1.05%.
wn.com/Travis_County,_Texas -
Utah
Utah (/ˈjuːtɔː/ ori/ˈjuːtɑː/) (Arapaho: Wo'tééneihí' ) is a state in the Western United States. It became the 45th state admitted to the Union on January 4, 1896. Utah is the 13th-most extensive, the 34th-most populous, and the 10th-least-densely populated of the 50 United States. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,817,222 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the sixth most urbanized in the U.S. The name "Utah" is derived from the name of the Ute tribe and means "people of the mountains" in the Ute language. Utah is bordered by Arizona on the south, Colorado on the east, Wyoming on the northeast, Idaho on the north and Nevada on the west. It also touches a corner of New Mexico.
Utah is the most religiously homogeneous state in the Union. It is home to the Salt Lake Temple, and approximately 60% of Utahns are reported to be members of LDS Church which greatly influences Utah culture and daily life.
wn.com/Utah -
Vermont
Vermonti/vɜrˈmɒnt/ is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Vermont is the 6th least extensive and the 2nd least populous of the 50 United States. It is the only New England state not bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Lake Champlain forms half of Vermont's western border, which it shares with the state of New York. The Green Mountains are within the state. Vermont is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north.
Originally inhabited by two major Native American tribes (the Algonquian-speaking Abenaki and the Iroquois), much of the territory that is now Vermont was claimed by France during its early colonial period. France ceded the territory to the Kingdom of Great Britain after being defeated in 1763 in the Seven Years' War (also called the French and Indian War). For many years, the nearby colonies, especially New Hampshire and New York, disputed control of the area (then called the New Hampshire Grants). Settlers who held land titles granted by these colonies were opposed by the Green Mountain Boys militia, which eventually prevailed in creating an independent state, the Vermont Republic. Founded in 1777 during the Revolutionary War, the republic lasted for fourteen years. Vermont is one of seventeen U.S. states (along with Texas, Hawaii, the brief California Republic, and each of the original Thirteen Colonies) to have had a sovereign government in the past. In 1791, Vermont joined the United States as the 14th state, the first outside the original 13 Colonies. It abolished slavery while still independent, and upon joining the Union became the first state to have done so.
wn.com/Vermont -
Virginia
Virginia (i/vərˈdʒɪnjə/), officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state located in the South Atlantic region of the United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, which provide habitat for much of its flora and fauna. The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond; Virginia Beach is the most populous city and Fairfax County the most populous political subdivision. The Commonwealth's population is over eight million.
The area's history begins with several indigenous groups, including the Powhatan. In 1607 the London Company established the Colony of Virginia as the first permanent New World English colony. Slave labor and the land acquired from displaced Native American tribes each played a significant role in the colony's early politics and plantation economy. Virginia was one of the 13 Colonies in the American Revolution and joined the Confederacy in the American Civil War, during which Richmond was made the Confederate capital and Virginia's northwestern counties separated to form the state of West Virginia. Although the Commonwealth was under conservative single-party rule for nearly a century following Reconstruction, both major national parties are competitive in modern Virginia.
wn.com/Virginia -
Washington (state)
Washington (i/ˈwɒʃɪŋtən/) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States located north of Oregon, west of Idaho and south of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory which had been ceded by Britain in 1846 by the Oregon Treaty as settlement of the Oregon Boundary Dispute. It was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889.
Washington is the 18th most extensive and the 13th most populous of the 50 United States. Approximately 60 percent of Washington's residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area, the center of transportation, business, and industry along the Puget Sound region of the Salish Sea, an inlet of the Pacific consisting of numerous islands, deep fjords, and bays carved out by glaciers. The remainder of the state consists of deep rainforests in the west, mountain ranges in the west, center, northeast and far southeast, and a semi-arid eastern basin given over to intensive agriculture. Washington is the second most populous state on the west coast and in the western United States after California.
wn.com/Washington_(state) -
Webb County, Texas
Webb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the official 2010 census population for the county is 250,304. Its county seat is Laredo. Webb County was named after James Webb, who served as secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of State, and Attorney General of the Republic of Texas, and later United States District Judge in the State of Texas. Webb County is the largest county in South Texas by area.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,376 square miles (8,740 km2), of which 3,357 square miles (8,690 km2) is land and 19 square miles (49 km2) (0.55%) is water.
Complete List of Highways in Webb County, Texas
Webb County was split into two counties in 1856. Encinal County was established on February 1, 1856 and was to consist of the eastern portion of Webb County, Texas. The county was never organized and was finally dissolved on March 12, 1899. The Encinal territory was absorbed into Webb County.
As of the census of 2000, there were 193,117 people, 50,740 households, and 43,433 families residing in the county. The population density was 58 people per square mile (22/km²). There were 55,206 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.16% White, 0.37% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 14.00% from other races, and 2.54% from two or more races. 94.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
wn.com/Webb_County,_Texas -
West Virginia
West Virginia (i/ˌwɛst vərˈdʒɪnjə/) is a state in the Appalachian region of the Eastern United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east. West Virginia is the 41st most extensive and the 37th most populous of the 50 United States. The capital and largest city is Charleston.
West Virginia became a state following the Wheeling Conventions and broke away from Virginia during the American Civil War. The new state was admitted to the Union on June 20, 1863, and was a key Civil War border state. West Virginia was the only state to form by seceding from a Confederate state, and was one of two states formed during the American Civil War (the other one being Nevada, which separated from Utah Territory).
The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the South. The northern panhandle extends adjacent to Pennsylvania and Ohio, with the West Virginia cities of Wheeling and Weirton just across the border from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, while Bluefield is less than 70 miles (110 km) from North Carolina. Huntington in the southwest is close to the states of Ohio and Kentucky, while Martinsburg and Harpers Ferry in the Eastern Panhandle region are considered to be a part of the Washington metropolitan area, in between the states of Maryland and Virginia. The unique position of West Virginia means that it is often included in several geographical regions, including the Mid-Atlantic, the Upland South, and the Southeastern United States. Notably, it is the only state that is entirely within the area served by the Appalachian Regional Commission; the area is commonly defined as "Appalachia".
wn.com/West_Virginia -
Wisconsin
Wisconsin (i/wɨsˈkɒnsɨn/) is a US state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin is the 23rd most extensive and the 20th most populous of the 50 United States. Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee. The state is divided into 72 counties.
The word Wisconsin originates from the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian speaking American Indian groups living in the region at the time of European contact. French explorer Jacques Marquette was the first European to reach the Wisconsin River and record its name, arriving in 1673 and calling the river Meskousing in his journal. This spelling was later corrupted to Ouisconsin by other French explorers, and over time this version became the French name for both the Wisconsin River and the surrounding lands. English speakers anglicized the spelling to its modern form when they began to arrive in greater numbers during the early 19th century. The current spelling was made official by the legislature of Wisconsin Territory in 1845.
wn.com/Wisconsin -
Wyoming
Wyoming (i/waɪˈoʊmɪŋ/) is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. Wyoming is the 10th most extensive, but the least populous and the 2nd least densely populated of the 50 States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High Plains. Cheyenne is the capital and the most populous city of Wyoming with a population of nearly 60,000 people within its city proper.
As specified in the designating legislation for the Territory of Wyoming, Wyoming's borders are lines of latitude, 41°N and 45°N, and longitude, 104°3'W and 111°3'W (27° W and 34° W of the Washington Meridian), making the shape of the state a latitude-longitude quadrangle. Wyoming is one of only three states (along with Colorado and Utah) to have borders along only straight latitudinal and longitudinal lines, rather than being defined by natural landmarks. Due to surveying inaccuracies during the 19th century, Wyoming's legal border deviates from the true latitude and longitude lines by up to half of a mile (.8 km) in some spots, especially in the mountainous region along the 45th parallel. Wyoming is bordered on the north by Montana, on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska, on the south by Colorado, on the southwest by Utah, and on the west by Idaho. It is the ninth largest state in the United States in total area, containing 97,818 square miles (253,350 km2) and is made up of 23 counties. From the north border to the south border it is 276 miles (444 km); and from the east to the west border is 365 miles (587 km) at its south end and 342 miles (550 km) at the north end.
wn.com/Wyoming
-
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken (born May 21, 1951) is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party.
Franken achieved note as a writer and performer for the television show Saturday Night Live from its conception in 1975 before moving to writing and acting in films and television shows. He then became a political commentator, author of five books and host of a nationally syndicated radio show on the Air America Radio network.
In 2008, Franken narrowly defeated incumbent Republican Senator Norm Coleman, by 312 votes, after a mandatory statewide manual recount. Coleman contested the outcome in court, but the Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously upheld Franken's victory on June 30, 2009. Franken was sworn in to the Senate on July 7, 2009.
Franken was born in New York City. His mother, Phoebe G. (née Kunst), was a homemaker and real estate agent, and his father, Joseph P. Franken, was a printing salesman. The family later moved to St. Louis Park, a suburb near Minneapolis. Franken had a Jewish upbringing. His paternal grandparents were immigrants from Germany, and his mother's family was from Russia. His older brother Owen is a photojournalist; MSNBC's Bob Franken is his cousin. Franken graduated in 1969 from The Blake School, where he was on the wrestling team. He attended Harvard College and graduated with an A.B. cum laude in 1973 in political science.
wn.com/Al_Franken -
Amanda Dunbar
Amanda Dunbar (born 1982) is a Texas-based artist who gained notoriety at an early age for her oil painting skills. Amanda Dunbar began painting in an after school art class at the age of 13. Her spontaneous and advanced works acquired significant interest immediately. Amanda is currently listed as a prodigy of the visual arts in the current textbooks for advanced university education entitled “Child Psychology” by John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd.
Amanda Dunbar is an altruistic young living American artist who has gained notoriety for her art and philanthropy at a very young age. Amanda Dunbar began painting spontaneously at the age of 13 and began her professional career as an artist with a solo exhibit in Dallas at the age of 16. Of the 68 paintings on display, most sold on the opening night with sales totaling over $500,000.00. The success of her showing prompted national media attention and she has been profiled since in numerous magazines and print media including (but not limited to) People Magazine, Southern Living and ArtNews. She has appeared on numerous high profileTV shows as well including Oprah (twice). Dunbar publicly credits the talk show host for inspiring her business model and philanthropic goals particularly after she took over control of her studio art business from what she considered bad management at the age of 18. Amanda Dunbar is the Founder and CEO of Dunbar Studios in Dallas Texas, a multimillion dollar privately owned company that is supported by several members of her family. She is also the lead designer for the Precious Rebels line of art guitars that launched with Neiman Marcus and Art Basel Miami in 2008. Her art guitars from the collection are among the most expensive guitars in the world. The artist admits that the collection is named as a subtle tribute to Oprah Winfrey, whom the artist states is “the most precious rebel on earth” and remains a significant influence to the artist’s life today.
wn.com/Amanda_Dunbar -
Amy Klobuchar
Amy Jean Klobuchar ( /ˈkloʊbəʃɑr/, born May 25, 1960) is the senior United States Senator from Minnesota. She is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, an affiliate of the Democratic Party. She is the first elected female senator from Minnesota and is one of seventeen female senators serving in the 112th United States Congress.
Klobuchar was county attorney of Hennepin County, the most populous county in Minnesota. She was a legal adviser to former U.S. Vice President Walter Mondale and partner in two prominent law firms. She has been named by the New York Times as one of the seventeen women most likely to become the first female President of the United States and by MSNBC as a possible nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Klobuchar served as Minnesota's only senator between January 3 and July 7, 2009, due to the contested results of Minnesota's senatorial election held the previous year.
Born in Plymouth, Minnesota, Klobuchar is the daughter of Rose Katherine (née Heuberger), who retired at age 70 from teaching second grade, and Jim Klobuchar, an author and retired sportswriter and columnist for the Star Tribune. Jim Klobuchar's grandparents were Slovene immigrants to the U.S. and his father was a miner on the Iron Range; Amy Klobuchar's maternal grandparents were from Switzerland. Her husband, John Bessler, is an attorney in private practice and a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law. A native of Mankato, Bessler attended Loyola High School, and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota.
wn.com/Amy_Klobuchar -
Ann Richards
Dorothy Ann Willis Richards (September 1, 1933 – September 13, 2006) was an American politician from Texas. She first came to national attention as the state treasurer of Texas, when she delivered the keynote address at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. Richards served as the 45th Governor of Texas from 1991 to 1995 and was defeated for re-election in 1994 by George W. Bush. Ann Richards was the second female governor of Texas, and the 39th Democratic governor to serve.
Dorothy Ann Willis was born in Lakeview (now part of Lacy-Lakeview), McLennan County, the only child of Robert Cecil Willis and Mildred Iona Warren. She grew up in Waco, participated in Girls State, and graduated from Waco High School in 1950. She attended Baylor University on a debate scholarship and earned a bachelor's degree. After marrying high school sweetheart David "Dave" Richards, she moved to Austin, where she earned a teaching certificate from the University of Texas. David and Ann Richards had four children named Cecile, Daniel, Clark, and Ellen.
wn.com/Ann_Richards -
Anne Armstrong
Anne Legendre Armstrong (December 27, 1927 – July 30, 2008) was a United States diplomat and politician, and the first female Counselor to the President; she served in that capacity under both the Ford and Nixon administrations. She was also the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
She was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and graduated from Vassar College in 1949. In 1950, she married Tobin Armstrong and moved to Kenedy County, Texas. From 1966 to 1968, she was the vice chairman of the Texas Republican Party. From 1971 to 1973 she was Co-chairman of the Republican National Committee, and she was the keynote speaker at the 1972 Republican National Convention. (She was the first woman from either major party to keynote at a national convention). In 1973, a young Karl Rove, then on his way to becoming the chairman of the College Republicans, suggested in a memorandum to Armstrong that the Republican Party show nonpolitical films (such as John Wayne movies and Reefer Madness) at College Republican clubs as part of a strategy to raise support for the party among students and for fundraising.
wn.com/Anne_Armstrong -
Annette Strauss
Annette Strauss (January 26, 1924 – December 14, 1998) was a philanthropist and a former mayor of Dallas. The Annette Strauss Artist Square in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas is named in honor of her. She was the second female mayor and the second Jewish mayor of Dallas (Adlene Harrison was first; Laura Miller was the third).
Born in Houston, Texas, Annette Strauss graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1944. She moved to New York City where she received master's degrees in sociology and psychology from Columbia University. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She worked as a Red Cross social worker in Houston for a year until she married Ted Strauss, Sr. Managing Director of Bear Stearns, in 1946 and moved to Dallas in 1947.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Strauss worked tirelessly as a fundraiser for various charities and organizations and also as a volunteer for a number of other organizations. She worked on behalf of the Dallas Symphony, the Crystal Charity Ball, Southern Methodist University, the United Way of America, the United Jewish Appeal, the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Baylor University Medical Center and many other groups. Her efforts helped to raise millions for the arts in Dallas. Strauss was also one of the founding members of the Volunteer Center of North Texas.
wn.com/Annette_Strauss -
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Levy Boxer (born November 11, 1940) is the junior United States Senator from California (since 1993). A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1983–1993).
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Boxer graduated from Brooklyn College. She worked as a stockbroker for several years before moving to California with her husband. During the 1970s, she worked as a journalist for the Pacific Sun and as an aide to U.S. Representative John L. Burton. She served on the Marin County Board of Supervisors for six years and become the board's first female president. With the slogan "Barbara Boxer Gives a Damn", she was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1982, representing California District 6. She sat on the House Armed Services Committee, and was involved in government oversight, passing several procurement reforms.
Boxer won the 1992 election for the U.S. Senate. She holds the record for the most popular votes in any U.S. Senate election in history, having received 6.96 million votes in her 2004 re-election. Boxer is the chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee and the chair of the Select Committee on Ethics, making her the only senator to preside over two committees simultaneously. She is also the Democratic Chief Deputy Whip.
wn.com/Barbara_Boxer -
Barbara Jordan
Barbara Charline Jordan (February 21, 1936 – January 17, 1996) was an American politician and a leader of the Civil Rights movement. She was the first African American elected to the Texas Senate after Reconstruction and the first southern black female elected to the United States House of Representatives. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, among numerous other honors. On her death she became the first African-American woman to be buried in the Texas State Cemetery.
Barbara Jordan was born in Houston, Texas' Fifth Ward. Her parents were Benjamin Jordan, a Baptist minister; and Arlyne Jordan, a "domestic worker". Barbara attended Roberson Elementary School. She graduated from Phillis Wheatley High School in 1952 as an honor student.
Because of segregation, she did not attend The University of Texas at Austin and instead chose Texas Southern University, majoring in political science and history. Barbara was a national champion debater, defeating her opponents from such schools as Yale and Brown and tying Harvard University. She graduated magna cum laude in 1956. At Texas Southern University, she pledged Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She attended Boston University School of Law, graduating in 1959.
wn.com/Barbara_Jordan -
Barbara Mikulski
Barbara Ann Mikulski (born July 20, 1936) is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former United States Representative, is the longest-serving female senator and the longest-serving woman in the history of the U.S. Congress, having served since 1977.
Raised in the Highlandtown neighborhood of East Baltimore, Mikulski attended Mount Saint Agnes College and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. Originally a social worker and community organizer, she was elected to the Baltimore City Council in 1971 after delivering a highly publicized address on the "ethnic movement" in America. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976, and in 1986 she became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Maryland.
Mikulski is chairwoman of the Health Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging and Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, and is a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence. Mikulski is the longest-serving present Senator who has never been the chairperson of a full standing committee of the U.S. Senate. She is also the longest-serving/highest-ranking Democrat who is not a present chairperson of a full standing committee.
wn.com/Barbara_Mikulski -
Beau Boulter
Eldon Beau Boulter (born February 23, 1942) is a Washington, D.C.-based attorney and lobbyist who was a Republican U.S. representative from Texas between 1985 and 1989.
Boulter was born in El Paso, Texas. He graduated in 1960 from Levelland High School in Levelland, the seat of Hockley County, near Lubbock. In 1965, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, and in 1968, he earned his law degree from Baylor Law School in Waco, Texas. He was thereafter admitted to the bar and practiced law in Amarillo. From 1981 to 1983, he was a member of the Amarillo City Commission.
In 1982, Boulter lost the Republican primary for he sprawling 13th district, which stretches from Amarillo to Wichita Falls and embraces the Texas Panhandle. He won the nomination in 1984, however, and defeated incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative Jack Hightower in the general election. He was helped by Ronald W. Reagan's massive landslide that year; Reagan won most of the counties in this district by margins of 2-to-1 or greater. Although the 13th Distrrict had become increasingly Republican at the national level, Boulter's win is still regarded as an upset. He was one of six freshmen Republican congressmen elected from Texas in 1984; they were collectively called the Texas Six Pack.
wn.com/Beau_Boulter -
Ben Cardin
Benjamin Louis "Ben" Cardin (born October 5, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the Senate, Cardin was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Maryland's 3rd congressional district from 1987 to 2007. National Journal rates him as the third most liberal Democrat in the Senate.
Cardin was elected to succeed Paul Sarbanes in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, defeating Republican challenger Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele by a margin of 54%–44%.
Cardin was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Dora (née Green) and Meyer M. Cardin (1907–2005). The family name was originally Kardonsky before it was changed to Cardin by Cardin's paternal grandparents, Russian Jewish immigrants. His grandfather operated a neighborhood grocery store that later turned into a wholesale food distribution company. His father, Meyer Cardin, served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1935 to 1937, and later sat on the Supreme Bench of Baltimore City from 1961 to 1977.
wn.com/Ben_Cardin -
Ben Nelson
Earl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson (born May 17, 1941) is the senior United States Senator from Nebraska, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Nelson entered politics in 1990, when he was elected the 37th Governor of Nebraska. He was re-elected in 1994 with 74% of the vote. Nelson ran for an open seat in the U.S. Senate in 1996, losing to Republican Chuck Hagel, and left the Governor's office in January 1999 due to term limits, after serving two full terms. Nelson was elected to the U.S. Senate in the 2000 election after incumbent Bob Kerrey retired.
On December 27, 2011, Nelson announced that he would not seek a third Senate term in 2012.
Nelson was born in McCook, in southwestern Nebraska. He is the only child of Birdella Ruby (née Henderson) and Benjamin Earl Nelson. He earned a B.A. in 1963, a M.A. in 1965, and a J.D. in 1970 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Nelson made his name and money in the insurance industry. After graduating from law school, Nelson landed a job as assistant general counsel for Central National Insurance Group of Omaha. In 1975, he became state insurance director before going back to work for Central National Insurance as an executive vice president and eventually president. He won his first elected office in 1990 when he became governor of Nebraska.
wn.com/Ben_Nelson -
Bernie Sanders
Bernard "Bernie" Sanders (born September 8, 1941) is the junior United States Senator from Vermont. He previously represented Vermont's at-large district in the United States House of Representatives. Sanders also served as mayor of Burlington, Vermont.
Sanders is a self-described democratic socialist, and has praised European social democracy (though he has also criticized its contemporary "Third Way" departure). He is the first person elected to the U.S. Senate to identify as a socialist. Sanders caucuses with the Democratic Party and is counted as a Democrat for the purposes of committee assignments, but because he does not belong to a formal political party, he appears as an independent on the ballot. He was also the only independent member of the House during much of his service there.
Sanders, the son of Jewish Polish immigrants to the United States, was born in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from James Madison High School in Brooklyn and later attended the University of Chicago, graduating with an B.A. in political science in 1964. After graduating from college, Sanders spent time on an Israeli kibbutz, an experience which shaped his political views. In 1964, Sanders moved to Vermont, where he worked as a carpenter, filmmaker, writer and researcher, among other jobs.
wn.com/Bernie_Sanders -
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III; August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation. Clinton has been described as a New Democrat. Many of his policies have been attributed to a centrist Third Way philosophy of governance.
Born and raised in Arkansas, Clinton became both a student leader and a skilled musician. He is an alumnus of Georgetown University where he was Phi Beta Kappa and earned a Rhodes Scholarship to attend the University of Oxford. He is married to Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has served as the United States Secretary of State since 2009 and was a Senator from New York from 2001 to 2009. Both Clintons received law degrees from Yale Law School, where they met and began dating. As Governor of Arkansas, Clinton overhauled the state's education system, and served as Chair of the National Governors Association.
wn.com/Bill_Clinton -
Bill Flores
William H. "Bill" Flores (born February 25, 1954) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 17th congressional district. The district, located in the middle of the state, includes Waco, College Station and Bryan. He is a member of the Republican Party and the former CEO of Phoenix Exploration Company, an oil and natural gas exploration company.
Flores was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base, where his father was serving in the military. He is the son of Ruth Ann Theresa (née Kennedy) and Joe Pete Flores. His patrilineal great-great-great-grandfather was Hispanic (the origin of his surname). Flores grew up in Stratford, Texas in the Texas Panhandle. He graduated Cum Laude with a B.B.A. in accounting from Texas A&M University in 1976. While there, he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, the Ross Volunteer Company, and Corps Staff. He also served as Student Body Vice-President of Finance during his senior year. He has been a licensed Certified Public Accountant since 1978. He also received an M.B.A from Houston Baptist University in 1985.
wn.com/Bill_Flores -
Bill Nelson
Clarence William "Bill" Nelson (born September 29, 1942) is the senior United States Senator from the state of Florida and a member of the Democratic Party. He is a former United States Representative and former Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida. In 1986, he became the second sitting member of the United States Congress to fly in space.
In 1972, Nelson was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. He was re-elected in 1974 and 1976. Nelson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1978. He served in the U.S. House from 1979 to 1991. In January 1986, he flew as a Payload Specialist on the Space Shuttle Columbia. After a failed gubernatorial race in 1990, he successfully ran for the office of Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner of Florida in 1994 and served for six years. In 2000, Nelson ran for U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Republican Senator Connie Mack. In the Senate he is generally considered a social moderate and economic liberal. He was re-elected in 2006 with 60 percent of the vote and is seeking re-election in 2012.
wn.com/Bill_Nelson -
Blake Farenthold
Randolph Blake Farenthold (born December 12, 1961) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 27th congressional district. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Farenthold was born and raised in Corpus Christi, the son of Mary Sue (née Ogg) and George Randolph Farenthold. His paternal grandfather was Belgian, born in Brussels. Farenthold attended Incarnate Word Academy and the University of Texas at Austin where he received a BS in Radio, Television, and Film. He also graduated from St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio.
Farenthold's pre-political career includes working as a radio disc jockey in high school and college, seven years of practicing law at the Kleberg Law Firm in Corpus Christi and founding Farenthold Consulting LLC, a computer consulting and web design firm.
Farenthold co-hosted Lago in the Morning, a conservative talk radio program, until he began his political campaign.
Farenthold defeated incumbent Democratic Rep. Solomon Ortiz by 799 votes on election night. Ortiz asked for a manual recount. On Monday, November 22, Ortiz conceded to Farenthold. Farenthold's final margin of victory over Ortiz was 47.85 to 47.1 percent—the original 799 votes. Farenthold's victory was viewed by many as one of the biggest upsets of an election in which Republicans gained 63 House seats nationwide.[citation needed] Ortiz represented the district since its creation in 1982, and had never faced serious opposition before.
wn.com/Blake_Farenthold -
Bob Casey, Jr.
Robert Patrick "Bob" Casey, Jr. (born April 13, 1960) is an American attorney and politician. He is currently senior United States Senator from Pennsylvania, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as Pennsylvania Treasurer and Pennsylvania Auditor General.
Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Casey is the son of Bob Casey, Sr., a former Governor of Pennsylvania. After graduating from Scranton Preparatory School in 1978, he attended the College of the Holy Cross. He received his law degree from the Columbus School of Law at The Catholic University of America.
Casey practiced law in Scranton, Pennsylvania, before beginning his political career as Pennsylvania's Auditor General, a post to which he was elected to in 1996 and re-elected in 2000.
In the 2002 Pennsylvania gubernatorial election, Casey attempted to follow his father's footsteps in a run for Governor of Pennsylvania. He was defeated, however, in the Democratic primary by eventual general election victor Ed Rendell. After being term-limited out of his position as Auditor General, Casey was elected State Treasurer in the 2004 election.
wn.com/Bob_Casey,_Jr. -
Bob Corker
Robert Phillips "Bob" Corker, Jr. (born August 24, 1952) is the junior United States Senator from Tennessee. Before his election to the Senate in 2006, he served as mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee from 2001 to 2005. Corker was a businessman prior to holding public office.
Corker was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, the son of Jean J. (née Hutto) and Robert Phillips "Phil" Corker. He moved to Tennessee at the age of 11. He graduated from Chattanooga High School in 1970. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1974. Corker is a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He and his wife Elizabeth, whom he married on May 18, 1987, have two daughters. The family's permanent residence is at the Anne Haven mansion built by Coca-Cola Bottling Company heirs Anne Lupton and Frank Harrison.
After working four years as a construction superintendent, he started his own construction company, Bencor, which he sold in 1990. In 1999, he purchased the two largest real estate companies in Chattanooga, Osborne Building Corporation and the Stone Fort Land Company, making him the largest private land owner in Hamilton County, Tennessee. He sold most of these holdings in 2006 to Henry Luken. His business successes have made Corker a multimillionaire.
wn.com/Bob_Corker -
Bob Krueger
Robert Charles Krueger (born September 19, 1935), American politician, is a former U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Texas, a former U.S. Ambassador, and a member of the Democratic Party. As of 2011, he is the last Democrat to serve as a Senator from Texas.
Born in New Braunfels, Texas, Krueger earned a B.A. from Southern Methodist University in 1957 and an M.A. from Duke University in 1958. He went to Merton College, Oxford, earning a D.Phil. in English literature in 1964. He taught English literature as a professor and was later vice provost and Dean of the Trinity College of Arts and Sciences at Duke University. His edition of the poems of Sir John Davies was published by the Clarendon Press, Oxford, in 1975.
Krueger held business positions as chairman of the board of Comal Hosiery Mills and managing partner of the Krueger Brangus Ranch before entering elective office. Krueger was elected to the 94th and 95th United States Congresses, serving from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1979. Krueger was initially elected to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent Texas's 21st congressional district, then the largest congressional district in Texas, stretching from northern San Antonio to Big Bend National Park in far west Texas. Krueger was part of the large "Watergate Class" of 1974, many of whom were Democrats who owed their election to the scandal that brought the resignation of President Richard Nixon three months before the election. Of 92 freshmen elected that year, Krueger was voted "most effective" by his colleagues for his articulate advocacy of causes, particularly a sound national energy policy based upon his knowledge of the oil and gas industry in Texas. Krueger was reelected for a second House term in 1976 along with the election of Jimmy Carter as president, whose term was also marked by the development of an energy policy that included the creation of the Department of Energy as a Cabinet office.
wn.com/Bob_Krueger -
Bob Menendez
Robert "Bob" Menendez (born January 1, 1954) is the junior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. In January 2006, he was appointed to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Jon Corzine, who resigned upon being elected Governor of New Jersey. Menendez was elected to his own full six-year term in the 2006 U.S. Senate election.
Prior to his appointment to the U.S. Senate, Menendez was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 13th congressional district. He previously served as Mayor of Union City (1986–1992) and as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate.
Following the 2008 elections, Menendez was appointed to head the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
Bob Menendez was born on New Year's Day in New York City to Cuban immigrants who left their homeland a few months earlier, in 1953, seeking economic and political freedom from the repressive government headed by Fulgencio Batista. His father, Mario Menendez, was a carpenter, and his mother, Evangelina, a seamstress. The family subsequently moved to neighboring New Jersey where, growing up in Union City, he graduated from Union Hill High School.
wn.com/Bob_Menendez -
Carl Levin
Carl Milton Levin (born June 28, 1934) is the senior United States Senator from Michigan, serving since 1979. He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
He has been Michigan's senior senator since 1995. He has served as a U.S. Senator longer than any Senator in Michigan history. He was elected to a sixth term in 2008, which will end in January 2015. He is the younger brother of U.S. Representative Sander M. Levin.
Levin was born in Detroit, the son of Jewish parents Bess (née Levinson) and Saul R. Levin. He attended Detroit public schools and graduated from Swarthmore College in 1956 and from Harvard Law School in 1959. Soon after earning his law degree, he was admitted to the Michigan bar and opened a practice in Detroit, where he still lives. He received honorary degrees from Michigan State University in 2004, Wayne State University in 2005, and Michigan Technological University in 2008.
He was state assistant police officer and general counsel for the Michigan civil rights commission from 1964 to 1967. He was special assistant attorney general for the state of Michigan and chief appellate defender for the city of Detroit from 1968 to 1969. He was a member of the Detroit City Council from 1969 to 1977, serving two four-year terms, the last four years as council president.
wn.com/Carl_Levin -
Cathie Adams
Cathie L. Adams (born 1950) is a homemaker from Dallas, Texas, who is the former chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. She won the post in a special meeting of the Republican State Executive Committee held on October 24, 2009, at party headquarters in Austin. She was unseated in the state convention held in Dallas on June 12, 2010, by Stephen Peter "Steve" Munisteri (born 1958), a retired attorney and businessman from Houston.
Adams has been married since 1970 to Homer Charles Adams (born ca. 1948), a Dallas chiropractor. They have one son and five grandchildren. The couple attends Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco in the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex.
By a vote of 36-25, Adams defeated Melinda Fredricks of Conroe to succeed former chairman Tina Benkiser, a Houston attorney who stepped down on September 26 to join the reelection campaign of Governor Rick Perry. Adams' election as interim party chairman extended until the next Republican state convention on June 11–12, 2010. She indicated from the start that she would seek a full term at the state convention.
wn.com/Cathie_Adams -
Charlie Gonzalez
Charles Augustine "Charlie" Gonzalez (born May 5, 1945) is a Democratic politician from Texas. He has represented Texas's 20th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1999. The district includes more than half of San Antonio.
Gonzalez was born in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Bertha Marie (née Cuellar) and Henry B. Gonzalez, who represented the 20th from 1961 until his son took over in 1999. His parents, of Mexican descent, were both Texas-born. Charlie graduated from Thomas A. Edison High School. He received his bachelor's degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin in 1969, and then later earned his Juris Doctor degree from St. Mary's University in San Antonio in 1972. As a youth, he was a Boy Scout in Troop 90 of San Antonio. His father was the Scoutmaster.
Gonzalez served as a technical sergeant in the Texas Air National Guard from 1969 until 1975. He then began practicing law until 1982 when he began rising through the ranks of the court system. He served first as a municipal court judge, then later as a judge in county and then district court, both of which are elected positions.
wn.com/Charlie_Gonzalez -
Chris Coons
Christopher Andrew "Chris" Coons (born September 9, 1963) is the junior United States senator from Delaware and a member of the Democratic Party. He won a special election in 2010 to succeed Joe Biden, who had resigned to become Vice President. Previously, Coons was the county executive of New Castle County. Coons is the 1983 Truman Scholar from Delaware, and the first recipient of the award to serve in the United States Senate.
A native of Hockessin, Delaware, Coons graduated from Amherst College and received graduate degrees from Yale Divinity School and Yale Law School. He went to work as a volunteer relief worker in Kenya, where he had taken classes in the University of Nairobi, later returning to the U.S. to work for the Coalition for the Homeless in New York. He spent some time as a legal clerk in New York before returning to Delaware in 1996, where he spent eight years as in-house counsel for a materials manufacturing company. In the interim he worked for several nonprofit organizations.
wn.com/Chris_Coons -
Chris Matthews
Christopher John "Chris" Matthews (born December 17, 1945) is an American news anchor and political commentator known for his nightly hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, which is televised on the American cable television channel MSNBC. On weekends he hosts the syndicated NBC News–produced panel discussion program The Chris Matthews Show. Matthews makes frequent appearances on many other NBC and MSNBC programs. On March 22, 2009, Matthews renewed the contract for Hardball with Chris Matthews through 2012.
Matthews was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Irish American parents and is a Roman Catholic. He attended La Salle College High School. He is a 1967 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and did graduate work in economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Matthews served in the United States Peace Corps in Swaziland from 1968 to 1970 as a trade development adviser.
When Matthews first arrived in Washington, D.C., he worked as a police officer with the United States Capitol Police. Subsequently, he served on the staffs of four Democratic members of Congress, including Senators Frank Moss and Edmund Muskie. In 1974, he mounted an unsuccessful campaign for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in which he received about 24% of the vote in the primary. Matthews was a presidential speechwriter during the Carter administration and later worked for six years as a top aide to longtime Speaker of the House of Representatives Tip O'Neill, playing a direct role in many key political battles with the Reagan administration.
wn.com/Chris_Matthews -
Chuck Grassley
Charles Ernest "Chuck" Grassley (born September 17, 1933) is the senior United States Senator from Iowa, serving since 1981. A member of Republican Party, he previously served in the served in the United States House of Representatives (1975–1981) and the Iowa state legislature (1959–1974). He was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee from January to June 2001 and from January 2003 to December 2006. He is currently the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee.
Grassley was born in New Hartford, Iowa, the son of Ruth (née Corwin) and Louis Arthur Grassley, and graduated from the town high school. At Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa), he earned a B.A. in 1955 and an M.A. in 1956. Also during the 1950s, Grassley farmed and worked in factories, first as a sheet metal shearer and then as an assembly line worker. He studied toward a Ph.D. in political science at the University of Iowa. In 1967-1968 Grassley taught at the now-defunct Charles City College.
wn.com/Chuck_Grassley -
Chuck Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer (/ˈʃuːmər/; born November 23, 1950) is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a margin of 66%–33%.
Before his election to the U.S. Senate, Schumer served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1999. He represented New York's 16th congressional district, which was later redistricted to the 10th congressional district in 1983 and to the 9th congressional district in 1993. A native of Brooklyn and graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, he was a three-term member of the New York State Assembly, serving from 1975 to 1980.
Schumer was chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee from 2005 to 2009, in which post he oversaw a total of 14 Democratic gains in the Senate in the 2006 and 2008 elections. Elected Vice Chairman of the Democratic Caucus in the Senate, in 2006, he is the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate, behind Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin. In November 2010, he was also chosen to hold the additional role of chairman of the Senate Democratic Policy Committee starting at the opening of the 112th Congress.
wn.com/Chuck_Schumer -
Claire McCaskill
Claire Conner McCaskill (pronounced /məˈkæskəl/; born July 24, 1953) is the senior United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated Republican incumbent Jim Talent in the 2006 United States Senate election, by a margin of 49.6% to 47.3%. She is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in her own right. She became the state's senior U.S. Senator upon the retirement of Kit Bond in 2011.
Before her election to the U.S. Senate, McCaskill was State Auditor of Missouri from 1999 to 2007. She previously served as Jackson County Prosecutor (1993–1998) and a member of the Missouri House of Representatives (1983–1988). She was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Missouri in the 2004 gubernatorial election. She is a native of Rolla and graduate of the University of Missouri.
In the U.S. Senate, McCaskill serves as a member of the Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Special Committee on Aging. She is chairperson of the Subcommittee on Contracting Oversight.
wn.com/Claire_McCaskill -
Clymer Wright
Clymer Lewis Wright. Jr. (July 24, 1932 – January 24, 2011) was a Texas conservative political activist and a crusading journalist later credited with bringing term limits to Houston municipal government and encouraging Ronald W. Reagan to seek the American presidency.
A veteran of the United States Army in the Korean War, Wright was active in the Baptist Church and in the alumni association of his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
During the middle 1950s, as owner and editor of the Fort Bend Reporter in Rosenberg, Texas, Wright survived death threats targeting himself as well as his family, but he joined with state authorities and the Texas Rangers to rid Galveston and Fort Bend County, outside Houston, of organized crime, including brothels and illegal gambling casinos. Wright sold the Fort Bend Reporter as early as 1957. After further changes of ownership, on August 27, 2005, it assumed the name, the Fort Bend Herald and Texas Coaster.
Wright later published a second conservative newspaper, the Houston Tribune.
wn.com/Clymer_Wright -
Dan Coats
Daniel Ray "Dan" Coats (born May 16, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Indiana and member of the Republican Party. He was in the United States Senate from 1989 to 1999, retired, and then returned in 2011.
Born in Jackson, Michigan, Coats graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois and Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. He served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968. Before serving in the U.S. Senate, Coats was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Indiana's 4th congressional district from 1981 to 1989. He was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Dan Quayle following Quayle's election as Vice President of the United States in 1988. Coats won the 1990 special election to serve the remainder of Quayle's unexpired term, as well as the 1992 election for a full six-year term. He did not seek reelection in 1998, and was succeeded by Evan Bayh.
After retiring from the Senate, Coats served as U.S. Ambassador to Germany from 2001 to 2005, and then worked as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. He was re-elected to the Senate by a large margin in 2010, succeeding Bayh, who announced his own retirement shortly after Coats declared his candidacy. Along with Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, he is one of two current Senators to have returned to the Senate after having retired from the Senate.
wn.com/Dan_Coats -
Daniel Akaka
Daniel Kahikina Akaka (/əˈkɑːkə/; born September 11, 1924) is the junior United States Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry.
Born in Honolulu, he served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. He attended the University of Hawaii, where he received his bachelor's and master's degrees. Originally a high school teacher, he went on to serve as a principal for six years. In 1969, he was hired by the Department of Education as a chief program planner. In the 1970s he served in various governmental positions. He was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 to represent Hawaii's Second Congressional District, and he served for 13 years. In 1990 he was appointed to the U.S. Senate to succeed the deceased Spark Matsunaga. Akaka would later be re-elected to three full terms. In March 2011 he announced that he will not run for re-election in 2012.
wn.com/Daniel_Akaka -
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye (/ɨˈnoʊweɪ/; Japanese: 井上 建, Inoue Ken; born September 7, 1924) is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations.
A senator since 1963, Inouye is the most senior senator. He is also the second longest serving U.S. Senator in history after Robert Byrd. Inouye has continuously represented Hawaii in the U.S. Congress since it achieved statehood in 1959, serving as Hawaii's first U.S. Representative and later a senator. Inouye was the first Japanese-American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and later the first in the U.S. Senate. At age 87, Inouye is the second-oldest current senator, after 88 year-old Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey. He is also a recipient of the United States Medal of Honor, as well as other military awards.
wn.com/Daniel_Inouye -
Dark horse
Dark horse is a term used to describe a little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence, especially in a competition of some sort or a contestant that seems unlikely to succeed.
The term began as horse racing parlance. A dark horse is a race horse that is not known to gamblers and thus is difficult to place betting odds on.
The earliest-known use of the phrase is in Benjamin Disraeli's novel The Young Duke (1831). Disraeli's protagonist, the Duke of St. James, attends a horse race with a surprise finish: "A dark horse which had never been thought of, and which the careless St. James had never even observed in the list, rushed past the grandstand in sweeping triumph."
The term has been used politically in such countries as Peru, Philippines and United States.
Politically, the term reached America in the nineteenth century when it was first applied to James K. Polk, a relatively unknown Tennessee Democrat who won the Democratic Party's 1844 presidential nomination over a host of better-known candidates. Polk won the nomination on the ninth ballot, and went on to win the presidential election.
wn.com/Dark_horse -
David Vitter
David Bruce Vitter (born May 3, 1961) is the junior United States Senator from Louisiana and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the suburban Louisiana's 1st congressional district. He served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives before entering the U.S. House.
In July 2007, Vitter was identified as a client of a prostitution service. He won a second Senate term in 2010, defeating a Democratic challenge from U.S. Representative Charlie Melancon of Napoleonville, the seat of Assumption Parish. In the Republican primary held on August 28, 2010, Vitter handily defeated former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet D. Traylor of Monroe, formerly from Winnsboro.
Vitter was born in New Orleans, the son of Audrey Malvina (née St. Raymond) and Albert Leopold Vitter, and graduated in 1979 from De La Salle High School. He received an A.B. from Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1983; a B.A. from Oxford University in 1985, as a Rhodes Scholar; and a J.D. from the Tulane University Law School in New Orleans in 1988. He was a lawyer, and adjunct law professor at Tulane and Loyola University New Orleans.
wn.com/David_Vitter -
Dean Heller
Dean A. Heller (born May 10, 1960) is the junior United States Senator from Nevada and a member of the Republican Party. Heller was appointed by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval to a vacant seat created by the resignation of John Ensign. He was previously a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Nevada's 2nd congressional district from 2007 to 2011. Prior to that he served as Secretary of State of Nevada (1994–2006) and a member of the Nevada Assembly (1990–1994). He announced that he will run in the 2012 election for the United States Senate seat to which he was appointed.
Heller is long time resident of Carson City—moving there from his birthplace of Castro Valley, California, at the age of 9 months—and a graduate of Carson High School. He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, specializing in finance and securities analysis, from the University of Southern California in 1985. Prior to entering politics, Heller worked as an institutional stockbroker and as a broker/trader on the Pacific Stock Exchange.
wn.com/Dean_Heller -
Debbie Stabenow
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Greer Stabenow (born April 29, 1950) is the junior United States Senator from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party. Before her election to the U.S. Senate, she was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Michigan's 8th congressional district from 1997 to 2001. She previously served as a member of the Ingham County Board of Commissioners, Michigan House of Representatives, and Michigan Senate.
Stabenow defeated first-term Republican incumbent Spencer Abraham in the 2000 U.S. Senate election, becoming the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Michigan. She and Maria Cantwell were the first women to defeat incumbent Senators in a general election. Stabenow was re-elected easily in 2006, receiving 57% of the vote.
Stabenow currently serves as Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Her current Senate term ends in January 2013 and she is seeking re-election to the seat in November 2012.
Stabenow was born in Gladwin, Michigan, the daughter of Anna Merle (née Hallmark) and Robert Lee Greer. She grew up in Clare, Michigan, where her father and grandfather owned an auto dealership. She graduated from Clare High School. She received a B.A. from Michigan State University in 1972 and a M.S.W. magna cum laude from Michigan State University in 1975.
wn.com/Debbie_Stabenow -
Debra Medina
Debra Medina (born June 1, 1962) was a candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2010 Texas gubernatorial election. She participated in the January 14 televised debate with incumbent Governor Rick Perry and challenger U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. After subsequently tripling her support in public opinion polls, she was invited to participate alongside her two opponents in a second debate held on January 29.
Medina was born in Beeville in Bee County in south Texas. She graduated as a registered nurse from Baptist Memorial Hospital System School of Nursing (now Baptist Health System) in San Antonio in 1984. She earned her business degree in 1995 from LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. In 2002 she founded and managed Prudentia Inc., a medical billing company based in Wharton, Texas. She grew up Catholic, but now attends a Baptist church.
Medina got involved in politics in the 1990s and became Wharton County GOP chairwoman in 2004. She was a high-level volunteer for Ron Paul’s 2008 presidential campaign, and served as Interim State Coordinator for the Campaign for Liberty. At the 2008 Republican Party of Texas state convention in Houston, she lost her bid for state GOP vice chairwoman. In 2008, she decided to run for governor.
wn.com/Debra_Medina -
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein ( /ˈfaɪnstaɪn/; born June 22, 1933) is the senior United States Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988.
Born in San Francisco, Feinstein graduated from Stanford University. In the 1960s she worked in city government, and in 1970 she was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. She served as the board's first female president in 1978, during which time the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk drew national attention to the city. Feinstein, who was the first to discover the shootings, succeeded Moscone as mayor. During her tenure as San Francisco's first female mayor she took a politically moderate stance, leading a revamp of the city's cable car system and overseeing the 1984 Democratic National Convention.
After a failed gubernatorial campaign in 1990, she won a 1992 special election to the U.S. Senate. Feinstein was first elected on the same ballot as her peer Barbara Boxer, and the two became California's first female U.S. Senators. Feinstein formerly chaired the Senate Rules Committee (2007–2009) and has chaired the Select Committee on Intelligence since 2009. She is also the first woman to have presided over a U.S. presidential inauguration.
wn.com/Dianne_Feinstein -
Dick Cheney
Richard Bruce "Dick" Cheney (born January 30, 1941) served as the 46th Vice President of the United States (2001–2009), under George W. Bush.
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Cheney was primarily raised in Sumner, Nebraska, and Casper, Wyoming. He began his political career as an intern for Congressman William A. Steiger, eventually working his way into the White House during the Nixon and Ford administrations, where he served the latter as White House Chief of Staff. In 1978, Cheney was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming; he was reelected five times, eventually becoming House Minority Whip. Cheney was selected to be the Secretary of Defense during the presidency of George H. W. Bush, holding the position for the majority of Bush's term. During this time, Cheney oversaw the 1991 Operation Desert Storm, among other actions.
Out of office during the Clinton presidency, Cheney was chairman and CEO of Halliburton Company from 1995 to 2000.
Cheney was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, the son of Marjorie Lorraine (née Dickey) and Richard Herbert Cheney. He is of predominantly English, as well as Welsh, Irish, and French Huguenot, ancestry; Cheney's 8th great-grandfather, William Cheney, immigrated from England to Massachusetts in the 17th century. Although not a direct descendant, he is collaterally related to Benjamin Pierce Cheney (1815–1895), the early American expressman. Cheney is a very distant cousin of both Harry S. Truman and Barack Obama; the three share a common ancestor in Mareen Duvall, a Huguenot who fled from France to England in the 17th century and later settled in Maryland. His father was a soil conservation agent for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and his mother was a softball star in the 1930s; Cheney was one of three children.
wn.com/Dick_Cheney -
Dick Durbin
Richard Joseph "Dick" Durbin (born November 21, 1944) is the senior United States Senator from Illinois and the Senate Majority Whip, the second highest position in the Democratic Party leadership in the Senate.
Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, he graduated from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and Georgetown University Law Center. Working in state legal counsel throughout the 1970s, he made an unsuccessful run for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 1978. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, representing the Springfield-based 20th congressional district. In 1996 he won election to the U.S. Senate by an unexpected 15-point margin. He has served as Senate Democratic Whip since 2005, and assumed his current title when the Democratic Party obtained a majority in 2007.
Durbin was born in East St. Louis, Illinois to an Irish-American father, William Durbin, and a Lithuanian-born mother, Anna (née Kutkin; Lithuanian: Ona Kutkaitė). He graduated from Assumption High School in East St. Louis in 1962. During his high school years he worked at a meatpacking plant. He earned a B.S. from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in 1966. He was an intern in the office of Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois during his senior year in college. Durbin earned his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1969 and was admitted to the Illinois bar later that year.
wn.com/Dick_Durbin -
Donna Lopiano
Dr. Donna Lopiano (born September 11, 1946) is the President and founder of Sports Management Resources, a consulting firm that focuses on bringing the knowledge of experienced, expert former athletics directors to assist scholastic and collegiate athletics departments in solving growth and development challenges.
Lopiano was the Chief Executive Officer of the Women's Sports Foundation from 1992–2007 and was recently named one of "The 10 Most Powerful Women in Sports" by Fox Sports. The Sporting News has also listed her as one of "The 100 Most Influential People in Sports." She received her bachelor's degree from Southern Connecticut State University and her master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Southern California. She has been a college coach of men's and women's volleyball, women's basketball and softball.
As an athlete, she participated in 26 national championships in four sports and was a nine-time All-American at four different positions in softball, a sport in which she played on six national championship teams including the Connecticut Brakettes. She is a member of the National Sports Hall of Fame, the National Softball Hall of Fame and the Texas Women's Hall of Fame, among others. In 2003, she was inducted into the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame.
wn.com/Donna_Lopiano -
Ebby Halliday
Ebby Halliday (born March 9, 1911) is an American realtor and businesswoman who founded Ebby Halliday Realtors, which now sells more homes than any other broker in Texas, was the 11th-biggest in the country in 2007, according to a new report from RealTrends Inc.
She is one of the first successful female entrepreneurs in Dallas. Halliday, as a centenarian, still drives herself to work every day. As chairman of the board of her company, she continues to be active in its management.
Halliday graduated from high school in Abilene, Kansas in 1929. Even though the Great Depression was burying the financial well-being of millions, she got a $10-a-week job selling women’s hats at The Jones Store in Kansas City. In less than a year, she was the top salesperson. In 1938, she was asked to take over the millinery department at Dallas’ W.A. Green Store. Soon she had her own Dallas boutique, Ebby’s Hats.
One day in 1945, Clint Murchison Sr. stopped by her store to see her. “Ebby, I’ve built a bunch of houses out of concrete. Everyone says they’re ugly. Must be, I haven’t sold a one. I figure if you can sell my wife some of those awful hats she comes home with, selling my concrete houses will be a piece of cake for you.”
wn.com/Ebby_Halliday -
Ellen Vitetta
Ellen Vitetta is the director of the Cancer Immunobiology Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
Vitetta is an immunologist who does translational (“bench to bedside”) research. She and her colleagues first described IgD on the surface of murine B cells and she was the co-discoverer of Interleukin-4. Her group demonstrated that IL-4 was a “switch” factor for Ig on B cells. Over the past two decades, she has developed antibody-based “biological missiles” to destroy cancer cells and cells infected with HIV. These novel therapeutics have been evaluated in tissue culture, in animals and, since 1988, in over 300 humans. In 2001, Dr. Vitetta developed a vaccine against ricin, which has been evaluated in the first clinical trial of such a vaccine.
Vitetta is Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Director of the Cancer Immunobiology Center, and holder of both the Sheryle Simmons Patigian Distinguished Chair in Cancer Immunobiology and a Distinguished Teaching Chair at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She has published close to 500 papers, edited several books, and is a co-inventor on 12 issued patents. She is one of the top 100 most cited biomedical scientists in the world.
wn.com/Ellen_Vitetta -
Elsa Murano
Elsa Alina Murano (born August 14, 1959 in Havana, Cuba) was the 23rd President of Texas A&M University. On June 14, 2009, Murano resigned as president of the university, effective June 15, 2009.
Prior to being elected president in 2008, she served as the vice chancellor and dean of Texas A&M's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences from 2005–07 and as the U.S. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Food Safety from 2001–04. In 2006 she joined the Board of Directors at Hormel Foods, where her 2010 compensation was $192,920.
Murano was born as Elsa Casales in Havana, Cuba in 1959. She fled Cuba with her family in July 1961, when her parents decided to leave during Fidel Castro's communist uprising. The family fled to Curaçao, and then moved to Colombia, where her father worked for IBM. She later lived in Peru and then El Salvador before moving to Puerto Rico to start kindergarten. Once her parents divorced, she moved with her mother and three siblings into an apartment in Miami, Florida in 1973. Although Murano spoke no English upon her arrival, she enrolled at Miami Coral Park High School. Her mother, who worked as a security guard and a department store clerk, urged the children to graduate high school and attend college. In 1977, Murano graduated from high school, and enrolled at Miami Dade College, a nearby junior college. After two years at Miami-Dade, she transferred to Florida International University, relying on loans and scholarships to handle tuition costs. She received her bachelor's degree in biological sciences from FIU in 1981. Though she planned on attending medical school, she was more interested in research, and decided to expand her educational background. She attended Virginia Tech to receive her master's degree in anaerobic microbiology in 1987, and then her doctorate in food science and technology in 1990.
wn.com/Elsa_Murano -
Frank Lautenberg
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg (/ˈlɔːtənbɜrɡ/; born January 23, 1924) is the senior United States Senator from New Jersey and a member of the Democratic Party. He first served in the United States Senate from 1982 to 2001; after a brief retirement, he was re-elected to the Senate and has served since 2003. At age 88, Lautenberg is the oldest current senator. Before entering politics, he was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Automatic Data Processing, Inc.
Lautenberg was born in Paterson, New Jersey, to Sam and Mollie Lautenberg, impoverished Jewish immigrants from Poland and Russia who had arrived in the United States as infants. When Lautenberg was 19, his father, Sam, who worked in silk mills, sold coal, farmed and once ran a tavern, died of cancer. Frank Lautenberg had no formal Jewish education as a child; the family could not afford to join a synagogue and did not live very long in any single place.
Lautenberg served overseas in the United States Army Signal Corps in World War II after graduating from Nutley High School. Then, financed by the GI Bill, he attended and graduated from Columbia Business School in 1949 with a degree in economics. He was the first salesman at successful Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) and was its chairman and CEO. He was the executive commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 1978 to 1982.
wn.com/Frank_Lautenberg -
Gene Green
Raymond Eugene "Gene" Green (born October 17, 1947) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 29th congressional district, serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes most of eastern Houston, along with large portions of Houston's eastern suburbs.
Green was born in Houston and he graduated from the University of Houston, earning a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1971 and a law degree in 1977. He held positions as a business manager and a private attorney prior to his election to Congress.
Green was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1972. He was elected to the Texas Senate in 1985.
Green was first elected to the U.S. House in 1992. Although the 29th was (then as now) drawn as a majority-Hispanic district, Green finished second in the five-way Democratic primary, behind city councilman Ben Reyes. Green defeated Reyes in the runoff by only 180 votes, all but assuring him of election in this heavily Democratic district. Green has been reelected eight times, never facing substantive electoral opposition. He ran unopposed in 1998, 2002 and 2004.
wn.com/Gene_Green -
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States (1989–93). He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States (1981–89), a congressman, an ambassador, a Director of Central Intelligence, and is currently the oldest surviving president.
Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to Senator Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Bush postponed going to college, enlisted in the US Navy on his 18th birthday, and became the youngest aviator in the Navy at the time. He served until the end of the war, then attended Yale University. Graduating in 1948, he moved his family to West Texas and entered the oil business, becoming a millionaire by the age of 40.
He became involved in politics soon after founding his own oil company, serving as a member of the House of Representatives, among other positions. He ran unsuccessfully for president of the United States in 1980, but was chosen by party nominee Ronald Reagan to be the vice presidential nominee, and the two were subsequently elected. During his tenure, Bush headed administration task forces on deregulation and fighting drug abuse.
wn.com/George_H._W._Bush -
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000. The eldest son of Barbara Bush and George H. W. Bush, he was born in New Haven, Connecticut. After graduating from Yale University in 1968 and Harvard Business School in 1975, Bush worked in oil businesses. He married Laura Welch in 1977 and ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives shortly thereafter. He later co-owned the Texas Rangers baseball team before defeating Ann Richards in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election. In a close and controversial election, Bush was elected President in 2000 as the Republican candidate, defeating Vice President Al Gore in the Electoral College. Bush is the second American president to have been the son of a former president. He is also the brother of Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida.
Terrorist attacks occurred eight months into Bush's first term as president on September 11, 2001. In response, Bush announced the War on Terror, an international military campaign which included the war in Afghanistan launched in 2001 and the war in Iraq launched in 2003. In addition to national security issues, Bush promoted policies on the economy, health care, education, and social security reform. He signed into law broad tax cuts, the PATRIOT Act, the No Child Left Behind Act, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, and Medicare prescription drug benefits for seniors. His tenure saw national debates on immigration, Social Security, electronic surveillance, and enhanced interrogation techniques. His administration also withdrew the U.S. from a some international treaty processes, including the Kyoto Protocol on global warming.
wn.com/George_W._Bush -
Glenna Goodacre
Glenna Maxey Goodacre (born 1939 in Lubbock, Texas) is a sculptor well known for having designed the obverse of the Sacagawea dollar that entered circulation in the United States in 2000. She also designed the Vietnam Women's Memorial located in Washington, D.C., of which there is a smaller replica at Vietnam Veterans Memorial State Park in Angel Fire, New Mexico. Her daughter is world-famous 1980s supermodel Jill Goodacre.
Goodacre's father, Homer Glen Maxey, who died in July 1990, was a prominent Lubbock builder, developer and civic leader. A graduate of Texas Tech University in 1931, he was the first president of the Red Raiders Club. He served on the Lubbock City Council from 1956 to 1960. A 100-acre (0.40 km2) city park bears the name of Homer Maxey's father, James Barney Maxey (1881–1953), who was hence Glenna Goodacre's paternal grandfather. James Maxey was also a prodigious builder and civic leader in Lubbock and the South Plains.
Goodacre's art appears in public, private, municipal and museum collections throughout the U.S. Her bronze sculptures feature lively expression and texture. Goodacre graduated from Monterey High School in Lubbock. She then completed studies at Colorado College and classes at the Art Students League in New York. She became a successful Texas painter, but for the last thirty years she has concentrated mainly on sculpture. She has simultaneously been an active wife, mother, and grandmother.
wn.com/Glenna_Goodacre -
Harry Reid
Harry Mason Reid (born December 2, 1939) is the senior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since 1987. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been the Senate Majority Leader since January 2007, having previously served as Minority Leader and Minority and Majority Whip.
Previously, Reid was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Nevada's 1st congressional district, and served in Nevada local and state government as city attorney of Henderson, a state legislator, the 25th Lieutenant Governor, and chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission.
As Senate Majority Leader and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Harry Reid has achieved a more senior elected position in the United States government than any Mormon in history.
Reid was born in Searchlight, Nevada, the third of the four sons of Inez Orena (née Jaynes), a laundress, and Harry Vincent Reid, a miner. His paternal grandmother was an English immigrant from Darlston, Staffordshire. Reid's boyhood home had no indoor toilet, hot water or telephone. Searchlight had no high school, so Reid boarded with relatives 40 miles away in Henderson, Nevada to attend Basic High School where he played football, and was an amateur boxer. While at Basic High he met future Nevada governor Mike O'Callaghan, who was a teacher there. Reid attended Southern Utah University and graduated from Utah State University where he double majored in political science and history. Reid also minored in economics from the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. He then went to George Washington University Law School earning a J.D. while working for the United States Capitol Police.
wn.com/Harry_Reid -
Henry Cuellar
Henry Roberto Cuellar (born September 19, 1955) is the U.S Representative for Texas's 28th congressional district, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district extends from the Rio Grande to the suburbs of San Antonio, including Guadalupe County and nearby Wilson County.
Outside of politics, he has served as a professor at the Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) in Laredo, TX. The son of migrant workers who never made it past the fifth grade, Cuellar has positioned himself as a strong advocate for education and has often described himself as “the most degreed member of Congress,” having earned an A.D., a Bachelor's in Foreign Service, a Master's in International Trade, and a law degree and Ph.D. in government. Two schools in Laredo are named for him.
Cuellar was born in Laredo, the seat of Webb County in southern Texas, where he has resided most of his life. Cuellar's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Martin S. Cuellar, Sr., were migrant workers who never completed schooling beyond the fifth grade. He is the oldest of eight children. His brother, Martin Cuellar, Jr., is the sheriff of Webb County, having been elected in 2008 over the incumbent fellow Democrat Rick Flores. A sister, Rosie Cuellar-Castillo, is the Laredo municipal judge, having won a nonpartisan runoff election held on December 11, 2010.
wn.com/Henry_Cuellar -
Herb Kohl
Herbert H. "Herb" Kohl (born February 7, 1935) is the senior United States Senator from Wisconsin and a member of the Democratic Party. He is also a philanthropist and the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks National Basketball Association (NBA) team. He has announced he will not seek re-election in 2012.
Kohl was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended Washington High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1956 and a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School in 1958. While an undergraduate, he joined the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity. Between 1958 and 1964, Kohl was a member of the United States Army Reserve.
After finishing graduate school, Kohl worked as an investor in real estate and the stock market, eventually spinning off his own company, Kohl Investments, to manage these assets. He and his brother became heir to a family-owned chain that included 50 grocery stores and several department stores, pharmacies, and liquor stores. In 1970, Kohl was named President of Kohl's and he helped to oversee the merger of his corporation with BATUS Inc. in 1972. Kohl stayed on as an executive until 1979. Before his election to the Senate, Kohl helped build his family-owned business, Kohl's grocery and department stores. He served as president from 1970 until the sale of the corporation in 1979.
wn.com/Herb_Kohl -
Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( /ˈhɪləri daɪˈæn ˈrɒdəm ˈklɪntən/; born October 26, 1947) is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. In the 2008 election, Clinton was a leading candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.
A native of Illinois, Hillary Rodham first attracted national attention in 1969 for her remarks as the first student commencement speaker at Wellesley College. She embarked on a career in law after graduating from Yale Law School in 1973. Following a stint as a Congressional legal counsel, she moved to Arkansas in 1974 and married Bill Clinton in 1975. Rodham cofounded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families in 1977 and became the first female chair of the Legal Services Corporation in 1978. Named the first female partner at Rose Law Firm in 1979, she was twice listed as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America. First Lady of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and 1983 to 1992 with husband Bill as Governor, she successfully led a task force to reform Arkansas's education system. She sat on the board of directors of Wal-Mart Stores and several other corporations.
wn.com/Hillary_Clinton -
Horace Chilton
Horace Chilton (December 29, 1853– June 12, 1932) was a printer, lawyer, and Democratic United States Senator from Texas.
Chilton - a grandson of Thomas Chilton - was born near Tyler, Texas, and by age 18 was publishing the tri-weekly Tyler Sun newspaper. At 19 he was admitted to the bar and served as assistant attorney general of Texas between 1881 and 1883 and as a delegate to the Democratic national conventions of 1888 and 1896.
Appointed to the Senate upon John H. Reagan's resignation in 1891, Chilton was the first native Texan to serve in the United States Congress. Although he was defeated in the 1892 election for the seat, Chilton was elected to the Senate in 1894.
Chilton decided not to run for reelection in 1901, returning to practice law in Tyler and later Beaumont, Texas, where he worked with Spindletop oilfield operations. In 1906 he moved to Dallas, Texas, where he lived until his death.
wn.com/Horace_Chilton -
Huda Zoghbi
Huda Y. Zoghbi (born 1955) is a Lebanese-born physician and medical researcher, practicing in the United States.
She was born June 1955 in Beirut and entered medical school at American University of Beirut in 1975. The Lebanese Civil War began during the school year, and she and her brothers were sent by the family, for safety, to join a sister in Texas. When she was not permitted to return to Lebanon, she obtained admission to Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee in mid-term.
Her residency as a neurological pediatrician brought Rett syndrome to her attention, and she learned molecular genetics from Arthur Beaudet in order to do research on Rett's and other genetic neurological disorders. She is based at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and affiliated with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
She had met William Zoghbi when they were medical students in Beirut, and they later married; he teaches cardiology at Baylor.
wn.com/Huda_Zoghbi -
Jack Fields
Jack Milton Fields, Jr. (born February 3, 1952), is a Texas businessman and a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from a Houston-based district.
Fields was born in Humble, a northern suburb of Houston, to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Fields, Sr. He graduated from Humble High School in his hometown in 1970. Fields earned both Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from Baptist-affiliated Baylor University and Baylor Law School in Waco, Texas, in 1974 and 1977, respectively. After being admitted to the Texas bar in 1977, Fields worked as a lawyer in private practice and as a vice president of a family-owned business through 1980.
In 1980, at the age of twenty-eight, Fields was elected to the U.S. House on the coattails of President Ronald Reagan's electoral victory. He narrowly defeated 8th District incumbent Bob Eckhardt, a seven-term Democrat, by only 4,900 votes to become the first Republican to represent what is now the 8th in 83 years. After the 1980 census, most of the 8th's more Democratic areas were cut out, and Fields was reelected seven more times without serious difficulty.
wn.com/Jack_Fields -
James Baker
James Addison Baker, III (born April 28, 1930) is an American attorney, politician and political advisor.
Baker served as the Chief of Staff in President Ronald Reagan's first administration and in the final year of the administration of President George H. W. Bush. Baker also served as Secretary of the Treasury from 1985–1988 in the second Reagan administration, and Secretary of State in the George H. W. Bush administration. He is also the honorary chair of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University in Houston, Texas.
James Addison Baker was born in Houston, Texas at 1216 Bissonnet, to James A. Baker, Jr. (1892–1973) and Ethel Bonner (born Means) Baker (August 6, 1894 – April 26, 1991). His father was a partner of Houston law firm Baker Botts. Baker has a sister, Bonner Baker Moffitt.
Baker attended The Hill School, a boarding school in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Princeton University in 1952. Afterwards, he earned a J.D. (1957) from The University of Texas at Austin and began to practice law in Texas.
wn.com/James_Baker -
James M. Collins
James Mitchell Collins, often known as Jim Collins (April 29, 1916 – July 21, 1989), was a Republican who represented the Third Congressional District of Texas from 1968-1983. The district was based at the time about Irving in Dallas County.
Collins was born in Hallsville in Harrison County, in East Texas. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School and Southern Methodist University in University Park (a part of Dallas) and from Harvard Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Collins then entered the United States Army, having served as a lieutenant in the Third Army of General George S. Patton, Jr., during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II.
Collins was first elected to the U.S. House in a special election caused by the death of Rep. Joe R. Pool in 1968. In the general election that fall, he received 81,696 votes (59.4 percent) to 55,939 (40.6 percent) for Democrat Robert H. Hughes.
One of Collins' campaign workers and office volunteers was Barbara Staff, the president of a group called the Council of Republican Women's Clubs of Dallas County. She describes working in Collins' office as "quite a training ground. After you've worked in that office, you're equipped to do anything." In 1976, Staff became co-chairman of the Texas Ronald Reagan presidential primary campaign."
wn.com/James_M._Collins -
James W. Flanagan
James Winright Flanagan (September 5, 1805 – September 28, 1887) was an American merchant, lawyer, and farmer from Henderson, Texas. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1869 and 1870, and then represented Texas in the United States Senate from 1870 to 1875.
James was born to Charles and Elizabeth (Saunders) Flanagan in Albemarle County near Gordonsville, Virginia. Before his tenth birthday, the family moved to Boonesboro, Kentucky. As a young man he moved to Cloverport, Kentucky, on the Ohio River and became a prosperous merchant. He also read law and was admitted to the Kentucky bar in 1825. He married Polly Moorman in 1826 and the couple had several children before moving to Henderson, Texas, in 1844.
Flanagan established himself in Henderson by opening a store. He bought a farm, speculated in land, and practiced law. Politically, he was a Whig and an active supporter of Sam Houston. He later became a moderate Republican. Flanagan served in the Texas House of Representatives (1851–1852) and the Texas State Senate (1855–1858).
wn.com/James_W._Flanagan -
Jay Rockefeller
John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV (born June 18, 1937) is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia. He was first elected to the Senate in 1984, while in office as Governor of West Virginia, a position he held from 1977 to 1985. Rockefeller moved to Emmons, West Virginia to serve as a VISTA worker in 1964, and was first elected to public office in the state, as a member of the House of Delegates, in 1966. Rockefeller was later elected Secretary of State in 1968 and was president of West Virginia Wesleyan College from 1973 to 1976.
As a great-grandson of oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, he is the only currently-serving politician of the prominent six-generation Rockefeller family and the only Democrat in what has been a traditionally Republican dynasty.
John Davison Rockefeller IV was born at New York Hospital in New York City to John D. Rockefeller III and Blanchette Ferry Hooker just 26 days after the death of his great-grandfather John D. Rockefeller. Jay Rockefeller graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1955 and from Harvard College in 1961 with an A.B. in Far Eastern Languages and History, after having spent three years studying Japanese at the International Christian University in Tokyo.
wn.com/Jay_Rockefeller -
Jeanne Shaheen
Jeanne Shaheen (born Cynthia Jeanne Bowers; January 28, 1947) is an American politician, a member of the Democratic Party, and the senior United States Senator from New Hampshire. The first woman in U.S. history to be elected as both a Governor and U.S. Senator, she was the first woman to be elected Governor of New Hampshire, serving from 1997 to 2003. Shaheen ran for the United States Senate in 2002, but was narrowly defeated by Republican challenger John E. Sununu. She then served as Director of the Harvard Institute of Politics, before resigning to run again for the U.S. Senate in the 2008 election, defeating Sununu in a rematch. Shaheen is the first Democratic senator from New Hampshire since John A. Durkin, who was defeated in 1980, and is currently the most junior senior Senator.
Shaheen was born Cynthia Jeanne Bowers in Saint Charles, Missouri, the daughter of Belle E. and Ivan E. Bowers. She is the wife of Lebanese-American attorney and political operative Bill Shaheen. They have three children. She graduated from high school in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, and earned a bachelor's degree in English from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree from the University of Mississippi. She taught high school in Mississippi and moved to New Hampshire in 1973, where she taught school and owned a small business.
wn.com/Jeanne_Shaheen -
Jeb Hensarling
Jeb Hensarling (born May 29, 1957) has been the Republican congressman representing Texas' 5th congressional district (map) in the United States House of Representatives since 2003.
Hensarling was born in Stephenville, the seat of Erath County, and grew up on the family farm in College Station. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1979 with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 1982, he earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He is also an Eagle Scout.
Prior to serving in Congress, Hensarling was State Director for Texas Senator Phil Gramm from 1985 until 1989. From 1991 to 1993, he served as executive director of the Republican Senatorial Committee.
Hensarling next served as a vice president at two different companies before becoming owner of San Jacinto Ventures in 1996 and CEO of Family Support Assurance Corporation in 2001. He served as vice president of Green Mountain Energy from 1999 to 2001.
Hensarling was elected to his first term in 2002, defeating Democratic opponent Ron Chapman with 58 percent of the vote. He was reelected in 2004 with 64 percent of the vote over Democratic challenger Bill Bernstein.
wn.com/Jeb_Hensarling -
Jeff Bingaman
Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman, Jr. (born October 3, 1943) is the senior United States Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party. He serves as Chairman of Committee Outreach for the Senate Democratic Caucus.
Previously, Bingaman was Attorney General of New Mexico.
On February 18, 2011, Bingaman announced that he would not seek re-election in 2012.
Bingaman was born in El Paso, Texas, the son of Frances Bethia (née Ball) and Jesse Francis Bingaman. He grew up in Silver City, New Mexico. His father taught at Western New Mexico University and his mother taught in the public schools system. At age 15, he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. The Boy Scouts of America later presented Bingaman with their Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.
After graduating from Silver High School, Bingaman went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Harvard University in 1965. He then entered Stanford Law School, graduating in 1968. He met his wife Anne Kovacovich while attending law classes. They have one son.
wn.com/Jeff_Bingaman -
Jeff Merkley
Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley (born October 24, 1956) is the junior United States Senator from Oregon. A member of the Democratic Party, Merkley was a five-term member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly representing House District 47, located in eastern Multnomah County within the Portland city limits. He also served as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives.
He defeated two-term Republican incumbent Gordon Smith in the 2008 U.S. Senate election.
Merkley was born in Myrtle Creek, Oregon, the son of Betty L. and Darrell Philip Merkley. His paternal grandmother was born in Caliope, Australia. He attended first grade in Roseburg before moving to Portland with his family. He graduated from David Douglas High School, obtained a bachelor of arts degree in International Relations from Stanford University in 1979, and earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University in 1982.
After completing his master's in 1982, Merkley was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow, working at the Office of the Secretary of Defense on the security of American military technology. After his fellowship, he worked in the Congressional Budget Office, analyzing nuclear weapons policies and programs.
wn.com/Jeff_Merkley -
Jeff Sessions
Jefferson Beauregard "Jeff" Sessions III (born December 24, 1946) is the junior United States Senator from Alabama. First elected in 1996, Sessions is a member of the Republican Party. He serves as the ranking minority member on the Senate Budget Committee.
Raised in the town of Hybart in Monroe County, Alabama, Sessions graduated from Huntingdon College in Montgomery and the University of Alabama School of Law. In the 1970s he worked in private practice and rose to the rank of captain in the U.S. Army Reserve. From 1981 to 1993 he served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama. President Ronald Reagan nominated him to a judgeship on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama in 1986, but the Senate confirmation failed after it was alleged that he had made racist remarks to a colleague. Sessions was elected to Attorney General of Alabama in 1994. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996 and easily re-elected in 2002 and 2008. He and his colleague Richard Shelby are the state's first two-term Republican Senators since Reconstruction.
wn.com/Jeff_Sessions -
Jerry Moran
Gerald W. "Jerry" Moran (born May 29, 1954) is the junior United States Senator from Kansas and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Kansas's 1st congressional district.
Raised in Plainville, Kansas, Moran graduated from the University of Kansas and the University of Kansas School of Law. He worked in private law and served as the state special assistant attorney general (1982–85) and deputy attorney of Rooks County (1987–95). He served in the Kansas Senate (1989–1997), and was majority leader for his last two years. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and served six terms with little electoral opposition. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in a landslide in 2010. He is the ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and has a strongly conservative voting record.
Moran was born in Great Bend, Kansas, the son of Madeline Eleanor (née Fletcher) and Raymond Edwin "Ray" Moran. He was raised in Plainville. He attended Fort Hays State University before enrolling at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics in 1976. While attending the University of Kansas, he worked as a summer intern for U.S. Representative Keith Sebelius in 1974, when impeachment proceedings were being prepared against President Richard Nixon.
wn.com/Jerry_Moran -
Jim Inhofe
James Mountain "Jim" Inhofe (/ˈɪnhɒf/; born November 17, 1934) is the senior United States Senator from Oklahoma and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1994, he is the ranking member of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and was its chairman from 2003 to 2007. Inhofe served eight years as the United States Representative for Oklahoma's 1st congressional district before his election to the Senate in 1994 and also previously served as both an Oklahoma State Representative and Senator.
Inhofe was born in Des Moines, Iowa and moved with his family to Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he was a child. He was a member of the Class of 1953 at Tulsa Central High School, and served in the United States Army from 1957 to 1958. Inhofe received a B.A. degree from the University of Tulsa in 1973.
Inhofe worked as a businessman for three decades before becoming a full-time politician. He worked in the field of aviation, as a real estate developer, and in insurance, eventually becoming the president of the Quaker Life Insurance Company. During the time he worked for Quaker Life, the company went into receivership; it was liquidated in 1986.
wn.com/Jim_Inhofe -
Jim Risch
James Elroy "Jim" Risch (born May 3, 1943) is a Republican politician, rancher, and attorney from Ada County, currently serving as the junior United States Senator from Idaho. He previously served as the 39th and 41st Lieutenant Governor (2003–2006, 2007–2009) and the 31st Governor (2006–2007) of Idaho.
Risch was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the son of Helen B. (née Levi) and Elroy A. Risch. His father was of German descent and his mother was of Irish, Scottish, and English ancestry. He attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee from 1961 to 1963, then transferred to the University of Idaho where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He obtained his B.S. in Forestry in 1965 and continued his education at the university's College of Law, serving on Law Review, and receiving his J.D. in 1968.
Risch entered politics in 1970, at age 27, winning election as Ada County Prosecuting Attorney. While serving in this capacity, he taught undergraduate classes in criminal justice at Boise State University and served as the President of the Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association.
wn.com/Jim_Risch -
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. (born February 9, 1946) is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
A 1968 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Webb served as a Marine Corps infantry officer until 1972, and is a highly decorated Vietnam War combat veteran. During his four years with the Reagan administration, Webb served as the first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, then as Secretary of the Navy.
Webb won the Democratic nomination for the 2006 Virginia Senate race by defeating Harris Miller in the primary, then won the general election by defeating the Republican incumbent George Allen. Webb's thin margin in the general election (less than 0.5%) kept the outcome uncertain for nearly two days after polls closed on November 7, 2006, and provided the final seat that tilted the Senate to Democratic control. On his sixty-fifth birthday, he announced that he will not seek re-election in 2012, saying that he does not want to spend his whole life in politics, and that he wants to return to the private sector.
wn.com/Jim_Webb -
Jody Conradt
Jody Conradt (born May 13, 1941) is a retired women's basketball coach. She was the head coach for the women's team at University of Texas at Austin (UT). Her coaching career spanned 38 years, with the last 31 years at UT from 1976 to 2007. She also served concurrently as the UT women's athletic director from 1992 to 2001. During her tenure at UT, she achieved several notable personal and team milestones in collegiate basketball. At retirement, she had tallied 900 career victories, second place in all time victories for a NCAA Division I basketball coach.
She was born in Goldthwaite, Texas, United States. She was a standout basketball player at Goldthwaite High School (Texas), where she averaged 40 points per game. After high school, she played collegiate basketball at Baylor University, earning a degree in physical education in 1963. She finished her collegiate basketball career averaging 20 points per game. After graduation, she taught and coached at Waco Midway High School and earned her master's degree from Baylor in 1969.
wn.com/Jody_Conradt -
Joe Barton
Joe Linus Barton (born September 15, 1949) is a Republican politician, representing Texas's 6th congressional district (map) in the U.S. House of Representatives since 1985, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus. The district includes Arlington, part of Fort Worth and several rural areas south of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Barton was born in Waco, Texas, the son of Bess Wynell (née Buice) and Larry Linus Barton. He graduated from Waco High School. He attended Texas A&M University in College Station on a Gifford-Hill Opportunity Award scholarship and received a B.S. in industrial engineering in 1972. An M.Sc. in industrial administration from Purdue University followed in 1973. Following college Barton entered private industry until 1981 when he became a White House Fellow and served under United States Secretary of Energy James B. Edwards. Later, he began consulting for Atlantic Richfield Oil and Gas Co. before being elected to the United States Congress in 1984.
Barton made his first run for elected office in 1984, when he entered the Republican primary for Texas's 6th congressional district after six-term incumbent Phil Gramm left his seat to run for the United States Senate that year. He finished first in the five-candidate field (42%) and very narrowly defeated Max Hoyt in the runoff (50%). He then defeated Democratic nominee and former State Representative Dan Kubiak 57%-43%. Barton was one of six freshmen Republican U.S. congressmen elected from Texas in 1984 known as the Texas Six Pack.
wn.com/Joe_Barton -
Joe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman (born February 24, 1942) is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.
Born in Stamford, Connecticut, Lieberman is a graduate of Yale University and Yale Law School. He was elected as a "reform Democrat" in 1970 to the Connecticut Senate, where he served three terms as Majority Leader. After an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980, he served as state Attorney General from 1983 to 1989. Lieberman defeated moderate Republican Lowell Weicker in 1988 to win election to the United States Senate and was re-elected in 1994 and 2000. In the 2000 United States presidential election, Lieberman was the Democratic nominee for Vice President, running with presidential nominee Al Gore, becoming the first Jewish candidate on a major American political party presidential ticket. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2004 presidential election.
wn.com/Joe_Lieberman -
Joe Manchin
Joseph "Joe" Manchin III (born August 24, 1947) is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010. He won the special election in November 2010 to fill the seat of Robert Byrd, who had died in office; the term ends January 3, 2013.
Manchin was born in Farmington, West Virginia, in 1947, the second of five children of Mary (née Gouzd) and John Manchin. His grandparents were Italian and Czechoslovakian immigrants. His father owned a carpet and furniture store. His grandfather, Joe Manchin I, owned a grocery store. Both his father and his grandfather were elected as Mayor of Farmington, West Virginia. His uncle James Manchin was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and was elected statewide as West Virginia Secretary of State and West Virginia State Treasurer. Manchin graduated from Farmington High School in 1965.
Manchin entered West Virginia University on a football scholarship in 1965; however, an injury during practice ended his football career. He graduated in 1970 with a degree in information management and later became involved in several family-owned businesses.
wn.com/Joe_Manchin -
John Barrasso
John Anthony Barrasso III (pronounced /bəˈrɑːsoʊ/; born July 21, 1952) is the junior United States Senator from Wyoming and a member of the Republican Party. He was appointed to the Senate following Craig L. Thomas's death and won a special election in 2008 to fill the remaining four years of Thomas's term.
Barrasso was born in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1952, the son of Louise M. (née DeCisco) and John Anthony Barrasso, Jr. He is of Italian descent. He is a 1970 graduate of Central Catholic High School in Reading, PA. Barrasso began his college career at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (where he became a member of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity) and transferred to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., graduating with a bachelor of science degree in 1974. He also received his M.D. degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1978. He conducted his residency at Yale Medical School in New Haven, Connecticut.
In addition to his private orthopedic practice, Barrasso was Chief of Staff of the Wyoming Medical Center, State President of the Wyoming Medical Society, President of the National Association of Physician Broadcasters, and a member of the American Medical Association Council of Ethics and Judicial Affairs.
wn.com/John_Barrasso -
John Boozman
John Nichols Boozman (pronounced /ˈboʊzmən/ BOHZ-mən; born December 10, 1950) is the junior United States Senator for Arkansas (since 2011). A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the United States Representative for Arkansas's 3rd congressional district (2001–2011).
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he was the brother of state Senator Fay Boozman. He attended the University of Arkansas, where he played football for the Arkansas Razorbacks, and graduated from the Southern College of Optometry. He co-founded a private optometry clinic in 1977 and worked as a volunteer optometrist for low-income families. He won a special election in 2002 to the United States House of Representatives, where he served as assistant majority whip and sat on the Republican Policy Committee. He was an advocate for drug policy issues and chaired the Veteran Affairs Economic Opportunity Subcommittee, where he led the passage of bills expanding services for unemployed veterans.
Boozman was elected to the United States Senate in 2010, defeating Democratic incumbent Blanche Lincoln by a 21 point margin, and took office in January 2011. He is the ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry and Natural Resources, the Commerce Subcommittee on Science and Space, and the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Green Jobs and the New Economy.
wn.com/John_Boozman -
John Carter (Texas)
John Rice Carter (born November 6, 1941) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 31st congressional district, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. Carter was elected Secretary of the House Republican Conference by his colleagues on November 17, 2006.
Carter was born in Houston, but has spent most of his life in central Texas. Carter graduated from Texas Tech University with a degree in history in 1964, and earned a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1969.
After graduating from law school, Carter served as the first general counsel to the Texas House of Representatives’ Agriculture Committee. Carter later began a successful private law practice in Round Rock.
In 1981, Carter was appointed as judge of the 277th District Court of Williamson County. He was elected to the post a year later — the first Republican elected to a countywide position in Williamson County. He was reelected four times, usually with 60% of the vote.
A staunch fiscal and social conservative, Carter prides himself on having raised a family built on what he calls "Texas Values."
wn.com/John_Carter_(Texas) -
John Cornyn
John Cornyn III (born February 2, 1952) is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress.
John Cornyn was voted one of the "most conservative congressman" by the National Journal in 2010.
Cornyn was born in Houston, the son of Atholene Gale Cornyn (née Danley) and John Cornyn II, a colonel in the U.S.A.F. He graduated from Trinity University in 1973, where he majored in journalism and was a member of Chi Delta Tau. He earned a J.D. from St. Mary's University School of Law in 1977 and an LL.M. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1995.
He served in San Antonio for six years as a district judge before being elected as a Republican in 1990 to the Texas Supreme Court, on which he served for seven years.
In 1998, Cornyn decided to run to become Texas Attorney General. In the March primary, Barry Williamson, Railroad Commissioner, placed first with 38% of the vote but failed to get the 50% threshold necessary to win the Republican nomination. Cornyn, then-State Supreme Court Justice, got second place with 32% and Tom Pauken, former Chairman of the Texas Republican party, got third place with 30%. In the April run-off election, Cornyn defeated Williamson 58% to 42%. In the general election, Cornyn defeated Jim Mattox, former U.S. Congressman and Attorney General (1983–1991), with 54% of the vote. Cornyn became only the second Republican to have held the position.
wn.com/John_Cornyn -
John Culberson
John Abney Culberson (born August 24, 1956) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Tea Party caucus. The district takes in large portions of western Houston and surrounding Harris County.
Born in Houston, Culberson attended West University Elementary School, Lanier Middle School, and Lamar High School. He graduated from Southern Methodist University (SMU) in 1981 with a degree in history. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from South Texas College of Law in 1989. He is a distant relative of former Governor of Texas Charles Allen Culberson.[citation needed]
During his time in law school, Culberson was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, serving his first term in 1987. He was a member of the Republican Whip team, becoming Minority Whip in 1999 during his last term. Culberson began working for the law firm of Lorance and Thompson as a civil defense attorney after he graduated from South Texas. Culberson led the effort to regain state control of the Texas prison system. He also worked for expansion of urban freeway systems and for increased development of medical technology.[citation needed]
wn.com/John_Culberson -
John Ensign
John Eric Ensign, DVM (born March 25, 1958) is a former United States Senator from Nevada, serving from January 2001 until he resigned in May 2011 amid an investigation of an ethics violation related to an extramarital affair. He is a member of the Republican Party and the former chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.
Ensign is now working as a veterinarian at West Flamingo Animal Hospital in Las Vegas.
Ensign was born in Roseville, California, to Sharon Lee Cipriani and a father whose surname was Mueller; his maternal grandfather was of Italian descent. Ensign says that he is one eighth (1/8) Filipino American, his Philippine-born paternal grandfather having been half-Filipino and half-German. Ensign's family moved to Nevada when he was a child. His mother remarried Michael S. Ensign, a gaming industry executive who subsequently became chairman of the board of directors of Mandalay Bay, and who adopted John.
Ensign attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, becoming a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, and later graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1981. He went on to receive his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Colorado State University in 1985 and entered veterinary practice soon after. He then became a successful businessman, opening a 24-hour animal hospital in Las Vegas. He owned two animal hospitals before entering politics.
wn.com/John_Ensign -
John Hoeven
John Henry Hoeven III (born March 13, 1957) is the junior United States Senator from North Dakota. A member of the North Dakota Republican Party, he previously served as the 31st Governor of North Dakota from December 2000 to December 2010.
Prior to his election to the Governor's office, Hoeven served as the President of the nation's only state-owned bank, the Bank of North Dakota, from 1993 to 2000. Hoeven was elected to the U.S. Senate in the November 2, 2010 general election. He replaced junior Senator Byron L. Dorgan, who chose not to seek re-election. He was the longest-serving sitting Governor in the United States at the time of his resignation.
Immediately upon Hoeven's resignation as governor on December 7, 2010, Jack Dalrymple, who was the sitting lieutenant governor of North Dakota, automatically succeeded Hoeven as governor in accordance with the gubernatorial succession provisions of the Constitution of North Dakota.
Hoeven was born in Bismarck, North Dakota, the son of Patricia "Trish" (née Chapman) and John Henry "Jack" Hoeven, Jr. His ancestry includes Dutch, Swedish, and English. He attended Dartmouth College, where he belonged to the Alpha Chi Alpha Fraternity and graduated with honors. He then earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and was a banker in Minot, North Dakota prior to pursuing a political career. From 1993 to 2000, he was the president and CEO of the state-owned Bank of North Dakota.
wn.com/John_Hoeven -
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior United States Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to then President George W. Bush.
The son of an Army Air Corps serviceman, Kerry was born in Aurora, Colorado. He attended boarding school in Massachusetts and New Hampshire and went on to graduate from Yale University class of 1966, where he majored in political science. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve in 1966 and, during 1968-1969, served a four-month tour of duty in South Vietnam as officer-in-charge (OIC) of a Swift Boat. For that service he was awarded several combat medals that include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. After returning to the United States, Kerry joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War in which he served as a nationally recognized spokesperson and as an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam war. During that period, he appeared before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs where he deemed United States war policy in Vietnam to be the cause of "war crimes".
wn.com/John_Kerry -
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (born August 29, 1936) is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican presidential nominee in the 2008 United States election.
McCain followed his father and grandfather, both four-star admirals, into the United States Navy, graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958. He became a naval aviator, flying ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers. During the Vietnam War, he was almost killed in the 1967 USS Forrestal fire. In October 1967, while on a bombing mission over Hanoi, he was shot down, seriously injured, and captured by the North Vietnamese. He was a prisoner of war until 1973. McCain experienced episodes of torture, and refused an out-of-sequence early repatriation offer. His war wounds left him with lifelong physical limitations.
He retired from the Navy as a captain in 1981 and moved to Arizona, where he entered politics. Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, he served two terms, and was then elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, winning re-election easily four times, most recently in 2010. While generally adhering to conservative principles, McCain at times has had a media reputation as a "maverick" for his willingness to disagree with his party on certain issues. After being investigated and largely exonerated in a political influence scandal of the 1980s as a member of the Keating Five, he made campaign finance reform one of his signature concerns, which eventually led to the passage of the McCain-Feingold Act in 2002. He is also known for his work towards restoring diplomatic relations with Vietnam in the 1990s, and for his belief that the war in Iraq should be fought to a successful conclusion. McCain has chaired the Senate Commerce Committee, opposed spending that he considered to be pork barrel, and played a key role in alleviating a crisis over judicial nominations.
wn.com/John_McCain -
John Thune
John Randolph Thune (born January 7, 1961) is the junior United States Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a United States Representative for South Dakota's At-large congressional district.
Thune was born in the small town of Murdo, South Dakota, the son of Yvonne Patricia (née Bodine) and Harold Richard Thune. Thune's paternal grandfather was an immigrant from Norway who partnered with his brother to start Thune Hardware stores in Mitchell and Murdo, South Dakota. His maternal grandfather was from Ontario in Canada. Thune was a star athlete in high school, taking his basketball team near a state championship, and also played college basketball at Biola University.
Thune, who identifies as an evangelical Christian, graduated from Biola University, California in 1983 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business. Thune received the degree of Master of Public Administration from the University of South Dakota in 1984.
Thune worked as a legislative aide for U.S. Senator James Abdnor from 1985 to 1987. In 1980, Abdnor defeated U.S. Senator George McGovern, succeeding him. When Abdnor was defeated in 1986 by Tom Daschle, Thune followed Abdnor to the Small Business Administration under the Reagan Administration. In 1989, he returned to South Dakota, where he served as executive director of the Republican Party for two years.
wn.com/John_Thune -
John Tower
John Goodwin Tower (September 29, 1925 – April 5, 1991) was the first Republican United States senator from Texas since Reconstruction. He served from 1961 until his retirement in January 1985, after which time he was appointed as the chairman of the Reagan-appointed Tower Commission that investigated the Iran-Contra Affair. He was George H. W. Bush's nominee for Secretary of Defense in 1989, but he was rejected by the Senate by a vote of 53 to 47.
Tower was born in Houston to Joe Z. Tower (1898–1970) and Beryl Tower (1898–1990). Joe Tower was a Methodist minister, and John traveled wherever his father was named to pastor a church. He attended public schools in East Texas and graduated in Beaumont, the seat of Jefferson County, in southeast Texas in the spring of 1942.
Tower was active in politics as a child; at the age of thirteen, he passed out handbills for the campaign of liberal Democrat and future U.S. Senator Ralph William Yarborough while Yarborough was running unsuccessfully for attorney general. Yarborough and Tower would later be paired as Texas's Senate delegation, though of opposing political perspectives. He entered Southwestern University in Georgetown (Williamson County near Austin) that same year and met future U.S. President and political opponent Lyndon Baines Johnson on a campus visit while Johnson was the local congressman.
wn.com/John_Tower -
Johnny Isakson
John Hardy "Johnny" Isakson (born December 28, 1944) is the junior United States Senator from Georgia and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he represented Georgia's 6th Congressional district in the House.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Isakson served in the Georgia Air National Guard (1966–1972) and graduated from the University of Georgia. He opened a real estate branch for Northside Realty and later served 22 years as the company's president. After a failed bid for the Georgia House of Representatives in 1974, he was elected in 1976. He served five terms, including two as minority leader. Isakson was the Republican candidate for governor of Georgia in 1990, but lost. Two years later, he was elected to the Georgia Senate and served one term. He unsuccessfully ran in the Republican primary in the 1996 U.S. Senate elections.
After 6th District Congressman and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich resigned, Isakson ran in the February 1999 special election to succeed him, winning by a 40-point margin. He ran for the U.S. Senate in November 2004 after conservative Democratic incumbent Zell Miller opted not to run for re-election. With the backing of much of Georgia's Republican establishment, he won both the primary and general elections by large margins. He is serving his second term after re-election to the Senate in 2010.
wn.com/Johnny_Isakson -
Jon Kyl
Jon Llewellyn Kyl (/ˈkaɪl/; born April 25, 1942) is the junior United States Senator from Arizona and the Senate Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Republican Senate leadership. In 2010 he was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his persuasive role in the Senate.
The son of U.S. Representative John Henry Kyl, he was born and raised in Nebraska and lived for some time in Iowa. He received his bachelor's degree and law degree from the University of Arizona. He worked in Phoenix, Arizona as a lawyer and lobbyist before winning election to the United States House of Representatives, where he served from 1987 to 1995. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994 and has been re-elected by large margins since.
Kyl was ranked by National Journal in 2007 as the fourth-most conservative U.S. Senator. He has been a fixture of Republican policy leadership posts, chairing the Republican Policy Committee (2003–2007) and the Republican Conference (2007). In December 2007 he became Senate Minority Whip. In February 2011, Kyl announced that he would not seek re-election to the Senate in 2012 and would retire at the end of his third term, which concludes on January 3, 2013. He expressly ruled out running for further office except, if offered, the Vice Presidency.
wn.com/Jon_Kyl -
Joseph Weldon Bailey
Joseph Weldon Bailey, Sr. (October 6, 1862 – April 13, 1929) was a United States Senator, United States Representative, lawyer, and a Populist political figure. He served as a Congressional Representative between 1891 and 1901, and as the House minority leader from 1897 until 1899. In 1901, he was elected to the United States Senate, serving until 1913.
Born in Mississippi, Bailey attended the University of Mississippi where he joined the prestigious Delta Psi fraternity ( AKA St. Anthony Hall) in 1879. Bailey was admitted to the barin Mississippi in 1883. He moved to Gainesville, Texas in 1885, where he continued to practice law. He had been politically active as a Democrat in both Mississippi and his new home and had a reputation as an excellent public speaker. He was elected to the House in 1891, and to the Senate in 1901. As the Minority leader of the United States House of Representatives in the 1890s he was very influential on his colleagues.
His political career was tarnished by an assault against Senator Albert J. Beveridge, and subsequent investigations brought to light suspicious income and financial ties to the oil industry. Although he was regarded as a great populist orator, even influencing William Jennings Bryan in some aspects of his political philosophy allegations against him in 1906 threatened his election to the United States Senate.
wn.com/Joseph_Weldon_Bailey -
Judy Rankin
Judy Torluemke Rankin (born February 18, 1945) is an American professional golfer and golf broadcaster. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1962 and won 26 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Rankin was born St Louis, Missouri. At age 14, she won the Missouri Amateur. At 15, she was the low amateur in the U.S. Women's Open. She turned pro at 17.
Rankin won 26 events on the LPGA Tour. She topped the money list in 1976 and 1977 and finished in the top ten on the money list eleven times between 1965 and 1979. However, she did not win a major championship; her best finishes were a clear second at the 1976 LPGA Championship and tied seconds at the 1972 Titleholders Championship, 1972 U.S. Women's Open, and 1977 LPGA Championship. Rankin did win the Colgate Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (currently the Kraft Nabisco) in 1976 and the Peter Jackson Classic (later renamed the duMaurier) in 1977, two events that would later be elevated to major status, but they are not counted as majors in the years in which Rankin won.
wn.com/Judy_Rankin -
Kay Bailey Hutchison
Kay Bailey Hutchison (born Kathryn Ann Bailey; July 22, 1943) is the senior United States Senator from Texas. She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate, Hutchison also became the first Texas U.S. senator to receive more than four million votes in a single election.
Hutchison is the most senior female Republican senator, and fifth most senior female senator, having assumed office in June 1993 behind Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD, 1987), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA, 1992), Barbara Boxer (D-CA, Jan. 1993), and Patty Murray (D-WA, Jan. 1993).
Hutchison was born Kathryn Ann Bailey in Galveston, the daughter of Kathryn Ella (née Sharp) and Allan Abner Bailey, Jr., an insurance agent. She has two brothers, Allan and Frank. Hutchison grew up in La Marque, Texas.
She married her first husband, John Pierce Parks, a medical student, on April 8, 1967; they divorced in 1969. She married her present (second) husband, Ray Hutchison, in Dallas on March 16, 1978. They have two adopted children: Kathryn Bailey and Houston Taylor, both adopted in 2001. She also has two stepdaughters, Brenda and Julie, from her husband's previous marriage. Ray Hutchison is a former member of the Texas Legislature, a former state Republican chairman, and ran an unsuccessful bid for the Texas governorship, having lost the Republican nomination in 1978 to Bill Clements, a senior partner with the law firm of Vinson & Elkins, of Dallas.
wn.com/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison -
Kay Granger
Kay Granger (born January 18, 1943), a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Texas, currently represents the 12th congressional district (map) in the U.S. House of Representatives, the first Republican woman to represent Texas in the House.
Granger was born in Greenville, Texas, and grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, where she attended Eastern Hills High School, which recognized her as Distinguished Eastern Hills High School Graduate in 1993. She graduated from Texas Wesleyan University. She was elected to the Fort Worth city council in 1989 and was elected Mayor in 1991. Her tenure as mayor saw a drop in violent crime.
After the retirement of Congressman Pete Geren in 1996, both the Democratic and Republican parties worked to recruit Granger. Republicans were particularly bullish on their chances of winning the 12th. It had once been represented by Democratic Speaker of the House Jim Wright, but had been made significantly more affluent and Republican after the 1990 census. Granger made the decision to run as a Republican, much to the dismay of local GOP activists, who criticized Granger as being too liberal. She was elected by a wide margin, taking 56 percent of the vote over the Democrat Hugh Parmer, also a former Fort Worth mayor. She was handily reelected in 1998 and has only faced serious opposition once—in 2000. In 2008, Granger defeated Democratic challenger Tracey Smith with 67 percent of the vote.
wn.com/Kay_Granger -
Kay Hagan
Kay Ruthven Hagan ( /ˈheɪɡən/; born May 26, 1953) is the junior United States Senator from North Carolina and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, she was in the North Carolina Senate.
When Hagan defeated Republican incumbent Elizabeth Dole in the 2008 United States Senate election, she became the first woman to defeat a female incumbent in a Senate election.
Hagan was born Janet Kay Ruthven in Shelby, North Carolina, the daughter of Jeanette (née Chiles), a homemaker, and Josie Perry "Joe" Ruthven, a tire salesman. Both her father and her older brother served in the Navy. She spent most of her childhood in Lakeland, Florida, of which her father later became mayor. She also spent summers on her grams' farm in Chesterfield, South Carolina, where she helped string tobacco and harvest watermelons. As a child, Hagan engaged in her earliest political activity: placing bumper stickers on cars for her uncle, Florida Governor and U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles. In the 1970s, she was an intern at the Capitol, operating an elevator that carried senators, including her uncle, to and from the Chamber.
wn.com/Kay_Hagan -
Kelly Ayotte
Kelly A. Ayotte (born June 27, 1968) is the junior United States Senator from New Hampshire and a member of the Republican Party. She earlier served as the Attorney General of New Hampshire.
Ayotte was born in Nashua, New Hampshire on June 27, 1968, the daughter of Kathleen M. (née Sullivan) and Marc Frederick Ayotte. Her father's family is French-Canadian. She attended Nashua High School. She received a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University majoring in political science. In 1993, Ayotte graduated from Villanova University School of Law, where she had served as Editor of the Environmental Law Journal.
Ayotte clerked for Sherman D. Horton Associate Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, for one year. From 1994 to 1998, she was an associate at the Manchester law firm of McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton. In 1998, she joined the office of the New Hampshire Attorney General as a prosecutor. In 2003, Ayotte became legal counsel to Governor Craig Benson. She returned to the Attorney General's office three months later, becoming Deputy Attorney General. In June 2004, Ayotte was appointed Attorney General of the State of New Hampshire by Governor Craig Benson following Peter Heed's resignation as Attorney General amid allegations that he had sexually harassed a female state employee.
wn.com/Kelly_Ayotte -
Kenny Marchant
Kenny Ewell Marchant (born February 23, 1951) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 24th congressional district, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes several wealthy areas around Dallas and Fort Worth.
Marchant was born February 23, 1951 in Bonham, Texas, but grew up in Carrollton, a Dallas suburb. He graduated from R.L. Turner High School in Carrollton and attended college at Southern Nazarene University (SNU) in Bethany, Oklahoma, graduating with a business degree. He worked as a real estate developer and he owned a homebuilding company prior to entering politics.
Marchant served on the Carrollton City Council from 1980 to 1984, was mayor of Carrollton from 1984 to 1986.
He was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1987 to 2004. During three of his nine terms in the Texas House, Marchant served as chairman of the Committee on Financial Institutions. He pushed for legislation that reorganized the Texas Banking Code. In 2002, he was chosen as Chairman of the Texas House Republican Caucus. In 2004, he was named a Top Ten Legislator by Texas Monthly and Legislator of the Year by the Texas Municipal League.
wn.com/Kenny_Marchant -
Kent Conrad
Gaylord Kent Conrad (born March 12, 1948) is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1986, he is currently chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.
On January 18, 2011, Conrad announced that he would not run for re-election in 2012, but will instead retire. Conrad said in a statement that it was more important that "I spend my time and energy trying to focus on solving the nation's budget woes than be distracted by another campaign."
Conrad was born in Bismarck, North Dakota, the son of Abigail and Gaylord E. Conrad. He lived much of his early life in Bismarck. Orphaned at a young age, he was raised by his grandparents.[citation needed] He attended Roosevelt Elementary and Hughes Junior High, and several years of high school in Tripoli, Libya. He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy before attending college at Stanford, and received an M.B.A. from the George Washington University.
wn.com/Kent_Conrad -
Kevin Brady
Kevin Patrick Brady (born April 11, 1955) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 8th congressional district, serving since 1997. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes a large swath of suburban and rural territory around Houston and Beaumont.
Brady was born in Vermillion, South Dakota, one of five children of William and Nancy Brady. His father, a lawyer, was killed in 1967 in a courtroom shooting in Rapid City when Brady was 12 years old. Brady graduated from Rapid City Central High School, and the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, where he also became a member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.
A chamber of commerce executive who also served on the Rapid City Common Council, Brady moved to Texas to work for the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce and later the South Montgomery County Woodlands Chamber of Commerce.
Brady began his political career in 1990 when he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, representing The Woodlands, parts of Montgomery County and five other counties west and north of Houston.
wn.com/Kevin_Brady -
Kirsten Gillibrand
Kirsten Elizabeth Rutnik Gillibrand (/ˈkɪərstən ˈdʒɪlɨbrænd/ KEER-stən JIL-ə-brand; born December 9, 1966) is an attorney and the junior United States Senator from the state of New York and a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to being appointed to the Senate by New York Governor David Paterson in 2009, she was twice elected to the United States House of Representatives, from New York's 20th congressional district.
Gillibrand was born and raised in the Albany area. She is a 1988 graduate of Dartmouth College, where she majored in Asian studies. She received her Juris Doctor from UCLA Law School in 1991 and passed the bar the same year. She was an associate in the law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell in Manhattan before becoming a partner at Boies, Schiller & Flexner in Albany.
Gillibrand won an upset congressional election in November 2006, beating four-term incumbent John E. Sweeney 53% to 47%. Her reelection campaign in 2008 against Sandy Treadwell was significantly easier, winning 62% to 38%. In December 2008, then President-elect Barack Obama nominated Hillary Rodham Clinton as Secretary of State, leaving an empty seat in the New York senate delegation. After two months and many potential names considered, Governor David Paterson appointed Gillibrand to fill the seat. Gillibrand was required to run in a special election in 2010, which she easily won with 63% of the vote. Her term ends in 2013 and she is currently running for reelection in 2012.
wn.com/Kirsten_Gillibrand -
Lady Bird Johnson
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson (December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007) was First Lady of the United States (1963-69) during the presidency of her husband Lyndon B. Johnson.
Notably well educated for her time, she proved a capable manager and a shrewd investor. After marrying LBJ in 1934, when he was a political hopeful in Austin, Texas, she used a modest inheritance to bankroll his congressional campaign, and then ran his office while he was serving in the Navy. Next, she bought a radio station and then a TV station, which would soon make them millionaires. As First Lady, she broke new ground by liaising directly with Congress, employing her own press secretary, and making a solo electioneering tour.
Johnson was a lifelong advocate for beautifying the nation's cities and highways ("Where flowers bloom, so does hope") and the Highway Beautification Act was informally known as Lady Bird's Bill. She was a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest US civilian honors.
wn.com/Lady_Bird_Johnson -
Lamar Alexander
Andrew Lamar Alexander, Jr. (born July 3, 1940) is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee. He was previously the Conference Chair of the Republican Party from 2007 to 2012, the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W. Bush and candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination in 1996 and 2000.
Alexander was born in Maryville, Tennessee, where he was raised, to Genevra Floreine (née Rankin) and Andrew Lamar Alexander, a high school principal. In high school he was elected Governor of Tennessee Boys State. Alexander graduated with a B.A. from Vanderbilt University where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Chi Fraternity in 1962 and from the New York University School of Law in 1965. After graduating from law school, Alexander clerked for United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit judge John Minor Wisdom in New Orleans from 1965 to 1966.
In 1969 Alexander married Honey Buhler, who grew up in Victoria, Texas, and graduated from Smith College of Massachusetts. They had met during a softball game for Senate staff members; he was then a staffer for Senator Howard Baker of Tennessee while she worked for Senator John Tower of Texas. Together they have four children: Drew, Leslee, Kathryn, and Will.
wn.com/Lamar_Alexander -
Lamar S. Smith
Lamar Seeligson Smith (born November 19, 1947) is the U.S. Representative (Republican) for Texas's 21st congressional district, serving since 1987. The district includes most of the wealthier sections of San Antonio and Austin, as well as nearly all of the Texas Hill Country. He introduced the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and the Protecting Children From Internet Pornographers Act (PCIP). He also introduced the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act.
Smith graduated from T.M.I.: The Episcopal School of Texas (1965), Yale University (1969), and Southern Methodist University Law School (1975).
In 1969, he was hired as a management intern by the Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C. He was a business and financial writer for the Christian Science Monitor (1970-72). He was admitted to the Texas bar in 1975 and went into private practice in San Antonio with the firm of Maebius and Duncan, Inc.
In 1978, he was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Bexar County. In 1980, Smith was elected to the Bexar County based-57th District of the Texas House of Representatives. He served on the Energy Resources Committee and the Fire Ants Select Committee. In 1982, he was elected to the 3rd Pricinct of the Bexar County Commission.
wn.com/Lamar_S._Smith -
Lila Cockrell
Lila Cockrell (born January 19, 1922) is a former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, and was the first female mayor of a major American city.
wn.com/Lila_Cockrell -
Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin Graham (born July 9, 1955) is the senior United States Senator from South Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously he served as the United States Representative for South Carolina's 3rd congressional district.
Graham was born in Central, South Carolina, where his parents, Millie and Florence James Graham, ran a liquor store, the Sanitary Cafe. After graduating from D. W. Daniel High School, Graham became the first member of his family to attend college and joined the Reserve Officers' Training Corps. When he was 21 his mother died, and his father died 15 months later. Because his sister was left orphaned, the service allowed Graham to attend University of South Carolina in Columbia so he could be near home and care for his sister, whom he adopted. During his studies, he became a member of the fraternity Pi Kappa Phi.
Graham graduated from the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in Psychology in 1977 and from the University of South Carolina School of Law with a J.D. in 1981. Upon graduating, Graham was commissioned as an officer and judge advocate in the United States Air Force, placed on active duty and sent to Europe as a military prosecutor. He eventually entered private practice as a lawyer.
wn.com/Lindsey_Graham -
Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann Murkowski (born May 22, 1957) is the senior United States Senator from the State of Alaska and a member of the Republican Party. She was appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. After losing a Republican primary in 2010, she became the second person ever to win a U.S. Senate election through write-in votes.
Born in Ketchikan, Alaska, she is the daughter of former U.S. Senator and Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski. She graduated from Georgetown University and received her law degree from Willamette University College of Law. After working as an attorney in the 1980s and 1990s, she was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1998. Shortly after being elected House Majority Leader in 2002, she was appointed to the United States Senate by her father.
Murkowski was elected to a full term in 2004. Her 2010 re-election grew turbulent when former magistrate judge Joe Miller defeated her in the Republican primary. Murkowski mounted a write-in campaign, winning the general election. The long-shot campaign made national headlines: the only other Senate candidate to win a write-in vote was Strom Thurmond in 1954. Murkowski is the only current Republican Senator from any West Coast state. Since winning re-election, her voting record has become more moderate when compared to her previous years in the Senate.
wn.com/Lisa_Murkowski -
Liz Carpenter
Mary Elizabeth "Liz" Sutherland Carpenter (September 1, 1920 – March 20, 2010) was a writer, feminist, former reporter, media advisor, speechwriter, political humorist, and public relations expert. Carpenter was born in historic Salado in southern Bell County, Texas. In 1936, her 24-room residence there was declared a state historic monument. In 1967, a plaque was unveiled to indicate that Carpenter had once lived there. At the age of seven, she moved with her family to Austin. Carpenter stood in the forefront of the Women's Movement when it began and never wavered from her platform. Her projects and causes ranged from supporting high tech to fighting cancer. Often called the "funniest woman in politics", she was in demand as a public speaker until her death.
Carpenter launched her journalism career at Austin High School in Austin as the editor of the school paper, The Austin Maroon. Another aspiring journalist, Leslie E. "Les" Carpenter (ca. 1921–1974) of Austin, was business manager of the newspaper. The two became best friends, majored in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin, and worked together on the university newspaper, The Daily Texan. Les firmly supported Liz when she was elected vice president of the student body, the first woman to have held that position.
wn.com/Liz_Carpenter -
Lloyd Bentsen
Lloyd Millard Bentsen, Jr. (February 11, 1921 – May 23, 2006) was a four-term United States senator (1971–1993) from Texas and the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President in 1988 on the Michael Dukakis ticket. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1955. In his later political life, he was Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and the U.S. Treasury Secretary during the first two years of the Clinton administration.
Bentsen was born in Mission in Hidalgo County in south Texas; his parents were Lloyd Millard Bentsen, Sr., a first-generation Danish American, and the former Edna Ruth Colbath. Bentsen was an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America. He attended Sharyland High School. He graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 1942 where he was a member of the Upsilon Chapter of Sigma Nu fraternity and the Texas Cowboys. Upon graduation, he served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945. On November 27, 1943, he married Beryl Ann Longino, a fashion model, whom he first met in college.[citation needed]
wn.com/Lloyd_Bentsen -
Lloyd Doggett
Lloyd Alton Doggett II (born October 6, 1946) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 25th congressional district, serving since 2005. He previously represented Texas's 10th congressional district from 1995 to 2005. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district covers part of the state capital, Austin.
Born in Austin, Doggett received both a Bachelor's degree in business and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where he served as student body president his senior year. While attending Texas, he also joined Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.
In 1989 he became both a justice on the Texas Supreme Court and an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law, his alma mater.
His electoral career began in 1973, when he was elected to the Texas State Senate, serving until 1985. He authored the bill creating the Texas Commission on Human Rights, as well as a law outlawing "cop killer" bullets and a "sunset law" requiring periodic review of government agencies.
He first gained notoriety in 1979, as a member of the "Killer Bees" — a group of 12 Democratic state senators who opposed a plan to move the state's presidential primary to March 11. The intent was to give former governor John Connally a leg up on the 1980 Republican nomination. The Killer Bees wanted a closed primary. When this proposal was rejected, they walked out of the chamber and left the Senate two members short of a quorum. The bill was withdrawn five days later.
wn.com/Lloyd_Doggett -
Louie Gohmert
Louis Buller (Louie) Gohmert, Jr. (born August 18, 1953) is an American politician and current Republican U.S. Representative from Texas's 1st congressional district.
Gohmert was born in Pittsburg, Texas. He received his B.A. from Texas A&M University in 1975. At A&M, he was a brigade commander of the Corps of Cadets and class president. He later received his Juris Doctor from Baylor University in Waco in 1977 where he also served as class president. Gohmert served in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, at Fort Benning, Georgia, from 1978 to 1982. The majority of his U.S. Army legal service was as a defense attorney.
Gohmert was elected as a state district judge for Texas's 7th Judicial District comprising Smith County (Tyler) in 1992 and was reelected two times before being appointed by Governor Rick Perry to fill a vacancy as Chief Justice on Texas's 12th Court of Appeals, where he served from 2002 to 2003. After Texas' 2003 mid-decade redistricting process, he defeated Democratic incumbent 1st District Congressman Max Sandlin for his seat in Congress, becoming the first Republican since Reconstruction to represent the 1st District of northeast Texas. In the Republican primary, Gohmert defeated State Representative Wayne Christian of Center, who thereafter returned to the state legislature.
wn.com/Louie_Gohmert -
Louis Wigfall
Louis Trezevant Wigfall (April 21, 1816 – February 18, 1874) was an American politician from Texas who served as a member of the Texas Legislature, United States Senate, and Confederate Senate. Wigfall was among a group of leading secessionists known as Fire-Eaters, advocating the preservation and expansion of an aristocratic agricultural society based on slave labor. He briefly served as a Confederate Brigadier General of the Texas Brigade at the outset of the American Civil War before taking his seat in the Confederate Senate. Wigfall's reputation for oratory and hard-drinking, along with a combative nature and high-minded sense of personal honor, made him one of the more imposing political figures of his time.
Wigfall was born on a plantation near Edgefield, South Carolina, to Levi Durant and Eliza Thomson Wigfall. His father, who died in 1818, was a successful Charleston merchant before moving to Edgefield. His mother was of the French Huguenot Trezavant family. She died when young Louis was 13. An older brother, Hamden, was killed in a duel. Another, Arthur, became a bishop in the Episcopal Church.
wn.com/Louis_Wigfall -
Louise Ritter
Louise Dorothy Ritter (born February 18, 1958 in Dallas, Texas) is a former track and field athlete from the United States, who won the gold medal in the women's high jump at the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea. A graduate from Red Oak High School she now has a street named after her[citation needed] located in her former home town of Red Oak, TX.
She graduated from Texas Woman's University in 1988 where she starred for U.S. Olympic coach Dr. Bert Lyle.
wn.com/Louise_Ritter -
Lydia Mendoza
Lydia Mendoza (May 21, 1916 – December 20, 2007) was an American guitarist and singer of Tejano, conjunto, and traditional Mexican-American music. She is known as "La Alondra de la Frontera" (or "The Lark of the Border" in English).
Mendoza was born on May 21, 1916, in Houston, Texas. She learned to sing and play stringed instruments from her mother and grandmother. In 1928, as part of the family group, Cuarteto Carta Blanca, she made her first recordings for the Okeh Records label in San Antonio, Texas.
In the early 1930s, Mendoza came to the attention of Manuel J. Cortez, a pioneer of Mexican-American radio broadcasting. Her live radio performances set the stage for her 1934 recordings on the Bluebird Records label, a subsidiary of RCA Victor. Her recording, "Mal Hombre", became an overnight success and led to an intensive schedule of touring and recording.
After World War II, Mendoza recorded for many of the major Mexican-American record labels mostly located in Texas. She continued actively performing and recording up until a stroke in 1988 slowed her schedule down. Many of her recordings are still available including those issued by Arhoolie Records, a California-based label specializing in the release of regional forms of American music.
wn.com/Lydia_Mendoza -
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973), often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States (1963–1969), a position he assumed after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States (1961–1963). He is one of only four people who served in all four elected federal offices of the United States: Representative, Senator, Vice President, and President. Johnson, a Texas Democrat, served as a United States Representative from 1937–1949 and as a Senator from 1949–1961, including six years as United States Senate Majority Leader, two as Senate Minority Leader and two as Senate Majority Whip. After campaigning unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination in 1960, Johnson was asked by John F. Kennedy to be his running mate for the 1960 presidential election.
Johnson succeeded to the presidency following the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, completed the rest of Kennedy's term and was elected President in his own right, winning by a large margin in the 1964 election. Johnson was greatly supported by the Democratic Party and as President, he was responsible for designing the "Great Society" legislation that included laws that upheld civil rights, public broadcasting, Medicare, Medicaid, environmental protection, aid to education, and his "War on Poverty." He was renowned for his domineering personality and the "Johnson treatment," his coercion of powerful politicians in order to advance legislation.
wn.com/Lyndon_B._Johnson -
Mac Thornberry
William McClellan Thornberry, known as Mac Thornberry (born July 15, 1958), is the U.S. Representative from the Texas Panhandle. He has served since 1995, when the House seated its first Republican majority in forty years.
The Republican Thornberry represents Texas's 13th congressional district, a GOP stronghold which stretches between the Oklahoma and New Mexico borders. It winds across the Panhandle into the South Plains, then runs east across the Red River Valley. Covering over 40,000 square miles (100,000 km2), it is the second-largest district geographically in Texas and one of the largest (excluding at-large districts in Wyoming, Montana, and Alaska) in the country. It is even larger in area than thirteen states. The principal cities in the district are Amarillo and Wichita Falls.
Thornberry is a lifelong resident of Clarendon, some 60 miles (97 km) east of Amarillo, in the heart of the 13th. His family has operated a ranch in the area since 1881. He received his Bachelor of Arts in history from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. He then obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin. He served previously as a staffer to two other Texas Republican congressmen, Tom Loeffler and Larry Combest, and as deputy Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs under U.S. President Ronald W. Reagan before he joined his brothers on the family ranch. He also practiced law in Amarillo. Mr. Thornberry is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
wn.com/Mac_Thornberry -
Mae Jemison
Mae Carol Jemison (born October 17, 1956) is an American physician and NASA astronaut. She became the first black woman to travel in space when she went into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on September 12, 1992. After her medical education and a brief general practice, Jemison served in the Peace Corps from 1985 to 1987. She resigned from NASA in 1993 to form a company researching the application of technology to daily life. She has appeared on television several times, including as an actor in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. She is a dancer, and holds 9 honorary doctorates in science, engineering, letters, and the humanities.
Mae Carol Jemison was born in Decatur, Alabama, the youngest child of Charlie Jemison and Dorothy Green. Her father was a maintenance supervisor for a charity organization, and her mother worked most of her career as an elementary school teacher of English and math at the Beethoven School in Chicago. The family moved to Chicago, Illinois, when Jemison was three years old, to take advantage of better educational opportunities there. Jemison says that as a young girl growing up in Chicago she always assumed she would get into space. "I thought, by now, we'd be going into space like you were going to work." She said it was easier to apply to be a shuttle astronaut, "rather than waiting around in a cornfield, waiting for ET to pick me up or something."
wn.com/Mae_Jemison -
Marco Rubio
Marco Antonio Rubio (born May 28, 1971) is the junior United States Senator from Florida, serving since January 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives (2007–2009).
Born to Cuban immigrants, Rubio was raised in Miami, Florida, and Las Vegas, Nevada. He attended Tarkio College and Santa Fe Community College before graduating from the University of Florida. He earned his J.D. from the University of Miami School of Law in 1996 while interning for U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. In the late 1990s he served as a City Commissioner for West Miami. Rubio was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2000, representing the 111th House district. He was elected Speaker in November 2006.
Rubio announced a run for U.S. Senate in May 2009 after incumbent Republican Mel Martinez resigned. Initially trailing by double-digits against the incumbent Republican Governor Charlie Crist, Rubio eventually surpassed him in polling for the Republican nomination. Rubio won the Republican nomination after Crist opted instead for an independent run. In a three-way split against Crist and Democratic candidate Kendrick Meek, Rubio won the general election in November 2010 by a 19-point margin.
wn.com/Marco_Rubio -
Maria Cantwell
Maria E. Cantwell (born October 13, 1958) is the junior United States Senator from the state of Washington and a member of the Democratic Party.
She previously served in the Washington House of Representatives, and then in the United States House of Representatives from Washington's 1st congressional district from 1993 to 1995, after which she worked as an executive for RealNetworks. She is Washington's second female senator, after Patty Murray.
Cantwell was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was raised in a predominantly Irish-American neighborhood on the south side of Indianapolis. Her father, Paul F. Cantwell, served as county commissioner, city councilman, state legislator, and Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative Andrew Jacobs, Jr. Her mother, Rose M., was an administrative assistant. Her ancestry includes Irish and German.
She attended Emmerich Manual High School and was inducted into the Indianapolis Public School Hall of Fame in 2006. After high school, Cantwell went to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration. She moved to Seattle, Washington in 1983 to campaign for Alan Cranston in his unsuccessful bid for the 1984 Democratic Presidential nomination. She then moved to the Seattle suburb of Mountlake Terrace because it reminded her of Indianapolis, and led a successful campaign to build a new library there.
wn.com/Maria_Cantwell -
Mark Begich
Mark Peter Begich ( /ˈbɛɡɪtʃ/; born March 30, 1962) is the junior United States Senator from Alaska and a member of the Democratic Party. A former mayor of Anchorage, he served on the Anchorage Assembly for almost ten years prior to being elected mayor in 2003. In the highly competitive 2008 Alaska Senate election, Begich defeated incumbent Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican member of the Senate of all time.
Born in Anchorage, he is the son of U.S. Representative Nick Begich, who disappeared and was presumed dead following a 1972 plane crash. He graduated from high school and has taken continuing education classes at University of Alaska Anchorage, but does not have a college degree. At age 26 he was elected to the Anchorage Assembly. After serving as chairman for three years, he left the Assembly in 1998. Begich ran two unsuccessful campaigns for mayor in 1994 and 2000. He was finally elected in 2003, winning a narrow three-way race by 11 votes.
Begich handily won the Democratic nomination in the state's 2008 U.S. Senate election. He faced longtime incumbent Republican Ted Stevens, who was facing ethics and corruption charges during his re-election campaign. Stevens was convicted of felony violations a week before the election, (all charges were later dismissed, and conviction was set aside by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, due to prosecutorial misconduct). The controversy before the election was enough to cause doubt and Begich won by a narrow margin.
wn.com/Mark_Begich -
Mark Kirk
Mark Steven Kirk (born September 15, 1959) is the junior United States Senator from Illinois and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Kirk was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 10th congressional district.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, he graduated from Cornell University, London School of Economics, and Georgetown University Law Center. He practiced law throughout the 1980s and 1990s. He joined the United States Navy Reserve in 1989 and was recalled to active duty for the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. He participated in Operation Northern Watch in Iraq the following year. He remains a member of the Navy Reserve, now holding the rank of Commander.
Kirk was elected to the House in 2000. During his fifth term in November 2010 he won two concurrent elections: to finish the final months of former Senator Barack Obama's term and to serve the next six-year term. He was sworn in on November 29, 2010, and then began a six-year Senate term in January 2011.
wn.com/Mark_Kirk -
Mark Pryor
Mark Lunsford Pryor (born January 10, 1963) is the senior United States Senator from Arkansas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Democratic Party and former Attorney General of Arkansas.
Born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Pryor is the son of former Arkansas Governor and U.S. Senator David Hampton Pryor. He received his bachelor's degree and law degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He worked in private practice for several years until being elected to the Arkansas House of Representatives in 1990. He was elected the state Attorney General in 1998. Pryor announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2001, running for the same Senate seat his father had held from 1979 to 1997. He was elected with 54 percent of the vote.
Pryor was a member of the bipartisan Gang of 14 formed in 2005 to forge a compromise on the use of the Senate filibuster. He was re-elected with no Republican opposition in 2008. In January 2009 he briefly became the youngest member of the Senate, the oldest "youngest member" of the Senate ever to serve. In the 112th Congress he is the chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance.
wn.com/Mark_Pryor -
Mark Udall
Mark Emery Udall (born July 18, 1950) is the senior United States Senator from Colorado and a member of the Democratic Party. From 1999 to 2009, Udall served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Colorado's 2nd congressional district. He also served a term in the Colorado House of Representatives.
Born in Tucson, Arizona, he is the son of former U.S. Representative Morris "Mo" Udall. The Udall family is one of America's more prolific political families. Mark Udall graduated from Williams College in 1972 and moved to Colorado. He worked at the Colorado Outward Bound School for 20 years, including ten years as the school's executive director. He was elected to the Colorado House of Representatives in 1996. After one term he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served five terms and worked on energy and national resources.
Udall won a competitive election for the U.S. Senate in 2008, defeating Republican challenger Bob Schaffer. He chairs the Senate Energy Subcommittee on National Parks. Udall is a prolific mountaineer and was featured in Men's Journal magazine for his athletic abilities.
wn.com/Mark_Udall -
Mark Warner
Mark Robert Warner (born December 15, 1954) is an American politician and businessman, currently serving as the junior United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Warner was the 69th governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006 and is the honorary chairman of the Forward Together PAC. Warner delivered the keynote address before the nation at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Mark Warner's experience as a congressional staffer and Democratic Party fundraiser in the 1980s prompted his involvement in telecommunications venture capital; he founded the firm Columbia Capital.
In 2006 he was widely expected to pursue the Democratic nomination in the 2008 U.S. presidential elections; however, he announced in October 2006 that he would not run, citing a desire not to disrupt his family life. Warner was considered to be a potential vice presidential candidate, but upon receiving the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, he announced that he "will not accept any other opportunity." He is expected to become the state's senior senator when Jim Webb retires from the Senate in January 2013.
wn.com/Mark_Warner -
Martha Whitehead
Martha Whitehead is a former elected official from the U.S. state of Texas. She was the last Texas State Treasurer before the position was abolished by constitutional amendment in 1996.
Whitehead is a former mayor of Longview, Texas. In 1993, Texas Governor Ann Richards appointed Whitehead to fulfill the term of Senator-Elect Kay Bailey Hutchison.
In 1994, Whitehead ran for State Treasurer on the explicit promise to abolish the office and move its few remaining functions to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts office (which had already taken over most of the duties of collecting and accounting for state taxes), and was subsequently elected. In 1995, the Texas Legislature passed a proposed constitutional amendment to abolish the office, which was approved by the voters later that same year. The office was formally dismantled in 1996.
wn.com/Martha_Whitehead -
Martha Wong
Dr. Martha Jee Wong, born Martha Jee,(1939–) is a Texas politician who was the first Asian American woman to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives, representing Houston's District 134.
She attended Reagan High School in Houston. In 1993, she became the Houston City Council's first elected Asian American Councilwoman, and was elected to three successive terms. She earned a Bachelor degree from the University of Texas and both a masters degree and doctorate from the University of Houston.
wn.com/Martha_Wong -
Mary Kay Ash
Mary Kay Ash (May 12, 1918 – November 22, 2001) was an American businesswoman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc.
Mary Kay Ash, born Mary Kathlyn Wagner in Hot Wells, Harris County, Texas, was the daughter of Edward Alexander and Lula Vember Hastings Wagner. She attended Reagan High School in Houston, and graduated in 1934.
Ash married Ben Rogers at age 17. They had three children. While her husband served in World War II, she sold books door-to-door. After her husband's return in 1945, they divorced. Ash went to work for Stanley Home Products. Frustrated when passed over for a promotion in favor of a man that she had trained, Ash retired in 1963 and intended to write a book to assist women in business. The book turned into a business plan for her ideal company, and in the summer of 1963, Mary Kay Ash and her new husband, George Arthur Hallenbeck, began Mary Kay Cosmetics with a $5,000 investment. Before the company could open its original storefront operation in Dallas, her second husband died, and her son, Richard Rogers, took his place. The store opened in 1963, but grew rapidly, particularly after Ash was interviewed for CBS's 60 Minutes in 1979.
wn.com/Mary_Kay_Ash -
Mary Landrieu
Mary Loretta Landrieu ( /ˈlændruː/ LAN-drew; born November 23, 1955) is the senior United States Senator from the State of Louisiana and a member of the Democratic Party.
Born in Arlington, Virginia, Landrieu was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the daughter of former New Orleans mayor and Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Moon Landrieu, and the sister of the current Mayor of New Orleans and former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana Mitch Landrieu. She received her baccalaureate degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. After working as a real estate agent for several years, she was elected as a state representative (1980–1988) and state treasurer (1988–1996). She won a close race for the U.S. Senate in 1996; she was re-elected by increasing margins in competitive races in 2002 and 2008.
Landrieu is one of the most conservative Democrats in the Senate, often opposing her party's positions. Her opposition to the public option played a major role in the crafting of the health insurance reform bills of 2010. She became a spokeswoman for federal emergency relief in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which devastated her state. She chairs the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. In 2005, she sponsored an unprecedented Senate resolution by which the US Senate apologized for its failure to enact anti-lynching legislation during the early 20th century, when it was very much needed.
wn.com/Mary_Landrieu -
Mary Ruwart
Mary J. Ruwart, Ph. D. (born October 16, 1949) is a research scientist and libertarian speaker, writer, and activist. She was a leading candidate for the 2008 Libertarian Party presidential nomination and is the author of the award-winning international bestseller "Healing Our World."
Born in Detroit, Ruwart holds an undergraduate degree in biochemistry (B.S., 1970), and a graduate degree in biophysics (Ph.D., 1974) from Michigan State University. After a brief term as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at St. Louis University Medical School, Ruwart spent 19 years as a pharmaceutical research scientist for Upjohn Pharmaceuticals, and has written extensively on the subjects of government regulation of the drug industry and on libertarian communication.
In 1992, Ruwart published her best-selling book Healing Our World: The Other Piece of the Puzzle (ISBN 0-9632336-2-9); in 2003, the third edition was published, retitled Healing Our World in an Age of Aggression (ISBN 0-9632336-6-1). In the afterword of the third edition of Healing Our World, Ruwart describes the experience of her sister's death, an assisted suicide facilitated by Jack Kevorkian.
wn.com/Mary_Ruwart -
Matthias Ward
Matthias Ward (October 13, 1805 – October 5, 1861) was a lawyer and United States Senator from Texas.
Born in Elbert County, Georgia, Ward was raised in Alabama. In 1836 he settled in Bowie, Texas, moving to Clarksville, Texas in 1845 and later to Jefferson, Texas.
Ward served in the Congress of the Republic of Texas and later in the state Senate as a Democrat. This was followed by unsuccessful campaigns for lieutenant governor in 1851 and United States Congress in 1855.
Upon J. Pinckney Henderson’s death in 1858, Ward was appointed to replace him in the United States Senate; he failed to secure the nomination to run for the seat in election the next year.
wn.com/Matthias_Ward -
Max Baucus
Max Sieben Baucus (born December 11, 1941) is the senior United States Senator from Montana and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, he is the longest-serving Senator from Montana, and the fifth longest-serving U.S. Senator in office.
As the current chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Baucus has played an influential role in the debate over health care reform in the United States. He is also chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, and a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and is chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Before his election to the Senate, Baucus was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1978, representing Montana's (now defunct) 1st congressional district. He previously served in the Montana House of Representatives from 1973 to 1974.
On August 9, 2011, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid appointed Baucus to the United States Congress Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction.
wn.com/Max_Baucus -
Michael C. Burgess
Michael Clifton Burgess, (born December 23, 1950) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 26th congressional district, serving since 2003, and a member of the Tea Party Caucus.
Burgess was born on December 23, 1950 in Rochester, Minnesota to Harry Meredith Burgess and Norma Crowhurst. He graduated from North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas) in 1972 and graduated from the medical school at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston in 1977. He completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Texas.
Burgess, who had never held any public office and voted in the Democratic primaries in 1990, 1992, and 1994, entered in the 2002 Republican primary election to replace U.S. Congressman and House Majority Leader Richard Armey. The district, comprising the majority of Denton County, was strongly Republican.
Using the campaign slogan "My dad is NOT Dick Armey", and with the endorsement of multiple medical Political Action Committees and the support of organizations like the National Beer Wholesalers Association, Burgess took second place in the primary behind Congressman Armey's son, finishing with 23% of the vote to Armey's 45%. Armey's failure to capture a 50% majority led to a runoff election. Before the runoff, the Dallas Morning News released a series of articles alleging that Armey used his influence as a judge to procure county jobs and contracts for his friends. The report strongly hurt his campaign and Burgess won the runoff by a 55% to 45% margin.
wn.com/Michael_C._Burgess -
Michael McCaul
Michael Thomas McCaul, Sr. (born January 14, 1962) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 10th congressional district, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Austin to Houston.
McCaul grew up in suburban Dallas to a fourth generation Texan family. He graduated from Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from San Antonio's Trinity University in 1984 and his Juris Doctor from St. Mary's University in 1987. McCaul also attended Harvard University, taking courses in the Kennedy School of Government.
McCaul worked as an attorney and a federal prosecutor before entering politics. He was the Chief of Counterterrorism and National Security for Texas's branch of the US Attorney's office also worked under the Department of Justice's Public Integrity Section. McCaul was appointed Deputy Attorney General in 1998 and served in this capacity until 2002.
He ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004. He won a crowded Republican primary in the newly created 10th District. The district was thought to be so heavily Republican that no Democrat even filed, effectively handing the seat to McCaul.
wn.com/Michael_McCaul -
Mike Conaway
Kenneth Michael "Mike" Conaway, (born June 11, 1948) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 11th congressional district, serving since 2005. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district is located in West Texas and includes Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, Brownwood and Fredericksburg.
Conaway was born in Borger in the Texas Panhandle northeast of Amarillo. He graduated in 1966 from Permian High School in Odessa in Ector County. He is a 1970 graduate of East Texas State University (since renamed Texas A&M University–Commerce). He is married to Suzanne Conaway and has four children.[citation needed]
Conaway served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1972, was an accountant and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1974, chief financial officer at a bank, and from 1981 to 1986 was the chief financial officer of Arbusto Energy Inc, an oil and gas exploration firm operated by George W. Bush.
Soon after Bush was elected governor of Texas, he appointed Conaway to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, which regulates accountancy in Texas. He served on the board as a volunteer for seven years, the last five as chairman.[citation needed]
wn.com/Mike_Conaway -
Mike Crapo
Michael Dean "Mike" Crapo ( /ˈkreɪpoʊ/ KRAY-poh; born May 20, 1951) is the senior United States Senator from the state of Idaho and a member of the Republican Party.
Born in the city of Idaho Falls, Crapo is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School. He practiced law in his home city throughout the 1980s, while maintaining an active role in local Republican politics. His brother Terry Crapo was majority leader in the Idaho House of Representatives and a growing political figure until his death from leukemia in 1982. Mike Crapo, prompted by his brother's death, successfully ran for the Idaho Senate in 1984. He became Senate President pro tempore from 1988 to 1992, in which position he served as Acting Governor of Idaho for 12 hours in January 1989.
Crapo was elected to Congress in 1992, representing Idaho's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. After three terms in the House he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998. He was re-elected with no Democratic opposition in the 2004 election, a rarity in the Senate. He was again re-elected in 2010.
wn.com/Mike_Crapo -
Mike Enzi
Michael Bradley "Mike" Enzi (/ˈɛnzi/; born February 1, 1944) is the senior United States Senator from Wyoming (serving since 1997) and a member of the Republican Party.
Raised in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Enzi attended George Washington University and the University of Denver. He expanded his father's shoe store business in Gillette before being elected mayor of Gillette in 1974. In the late 1970s he worked in the United States Department of the Interior. He served as a state legislator in the Wyoming House of Representatives (1987–1991) and the Wyoming Senate (1991–1996). During the 1980s and 1990s he worked as an accountant and executive director in the energy industry.
Enzi won a tight primary for election to the U.S. Senate in 1996 and was re-elected by comfortable margins in 2002 and 2008. He has been ranked as one of the most conservative members of the Senate. He is the ranking Republican on the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which he chaired from 2005 to 2007. He was a member of the 2009 Gang of Six which attempted to negotiate a health care reform program.
wn.com/Mike_Enzi -
Mike Johanns
Michael Owen "Mike" Johanns (born June 18, 1950) is an Republican American politician who has been the junior United States Senator from Nebraska since 2009. Previously he was the 38th Governor of Nebraska from 1999 to 2005 and was United States Secretary of Agriculture from 2005 to 2007, becoming the fourth Nebraskan to hold the position. On November 4, 2008, Johanns was elected to the United States Senate for the state of Nebraska, becoming one of only two new Republican senators (with Jim Risch of Idaho) heading into the 111th United States Congress. In 2002 Johanns served as a Chair of the Midwestern Governors Association. He is expected to become Nebraska's senior senator upon the conclusion of retiring Senator Ben Nelson's term in January of 2013.
Johanns was born in Osage, Iowa, the son of Adeline Lucy (née Royek) and John Robert Johanns. His father was of German ancestry, and his maternal grandparents immigrated from Poland. He grew up living and working on his family's farm. After graduating from high school, Johanns went on to study at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona. He earned a law degree from Creighton University. After his graduation, Johanns began practicing law in O'Neill and Lincoln, Nebraska.
wn.com/Mike_Johanns -
Mitch McConnell
Addison Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell, Jr. (born February 20, 1942), a Republican American, is the senior United States Senator from Kentucky and the Minority Leader. He is the longest serving U.S. Senator in Kentucky history.
McConnell was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama to Julia (née Shockley) and Addison Mitchell McConnell.
McConnell was raised in southern Louisville, Kentucky, where he attended the duPont Manual High School, and in 1964 he graduated with honors from the University of Louisville with a B.A. in political science. He was student body president and a member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. McConnell has maintained strong ties to his alma mater, and "remains a rabid fan of its sports teams." He graduated in 1967 from the University of Kentucky College of Law, where he was elected president of the Student Bar Association.
McConnell became a member of the 100th Division (Training), U.S. Army Reserve, in Louisville, Kentucky, during his final semester of law school; and he reported for his six months of active service, primarily for training, in July 1967. After induction at Fort Knox, Kentucky, McConnell was released early from his active-duty military service in August 1967. McConnell received a medical discharge for optic neuritis, which is a common manifestation of multiple sclerosis.
wn.com/Mitch_McConnell -
Morgan C. Hamilton
Morgan Calvin Hamilton (February 25, 1809 – November 21, 1893) was an American merchant, politician from Texas, and brother of Andrew Jackson Hamilton. For six years, 1839–45, he served in the war department of the Republic of Texas, first as clerk and in 1844–45 as secretary of war. One of the few Texan abolitionists, he fought for Union forces in the Civil War. Later, he represented Texas as a Radical Republican in the United States Senate during Reconstruction. In the 1860s, he owned the property on which Hamilton Pool is located. He is buried in the Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, Texas.
wn.com/Morgan_C._Hamilton -
Morris Sheppard
John Morris Sheppard (May 28, 1875 – April 9, 1941) was a Democratic United States Congressman and United States Senator from Texas. He authored the Eighteenth Amendment (Prohibition) and introduced it in the Senate, so that he is referred to as "the father of national Prohibition."
John Morris Sheppard was born in Morris County in east Texas, the oldest of seven children, to lawyer and later judge and United States Representative John Levi Sheppard and his wife the former Margaret Alice Eddins.
Through his mother Margaret, Morris was a direct descendent of Robert Morris (1734–1806) who had signed the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution.
Sheppard enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin in 1891 and received his B.A. degree from there in 1895, as well as his LL.B. from University of Texas School of Law in 1897. It was while enrolled at UT-Austin Law School that Sheppard became a member of the Methodist Church. He was also a close friend and classmate of future Governor of Texas Pat Neff and future U. S. Senator Tom Connally while at the University of Texas School of Law. In 1898, he received his LL.M. from Yale University.
wn.com/Morris_Sheppard -
Nancy Brinker
Nancy Goodman Brinker (born December 6, 1946, in Peoria, Illinois) is the founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, an organization named after her only sister, Susan, who died from breast cancer in 1980 at age 36. Brinker was also United States Ambassador to Hungary from 2001 to 2003 and Chief of Protocol of the United States from 2007 to the end of the George W. Bush administration. Brinker, a breast cancer survivor, uses her experience to heighten understanding of the disease. She speaks publicly on the importance of patient's rights and medical advancements in breast cancer research and treatment. She is currently serving as the World Health Organization's Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control. Brinker is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Promise Me - How a Sister's Love Launched the Global Movement to End Breast Cancer, released on September 14, 2010.
Brinker has helped build Komen by fostering a coalition of relationships within the business community, government, and volunteer sectors in the United States. For her work on breast cancer research, Time magazine named Brinker to its 2008 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Calling her "a catalyst to ease suffering in the world," President Barack Obama honored Brinker with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, on August 12, 2009.
wn.com/Nancy_Brinker -
Olympia Snowe
Olympia Jean Snowe (née Bouchles; born February 21, 1947) is the senior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. Snowe has become widely known for her ability to influence the outcome of close votes, including whether to end filibusters. She and her fellow Senator from Maine, Susan Collins, are regarded as leading moderates within their party. In 2006, she was named one of America's Best Senators by Time Magazine. On February 28, 2012, Snowe announced that she will not seek reelection in November 2012, and will retire when her third term ends on January 3, 2013.
Snowe was born Olympia Jean Bouchles in Augusta, Maine, the daughter of Georgia (née Goranites) and George John Bouchles. Her father immigrated to the United States from Sparta in Greece, and her maternal grandparents were also Greek. She is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Snowe's early life had its share of tragedies; when she was nine, her mother died of breast cancer, and her father died of heart disease barely a year later. Orphaned, she was moved to Auburn, Maine, to be raised by her aunt and uncle, a textile mill worker and a barber, respectively, along with their five other children. Her brother John was raised separately, by other family members. Within a few years, disease would also claim her uncle's life.
wn.com/Olympia_Snowe -
Oveta Culp Hobby
Oveta Culp Hobby (January 19, 1905 – August 16, 1995) was the first secretary of the US Department of Health, Education and Welfare, first commanding officer of the Women's Army Corps, and chairperson of the board of the Houston Post.
She was born on the day january 19,1905 ,Oveta Culp in Killeen, Texas to Isaac William Culp and Emma Elizabeth Hoover. An autodidact, she briefly attended Mary Hardin Baylor College for Women, but did not graduate. She later attended the South Texas School of Law but did not graduate and never passed the bar examination. Beginning at age 21 and for the next several years she served as parliamentarian of the Texas House of Representatives. In 1931 she married William P. Hobby, the former Governor of Texas and the publisher of the Houston Post, and took a position as research editor at the Post. In ensuing years she became the newspaper's executive vice president, president, ultimately becoming its publisher.
During World War II she headed the War Department's Women's Interest Section for a short time and then became the Director of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (later the Women's Army Corps), which was created to fill gaps left by a shortage of men. The members of the WAC were the first women other than nurses to be in Army uniform. Hobby achieved the rank of colonel and received the Distinguished Service Medal for efforts during the war. She was the first woman in the Army to receive this award.
wn.com/Oveta_Culp_Hobby -
Pamela Willeford
Pamela Pitzer Willeford (born March 1950) was the United States Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein between 2003 and 2006. She is also notable as being the sole eyewitness of the 2006 hunting incident where then-United States Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot attorney Harry Whittington in the face and chest.
Willeford grew up in Breckenridge, Texas and attended The Hockaday School in Dallas. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BA in English and Spanish. She became a public and private school teacher in Dallas, starting around the early 1970s. During the 1980s, she was a trustee of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Austin; she worked prominently in the expansion of the school. On the Texas State Preservation Board, she has been Director of Development, and coordinated its Texas Capitol Rededication project. She began serving on the Board and the Executive Committee of the Texas Book Festival upon their creation in 1996, and as of 2003, had continued to without interruption.
wn.com/Pamela_Willeford -
Pat Roberts
Charles Patrick "Pat" Roberts (born April 20, 1936) is the senior United States Senator from Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he has served since 1997. He is the ranking member of the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture and previously served as the Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
Born in Topeka, Kansas, Roberts is a graduate of Kansas State University. He served as a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps and worked as a newspaper reporter before entering politics in the late 1960s. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980 to succeed 1st District Congressman Keith Sebelius, for whom he had worked. He served eight terms in the House, including one as chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
Roberts was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, and is currently serving his third term. He has a conservative voting record. On the Intelligence Committee he was responsible for an investigation into the intelligence failures prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He led the creation of the Pat Roberts Intelligence Scholars Program in 2004.
wn.com/Pat_Roberts -
Patrick Leahy
Patrick Joseph Leahy (/ˈleɪhiː/; born March 31, 1940) is the senior United States Senator from Vermont and member of the Democratic Party. He is the first and only elected Democratic Senator in Vermont's history. He is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Leahy is the second most senior U.S. Senator, and second longest-serving Democrat in the U.S. Senate having served since 1975.
Leahy was born in Montpelier, Vermont, the son of Alba (née Zambon) and Howard Francis Leahy, a printer. His grandparents came to Vermont from Ireland and Italy during the 19th century to work at quarries.
Leahy graduated from Saint Michael's College in 1961 and received his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1964. He practiced as a lawyer until he was elected as State's Attorney of Chittenden County in 1966 and re-elected in 1970. Leahy was elected to the United States Senate for the first time in 1974 (at 34, he was the youngest U.S. Senator ever to be elected by Vermont). Leahy was the first and remains the only Democrat elected to the Senate from Vermont. He was also the first non-Republican Senator from Vermont since 1856.
wn.com/Patrick_Leahy -
Paul Coverdell
Paul Douglas Coverdell (January 20, 1939 – July 18, 2000) was a United States Senator from Georgia, elected for the first time in 1992 and re-elected in 1998, and director of the Peace Corps from 1989 until 1991. Coverdell died of a cerebral hemorrhage while serving in the United States Senate.
Coverdell was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1939 and lived much of his childhood in the Midwest. Coverdell graduated from Lee's Summit High School in Lees Summit, Missouri. and went on to graduate from the University of Missouri in 1961 with a degree in journalism. While in college, Coverdell was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity.
Coverdell joined the Army in 1962 and served as a Captain in Okinawa, Taiwan, and Korea. After completing his service Coverdell settled in Atlanta with his wife, Nancy. Coverdell began a career in insurance, founding the firm Coverdell & Co. Inc. with his father and becoming President of the family business in 1965.
Coverdell was unsuccessful in his first attempt to win election to the state senate in 1968 but he ran again and won in 1970 representing north Fulton County. Coverdell began serving as Senate Minority Leader in 1974, a position he held until he left the Georgia Senate in 1989. Coverdell worked with Democrats to accomplish his goals. Roy Barnes, a Democrat who would later be elected Governor of Georgia, said that when he joined the Georgia State Senate, Republican Coverdell took him under his political wing. "He showed that people of different parties could discuss their personal strengths and weaknesses," Barnes said. "I never worried that Paul would disclose anything I said." During Coverdell's time as Minority Leader he worked for pension reform, supported DUI legislation, and raising the legal drinking age in Georgia.
wn.com/Paul_Coverdell -
Pete Olson
Peter Graham "Pete" Olson (born December 9, 1962) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district, serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes much of southeastern Houston, as well as most of the city's southern suburbs such as Pearland, Sugar Land, and Pasadena.
Peter Graham Olson was born on December 9, 1962 in Fort Lewis, Washington. In 1972, Olson moved with his family to Seabrook, Texas, a southeast suburb of Houston; and attended public schools, graduating from Clear Lake High School in 1981. In 1985, Olson graduated from Rice University, where he played college basketball his freshman year, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science. Upon graduation, Olson enrolled in law school at the University of Texas at Austin. He completed the Texas Bar Exam in 1988 and joined the United States Navy.
Olson served in the United States Navy for nine years. He entered the Navy in 1988, and earned his Naval Aviator wings in March 1991. After earning his wings as a P-3C Orion pilot, post-Gulf War, he flew missions over the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific. In 1994, he was assigned as a Naval liaison to the United States Senate, during which time he assisted U.S. Senator Phil Gramm (Texas-R) on several overseas trips.
wn.com/Pete_Olson -
Pete Sessions
Peter Anderson Sessions (born March 22, 1955) is a politician from the state of Texas. He is a Republican, and currently represents the 32nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the current Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee
Sessions was born in Waco, Texas, and grew up there and in the suburbs of Washington, DC. His father is William S. Sessions, the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas in 1978. Sessions then worked for Southwestern Bell for 16 years. He rose to the rank of district manager for marketing in Dallas, supervising 435 employees and managing a $16 million budget. He also worked at Bell Communications Research (AKA Bellcore, currently named Telcordia Technologies) in New Jersey.
He is an Eagle Scout with four generations of Boy Scouts in his family, and recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America, as well as a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. As a Congressman, Sessions has sponsored legislation to raise money for the Boy Scouts. At the 2007 National Convention, Sessions was presented with the Pi Kappa Alpha Distinguished Alumni Award.
wn.com/Pete_Sessions -
Price Daniel
Marion Price Daniel, Sr. (October 10, 1910 – August 25, 1988), was a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th Governor of the state of Texas. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be a member of the National Security Council, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and Assistant to the President for Federal-State Relations. Daniel also served as Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.
Marion Price Daniel Sr (properly Marion Price Daniel II) was born in Dayton, Texas, to Marion Price Daniel Sr (born 1882 – died 1937) and Nannie Blanch Partlow (born 1886 – died 1955), in Liberty Texas. He was the eldest child. Sister Ellen Virginia Daniel would be born in 1912, and brother William Partlow Daniel in 1915.
Daniel's wife, Jean Houston Baldwin Daniel, was a great-great-granddaughter of the legendary Sam Houston. The couple had four children: Marion Price Daniel Jr. (properly Marion Price Daniel, III), Jean Houston Murph, Houston Lee, and John Baldwin.
Price graduated from Baptist-affiliated Baylor University in Waco. He worked as a lawyer in Liberty County. In 1938, he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and took office early in 1939. Daniel opposed Texas adopting a sales tax, and he was elected Speaker of the House in 1943.
wn.com/Price_Daniel -
Ralph Hall
Ralph Moody Hall (born May 3, 1923) is a United States Representative from Texas's 4th congressional district. First elected in 1980, Hall is the chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology and a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. He is the dean of the Texas congressional delegation and, at age 89, the oldest member of Congress.
Hall is a lifelong resident of Rockwall County, near Dallas. He was born in Fate, Texas. He graduated from Rockwall High School in 1941. Hall joined the U.S. Navy on December 10, 1942, serving as a lieutenant (senior grade) aircraft carrier pilot from 1942 to 1945, during World War II.
Hall attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth during 1943. After the war, he attended the University of Texas (1946–47), and received a law degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas in 1951. He was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1951 and maintained a private law practice in Rockwall for many years.
Hall was elected county judge of Rockwall County in November 1950. He held that position until 1962.
wn.com/Ralph_Hall -
Ralph Yarborough
Ralph Webster Yarborough (June 8, 1903 – January 27, 1996) was a Texas Democratic politician who served in the United States Senate (1957 to 1971) and was a leader of the progressive or liberal wing of his party in his many races for statewide office. As a United States Senator, he was a staunch supporter and author of "Great Society" legislation that encompassed Medicare and Medicaid, the War on Poverty, federal support for higher education and veterans. He co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and was the only southern senator to vote for all civil rights bills from 1957 to 1970 (including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965). Yarborough was known as "Smilin' Ralph" and used the slogan "Let's put the jam on the lower shelf so the little people can reach it" in his campaigns.
Yarborough was born in Chandler in Henderson County west of Tyler, the seventh of nine children of Charles Richard Yarborough and the former Nannie Jane Spear. He was appointed to the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1919 but dropped out to become a teacher. Yarborough instead attended Sam Houston State Teachers College and worked his way into the University of Texas at Austin. He graduated from the University of Texas Law School in 1927 and practiced law in El Paso until he was hired as an assistant attorney general in 1931 by the state Attorney General and later Governor James V. Allred.[citation needed]
wn.com/Ralph_Yarborough -
Rand Paul
Randal Howard "Rand" Paul (born January 7, 1963) is the junior United States Senator for Kentucky. He is a member of the Republican Party. A member of the Tea Party movement, he describes himself as a "constitutional conservative" and a libertarian. He is the son of Republican Congressman and 2012 Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul of Texas and had never previously held political office. Paul first received national attention in 2008 when making political speeches on behalf of his father. Rand Paul is the first United States Senator in history to serve alongside a parent in the United States House of Representatives.
A graduate of the Duke University School of Medicine, Paul has been a practicing ophthalmologist in Bowling Green, Kentucky, since 1993, and established his own clinic in December 2007. In 1994, he founded Kentucky Taxpayers United, of which he is still the chairman.
In 2010, Paul ran as the Republican candidate for the United States Senate seat being vacated by retiring Senator Jim Bunning of Kentucky and defeated Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway. As a supporter of the Tea Party movement, Paul has been vocal in advocating for term limits, a balanced budget amendment, and the Read the Bills Act, in addition to the widespread reduction of federal spending and taxation. He has gained prominence for his independent positions on many political issues, often clashing with both Republicans and Democrats.
wn.com/Rand_Paul -
Randy Neugebauer
Robert Randolph Neugebauer, known as Randy Neugebauer (born December 24, 1949), is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 19th congressional district, having served since a special election in 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes a large swath of West Texas, including Lubbock and Abilene. According to a 2011 survey by the National Journal, Neugebauer is "the most conservative" member of the House.
Neugebauer (pronounced Naw-guh-bow-er) was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and reared in Lubbock. His father was an insurance salesman and his mother a real estate agent and interior designer. He has a brother, John Neugebauer. When Randy was nine years old, his parents divorced, and his father died soon thereafter. In 1963, his mother married Joe W. Smith, a bank manager. Neugebauer graduated from Coronado High School and later from Texas Tech University in 1972 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting.
Like his mother, Neugebauer has long been involved in the real estate business, having served as president of the development company Lubbock Land before his election to Congress. He is a former president of the Texas Homebuilders Association from 1996 to 1997.
wn.com/Randy_Neugebauer -
Ray Hutchison
Elton Ray Hutchison, known as Ray Hutchison (born September 1932), is an attorney in Dallas, Texas, who served as a Republican in the Texas House of Representatives from District 33-Q in Dallas County from 1973 to 1977. He is the second husband of Republican U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas.
In 1957, Hutchison graduated with honors from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. In 1959, he obtained his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the same institution.
Hutchison is senior counsel with the law firm Bracewell & Giuliani LLP. His principal area of practice is public finance. For more than forty years, he has been counsel to state and local governments.
In 1976, Hutchison became chairman of the Texas Republican Party, but he left the nonsalaried position in 1977 to pursue his gubernatorial campaign. In the spring of 1978, he lost his party's nomination to Bill Clements, an industrialist also from Dallas, by a lopsided vote of 115,345 (72.8 percent) to 38,268 (24.2 percent). (Another 4,790 votes or 3 percent went to Charles Thompson.) Clements went on to win the general election by defeating the Democrat John Luke Hill and hence became the first Republican governor of Texas since Reconstruction.
wn.com/Ray_Hutchison -
Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal (born February 13, 1946) is the junior United States Senator from Connecticut and a member of the Democratic Party. Previously, he served as Attorney General of Connecticut.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Blumenthal is a graduate of Harvard College, where he was editorial chairman of The Harvard Crimson. He studied for a year at Cambridge University in England before attending Yale Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal. While at Yale, he was a classmate of future President Bill Clinton and future Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. From 1970 to 1976 Blumenthal served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, where he earned the rank of sergeant.
After college Blumenthal served as administrative assistant and law clerk for several Washington figures. From 1977 to 1981 he was United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. In the early 1980s he worked in private law, including volunteer counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. He served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1984 to 1987, when he was elected to the Connecticut Senate. He was elected state Attorney General in 1990, and served for twenty years. During this period he was frequently speculated as a contender for Governor of Connecticut, but he never pursued the office.
wn.com/Richard_Blumenthal -
Richard Burr
Richard Mauze Burr (born November 30, 1955) is an American politician who has served as a United States Senator from North Carolina since 2005. A member of the Republican Party, Burr previously represented North Carolina's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2005.
As Senator, Burr has had a non-controversial tenure so far, espousing most of the Republican Party's expected positions, from general support for President George W. Bush's actions in Iraq to abortion opposition. Strikingly, however, he voted to repeal the military's employment discrimination policy against gays. In October he announced his intention to seek the post of minority whip, the number two Republican position in the Senate.
Burr is the son of a minister. He has children with Brooke, his wife of 27 years. He is distant kin of former U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr.
Burr was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, the son of Martha (née Gillum) and Rev. David Horace White Burr, a minister. He graduated from Richard J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, N.C. in 1974 and earned a B.A. from Wake Forest University in 1978. Burr was on the football team at both Reynolds High School and Wake Forest. Burr lettered for the Demon Deacons during the 1974 and 1975 seasons; however, the team went winless in ACC play during his tenure. He is a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.
wn.com/Richard_Burr -
Richard Coke
Richard Coke (March 13, 1829 – May 14, 1897) was an American lawyer, farmer, and statesman from Waco, Texas. He was the 15th governor of Texas from 1874 to 1876 and represented Texas in the U.S. Senate from 1877 to 1895. His uncle was Congressman Richard Coke, Jr..
Coke was born in Williamsburg, Virginia, to John and Eliza (Hankins) Coke. He graduated from the College of William and Mary in 1848 with a law degree. In 1850, he moved to Texas and opened a law practice in Waco. In 1852, he married Mary Horne of Waco. The couple would have four children, but all of them died before age 30.
Coke was a delegate to the Secession Convention at Austin in 1861. He joined the Confederate Army as a private. In 1862 he raised a company that became part of the 15th Texas Infantry, and served as its Captain for the rest of the war. He was wounded in an action known as Bayou Bourbeau on November 3, 1863, near Opelousas, Louisiana. After the war, he returned home to Waco.
In 1865, he was appointed a Texas District Court judge, and then in 1866 he was elected as an associate justice to the Texas Supreme Court. The following year the military governor, General Philip Sheridan, ordered his removal as ‘an impediment to reconstruction’, in pursuit of unionist Reconstruction policies.
wn.com/Richard_Coke -
Richard Lugar
Richard Green "Dick" Lugar (born April 4, 1932) is the senior United States Senator from Indiana and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1976, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and was its chairman from 1985 to 1987 and 2003 to 2007. Much of Lugar's work in the Senate is toward the dismantling of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons around the world. Before his election to the United States Senate, Lugar served as mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Lugar is currently the third most senior senator, behind only Daniel Inouye and Patrick Leahy. He is also the longest-serving Senator in Indiana's history, and is the most senior Republican member of the Senate. In 2012, however, he lost the Republican primary for a seventh term and his service in the Senate will end in January 2013.
Lugar was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, the son of Bertha (née Green) and Marvin Lugar. He attended the public schools of Indianapolis. During this time he attained the Boy Scouts' highest rank: Eagle Scout. Later, he became a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America. He graduated first in his class at Shortridge High School in 1950 and from Denison University in 1954 where he was a member of Beta Theta Pi. He went on to attend Pembroke College, Oxford, England, as a Rhodes Scholar, and received a second Bachelors and an MA degree in 1956. He served in the United States Navy from 1956 to 1960; one of his assignments was as an intelligence briefer for Admiral Arleigh Burke. He achieved the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade.
wn.com/Richard_Lugar -
Richard Shelby
Richard Craig Shelby (born May 6, 1934) is the senior United States Senator from Alabama. First elected to the Senate in 1986, he is the ranking member of the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and was its chairman from 2003 to 2007.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Shelby received his law degree from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where he went on to serve as city prosecutor (1963–1971). During this period he worked as a U.S. Magistrate for the Northern District of Alabama (1966–1970) and Special Assistant Attorney General of Alabama (1969–1971). He won a seat in the Alabama Senate in 1970. In 1978 he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from the 7th District, where he was among a group of conservative Democrats known as the boll weevils. Shelby won a tight race in 1986 for the U.S. Senate. Originally elected as a Democrat, Shelby switched to the Republican Party in 1994 when Republicans gained the majority in Congress midway through President Bill Clinton's first term. He was re-elected by a large margin in 1998 and has faced no significant electoral opposition since.
wn.com/Richard_Shelby -
Richard W. Fisher
Richard W. Fisher (born 1949) is currently the President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, having assumed that post in April, 2005.
Moving to New York, Fisher joined the Wall Street investment bank Brown Brothers, Harriman and Company, where he was assistant to former Undersecretary of the Treasury Robert V Roosa, specializing in fixed income and foreign exchange markets. From 1978 to 1979, he served as Special Assistant to Secretary W. Michael Blumenthal at the United States Department of the Treasury, where he worked issues relating to the dollar crisis. Returning to Brown Brothers, he established and managed the bank's Dallas-based Texas operations.
Leaving Brown Brothers in 1987, Fisher created Fisher Capital Management, and a separate funds-management firm, Fisher Ewing Partners, managing both firms until 1997. In 1993, he was a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Lloyd Bentsen when the latter became U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, but took fifth place in a 21 candidate field behind State Treasurer Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. Senator Bob Krueger, U.S. Congressman Joe Barton, and U.S. Congressman Jack Fields.
wn.com/Richard_W._Fisher -
Rick Perry
James Richard "Rick" Perry (born March 4, 1950) is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. Perry, a Republican, was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full gubernatorial terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010. With a tenure in office to date of &1000000000000001100000011 years, &10000000000000188000000188 days, Perry is the longest continuously serving current U.S. governor, and the second longest serving current U.S. governor—after Terry Branstad of Iowa. Perry served as Chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 2008 (succeeding Sonny Perdue of Georgia) and again in 2011. Perry is the longest serving governor in Texas state history. As a result, he is the only governor in modern Texas history to have appointed at least one person to every eligible state office, board, or commission position (as well as to several elected offices to which the governor can appoint someone to fill an unexpired term, such as six of the nine current members of the Texas Supreme Court).
wn.com/Rick_Perry -
Rick Santorum
Richard John "Rick" Santorum (born May 10, 1958) is an American author, attorney, and Republican Party politician. He served as a United States Senator representing Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007, and was a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.
Born in Virginia, Santorum was raised primarily in Butler, Pennsylvania. He obtained an undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University, an M.B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, and a J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law. Santorum worked as an attorney at K&L Gates where he met Karen Garver. They married in 1990, and have seven children; an eighth child died shortly after birth. Santorum was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district in 1990, becoming a member of a group dubbed the "Gang of Seven".
Santorum was elected as a United States Senator for Pennsylvania in 1994. He served two terms until losing his re-election bid in 2006. Santorum holds socially conservative positions, and is particularly known for his opposition to same-sex marriage and birth control. While serving as a senator, Santorum was the author of the National Weather Service Duties Act of 2005 and the Santorum Amendment. In 2005, Santorum introduced the Workplace Religious Freedom Act along with Senator John Kerry.
wn.com/Rick_Santorum -
Rob Portman
Robert Jones "Rob" Portman (born December 19, 1955) is a lawyer and the junior United States Senator from Ohio. He is a member of the Republican Party. He succeeded retiring Senator George Voinovich.
From 1993 to 2005, Portman served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 2nd congressional district, which stretches along the Ohio River from the Hamilton County suburbs of Cincinnati east to Scioto County and Pike County. Portman won seven consecutive congressional elections with over 70 percent of the vote.
Portman served in two federal cabinet positions under the administration of President George W. Bush. From May 2005 to May 2006, he was the U.S. Trade Representative. From May 2006 to June 2007, he was Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). He is considered a possible pick for Vice President on the Republican presidential ticket in 2012.
Portman was born in 1955 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Joan (née Jones) and entrepreneur William C. "Bill" Portman II. His patrilineal great-grandfather, surnamed "Portmann", immigrated from Switzerland; Portman also has Scottish, Northern Irish, English, and German ancestry. When he was young, his father borrowed money to start the Portman Equipment Company, a forklift dealership where he and his siblings all worked growing up. The company grew from a small business with five employees and Joan Portman as bookkeeper to one that employed over 300 people. According to a 2010 Weekly Standard profile, Portman "developed a political philosophy grounded in entrepreneurship," having grown up "[hearing] talk about regulations, and taxes, and government getting in the way of small business" because of his early experiences with his family business.
wn.com/Rob_Portman -
Roger Q. Mills
Roger Quarles Mills (March 30, 1832 – September 2, 1911) was an American politician and an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
Born in Todd County, Kentucky, he attended the common schools and moved to Texas in 1849. There he studied law, passed the bar and began practicing. He was a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1859 until 1860, when he enlisted in the Confederate States Army. He served throughout the Civil War and took part as a private in the Battle of Wilson's Creek, and as a colonel commanded the Tenth Texas Infantry at Arkansas Post, Chickamauga (where he commanded a brigade during part of the battle), Missionary Ridge and the Atlanta Campaign.
He was then elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives and served from 1873 until 1892. In 1891 Mills was a candidate in the Democratic caucus for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, but was defeated by Charles F. Crisp (1845–1896) of Georgia.
He was the chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means during the 50th Congress. He made the tariff his special study, and was long recognized as the leading authority in Congress. As chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives in 1887-1889 during President Cleveland's first administration, he led the fight for reform. From his committee he reported in April 1888 the Mills Bill, which provided for a reduction of the duties on sugar, earthenware, glassware, plate glass, woollen goods and other articles, the substitution of ad valorem for specific duties in many cases, and the placing of lumber (of certain kinds), hemp, wool, flax, borax, tin plates, salt and other articles on the free list. This bill was passed by the Democratic House on July 21, and was then so amended by a Republican Senate as to be unacceptable to the House. The tariff thus became the chief issue in the presidential campaign of 1888.
wn.com/Roger_Q._Mills -
Roger Wicker
Roger Frederick Wicker (born July 5, 1951) is the junior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Mississippi's 1st congressional district from 1995 to 2007.
Wicker was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi on July 5, 1951, the son of Wordna Glen (née Threadgill) and Frederick T. "Fred" Wicker. He served as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives when he was 16.[citation needed] He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science and a law degree from the University of Mississippi where he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity.[citation needed]
After graduation, Wicker served as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1976 to 1980. Starting in 1980, he was a member of the Air Force Reserve; he retired from the Reserve in 2003 as a lieutenant colonel. Wicker served as a judge advocate.
wn.com/Roger_Wicker -
Roy Blunt
Roy D. Blunt (born January 10, 1950) is the junior United States Senator from Missouri. He is a member of the Republican Party. His Senate seat was previously held by Republican Kit Bond, until his retirement.
Blunt served as the United States Representative from Missouri's 7th congressional district from 1997 to 2011. The district contains most of Southwest Missouri, the most conservative part of the state, anchored in the city of Springfield, as well as cities such as Joplin, Carthage, and Neosho. The popular tourist destination of Branson also lies in the district. In January 2011, Blunt was succeeded in the House by Billy Long.
Blunt was the House Minority Whip during the 110th Congress but after the 2008 general elections announced that he would step down from the position. After House Majority Leader Tom DeLay stepped down upon criminal indictment in Texas, Blunt served as interim House Majority Leader from September 29, 2005, to February 2, 2006, when John Boehner of Ohio was elected as DeLay's permanent replacement. In 2011, Blunt was elected Vice-Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference.
wn.com/Roy_Blunt -
Rubén Hinojosa
Rubén E. Hinojosa (born August 20, 1940) is the U.S. House of Representative for Texas's 15th congressional district, serving since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district stretches from the Rio Grande Valley to historic Goliad County and the Coastal Bend region. Much of the region is rural, although Hidalgo and Cameron Counties are part of the third fastest growing metropolitan statistical area in the country. He serves on the Financial Services and Education committees.
Hinojosa was born in Edcouch, Texas. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin and his MBA from the University of Texas-Pan American. He served as President and Chief Financial Officer of his family's food processing company, H&H Foods, for twenty years.
In 1974, he was elected to the Texas State Board of Education, serving for ten years.
After 32-year incumbent Kika de la Garza announced his retirement, Hinojosa won a five-way primary for the seat by only 588 votes. This practically assured him of being only the sixth person to represent this heavily Democratic, Latino-majority district. He defeated Republican Tom Haughey with 62% of the vote. He defeated Haughey again in 1998, winning 59% of the vote. In 2000 he took 89% of the vote, facing only independent Frank L. Jones III. In 2002, he was reelected unopposed. In 2004, Hinojosa faced Republican Michael Thamm in the redrawn district 15 and defeated the former major, winning with 59 percent of the vote. In the 2006 mid-term election he faced both Paul Haring and Eddie Zamora, both Republicans. Hinojosa won 61 percent of the vote in the once-again redrawn district.
wn.com/Rubén_Hinojosa -
Sally Ride
Sally Kristen Ride (born May 26, 1951) is an American physicist and a former NASA astronaut. Ride joined NASA in 1978, and in 1983 became the first American woman—and then-youngest American, at 32—to enter space. In 1987 she left NASA to work at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Arms Control.
The eldest child of Carol Joyce (née Anderson) and Dale Burdell Ride, Sally was born in Encino, part of Los Angeles, California. Of Norwegian ancestry, she has a sister named Karen "Bearful" Ride, who is a Presbyterian minister. Ride attended Portola Middle School and Westlake School for Girls in Los Angeles (now Harvard-Westlake School) on a scholarship. In addition to being interested in science, she was a nationally ranked tennis player. Ride attended Swarthmore College and then transferred to Stanford University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in English and physics. Also at Stanford, she earned a master's degree and a Ph.D. in physics, while doing research in astrophysics and free electron laser physics.
wn.com/Sally_Ride -
Sam Houston
Samuel "Sam" Houston (March 2, 1793–July 26, 1863), was a nineteenth-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of the Republic of Texas, U.S. Senator for Texas after it joined the United States, and finally as a governor of the state. He refused to swear loyalty to the Confederacy when Texas seceded from the Union in 1861 with the outbreak of the American Civil War, and was removed from office. To avoid bloodshed, he refused an offer of a Union army to put down the Confederate rebellion. Instead, he retired to Huntsville, Texas, where he died before the end of the Civil War.
His earlier life included migration to Tennessee from Virginia, time spent with the Cherokee Nation (into which he later was adopted as a citizen and took a wife), military service in the War of 1812, and successful participation in Tennessee politics. Houston is the only person in U.S. history to have been the governor of two different states (although other men had served as governors of more than one American territory).
wn.com/Sam_Houston -
Samuel B. Maxey
Samuel Bell Maxey (March 30, 1825 – August 16, 1895) was an American soldier, lawyer, and politician from Paris, Texas, United States. He was a Major General for the Confederacy in the Civil War and later represented Texas in the U.S. Senate.
Samuel was born in Tompkinsville, Kentucky, to Rice and Lucy (Bell) Maxey. His father was a lawyer, and in 1834 he moved the family to Albany, Kentucky to take a position as the County Clerk for Clinton County. In 1842 young Maxey got an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Although he consistently ranked near the bottom of his class, Maxey did graduate in 1846 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant. He was assigned to the Seventh Infantry Regiment which was engaged in the Mexican-American War, and joined them in Monterrey, Mexico. Maxey was cited for his actions in the battles of Cerro Gordo and Contreras in the summer of 1847. He also participated in the battlers of Churubusco and Molino del Rey. He was promoted and placed in command of a police company in Mexico City.
wn.com/Samuel_B._Maxey -
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor (born March 26, 1930) is a retired United States Supreme Court justice. She served as an Associate Justice from her appointment in 1981 by Ronald Reagan until her retirement from the Court in 2006. She was the first woman to be appointed to the court.
Prior to O'Connor's appointment to the Court, she was an elected official and judge in Arizona. On July 1, 2005, she announced her intention to retire effective upon the confirmation of a successor.Samuel Alito was nominated to take her seat in October 2005, and joined the Court on January 31, 2006.
O'Connor tended to approach each case narrowly without arguing for sweeping precedents. She most frequently sided with the court's conservative bloc. In the latter years of her tenure, she was regarded as having the swing vote in many cases as the court grew more conservative.
O'Connor was Chancellor of The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and currently serves on the board of trustees of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Several publications have named O'Connor among the most powerful women in the world. On August 12, 2009, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor of the United States, by President Barack Obama.
wn.com/Sandra_Day_O'Connor -
Sarah T. Hughes
Sarah Tilghman Hughes (August 2, 1896 – April 23, 1985) was an American lawyer and federal judge who swore in Lyndon B. Johnson as President of the United States on Air Force One after the Kennedy assassination. She is the only woman in U.S. history to have sworn in a United States President, a task usually executed by the Chief Justice of the United States.
The photo depicting Hughes administering the oath of office to Johnson is the most famous photo ever taken aboard Air Force One.
Born Sarah Tilghman in Baltimore, Maryland, she was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Haughton Tilghman. She went to high school at the girls-only Western High School in Baltimore, where she was elected president of the freshman class and demonstrated the same indomitable spirit in that position that would characterize her for the rest of her life. Although standing only five feet one-half inch at maturity, she was described by a classmate as, "small but terrible". Her determined personality extended to the athletic field where she participated in intramural track and field, gymnastics, and basketball. Another instance of Sarah's strong discipline was seen in her habit of going to bed by 8 pm and getting up at 4 am, a habit she continued through much of her life. After graduating from Western High School, she attended Goucher College an all women's college in central Baltimore very close to her home. She participated in athletics at Goucher College, and "learned to lose without bitterness, to get up and try again, to never feel resentment," a trait that would serve her well through many years of political victories and defeats.
wn.com/Sarah_T._Hughes -
Sarah Weddington
Sarah Ragle Weddington (born February 5, 1945, in Abilene, Texas) is an American attorney and lecturer from Texas who gained worldwide fame when she and Linda Coffee represented "Jane Roe" (real name Norma McCorvey) in the landmark Roe v. Wade case in the United States Supreme Court.
She is the daughter of Lena Catherine and Rev. Herbert Doyle Ragle, a Methodist minister from the small town of Abilene, Texas. From a young age she has been a very hard working, ambitious woman who was never interested in having a traditional married life with children. She was drum major of her junior high band and president of the Methodist youth fellowship at her church. She also played the organ, sang in the church choir and enjoyed riding horses in her spare time.
As a sophomore in High school she was president of the Future Homemakers of America . Weddington stated: "That was one of the few things that a woman could be president of, so I was". She managed to complete High school two years early and then went on to graduate magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English from McMurry University, after which she gained some work experience during the spring as a clerk/typist for a legislature in Austin.
wn.com/Sarah_Weddington -
Saxby Chambliss
Clarence Saxby Chambliss, Jr. (born November 10, 1943) is the senior United States Senator from Georgia. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a U.S. Representative (1995–2003).
During his four terms in the House, Chambliss served on the United States House of Representatives Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and chaired the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Terrorism and Homeland Security, which oversaw investigations of the intelligence community after the September 11 terrorist attacks in 2001.
During his 2002 bid for the U.S. Senate, Chambliss focused on the issue of national defense and homeland security. He won with 53% of the vote. For several years he was the ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and chaired the committee during the 109th Congress (2005–2007). In the 112th Congress (2011–2012) he is the ranking Republican on the Select Committee on Intelligence. Chambliss has a conservative voting record in the Senate, but he has participated in some bipartisan legislation. In December 2011, the Washington Post named Saxby and the "Gang of Six" as one of the Best Leaders of 2011 for attempts to craft a bipartisan deficit reduction package.
wn.com/Saxby_Chambliss -
Scott Brown
Scott Philip Brown (born September 12, 1959) is an American politician and the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts. Brown previously served as a member of the Massachusetts General Court, first in the State House of Representatives (1998–2004) and then in the State Senate (2004–2010).
Brown is a member of the Republican Party, and faced the Democratic candidate, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, in the 2010 special election to succeed U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2013. While initially trailing Coakley in polling by a large margin, Brown won the election and in January 2010 became the first Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts since Edward Brooke in 1972.
Prior to entering the state legislature, he had experience as a town selectman and assessor. He is a practicing attorney, concentrating in real estate law and serving as defense counsel in the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the Massachusetts Army National Guard. Brown is a graduate of Wakefield High School (1977), Tufts University (1981), and Boston College Law School (1985).
wn.com/Scott_Brown -
Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee (born January 12, 1950) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 18th congressional district, serving since 1995. The district includes most of inner-city Houston. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Jackson Lee graduated from Jamaica High School in Queens. She earned a B.A. in political science from Yale University in 1972, followed by a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1975. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
Jackson Lee made three unsuccessful attempts at local judgeships before becoming a municipal judge from 1987 to 1990. Jackson Lee, along with Sylvia Garcia, were appointed by then Mayor of Houston Kathy Whitmire. In 1989 she won the at-large position for a seat on the Houston City Council, serving until 1994. While on the city council, Jackson Lee helped pass a safety ordinance that required parents to keep their guns away from children. She also worked for expanded summer hours at city parks and recreation centers as a way to combat gang violence.
wn.com/Sheila_Jackson_Lee -
Sheldon Whitehouse
Sheldon Whitehouse (born October 20, 1955) is the junior United States Senator from Rhode Island, serving since 2007. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served as United States Attorney (1994–1998) and State Attorney General for Rhode Island.
Whitehouse was born in New York City, New York, the son of Mary Celine (née Rand) and career diplomat Charles S. Whitehouse, and grandson of diplomat Sheldon Whitehouse. He graduated from St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, and from Yale University in 1978. He received his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1982.
Whitehouse worked as a clerk for Judge Richard F. Neely of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia from 1982 to 1983. He also worked in the Rhode Island Attorney General's office as a special assistant attorney general from 1985 to 1990, chief of the Regulatory Unit (which oversaw utilities) from 1988 to 1990, and also an assistant attorney general from 1989 to 1990.
Whitehouse worked as Rhode Island Governor Bruce Sundlun's Executive Counsel beginning in 1991, and was later tapped to serve as Director of Policy. He oversaw the state's response to the RISDIC banking crisis, which took place right after Sundlun took office. Whitehouse was appointed by Sundlun to be the state's Director of Business Regulation in 1992, where he oversaw a drastic reform in the state's workers' compensation insurance system.
wn.com/Sheldon_Whitehouse -
Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Campbell Brown (born November 9, 1952) is the senior United States Senator from Ohio and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the U.S. Senate, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2007. He previously served as the Ohio Secretary of State (1983–1991) and a member of the Ohio House of Representatives (1974–1982).
Brown defeated two-term Republican incumbent Mike DeWine in the 2006 U.S. Senate election. In the U.S. Senate, he is chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition and Family Farms and the Banking Subcommittee on Economic Policy, and is also a member of the Committee on Appropriations, Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and Select Committee on Ethics.
Brown was born in Mansfield, Ohio, the son of Emily (née Campbell) and Charles Gailey Brown, M.D. He was named after his maternal grandfather. He became an Eagle Scout in 1967. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian studies from Yale University in 1974. At Yale, he was in Davenport College, the same residential college as U.S. Presidents George H. W. and George W. Bush. He went on to receive a Master of Public Administration degree and a Master of Arts degree in education from the Ohio State University in Columbus in 1979 and 1981, respectively. He taught at the Mansfield branch campus of The Ohio State University from 1979 to 1981.
wn.com/Sherrod_Brown -
Sheryl Swoopes
Sheryl Denise Swoopes (born March 25, 1971) is an American professional basketball player whomost recently played with the Tulsa Shock in 2011. She was the first player to be signed in the WNBA when it was created. She has won three Olympic Gold Medals and is a three-time WNBA MVP. Frequently referred to as the "female Michael Jordan," Swoopes is famous for both her offensive and defensive skills. In 2005, she averaged 18.6 points, 85% free throws, 4.3 assists, 2.65 steals and 37.1 minutes playing time per game. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history.
Born in Brownfield, Texas, Swoopes was raised by her mother Louise Swoopes, and played basketball with her three older brothers. She began competing at age seven, in a local children's league called Little Dribblers. Coached under Dickie Faught and Kathey Granger, Swoopes was a member and junior on the 1988 Texas State Championship team.
Initially recruited by the University of Texas, Swoopes left the school shortly after her arrival without playing a game, and enrolled at South Plains College. After playing at South Plains for two years, Swoopes transferred to Texas Tech.
wn.com/Sheryl_Swoopes -
Silvestre Reyes
Silvestre "Silver" Reyes (born November 10, 1944) is the U.S. Representative for Texas's 16th congressional district, serving since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence between 2007 and 2011. In the Democratic Primary election on May 29, 2012, Reyes lost by a fairly wide margin, averting a runoff election to former El Paso city councilman Beto O'Rourke.
Reyes was born in Canutillo, Texas, in 1944 and is the first of 10 children. He graduated from Canutillo High School and received his Associate's Degree from El Paso Community College. He attended the University of Texas at Austin before serving in the United States Army in 1966. In 1967, Reyes served as a helicopter crew chief in the Vietnam War. In 1968, Reyes suffered complete hearing loss to his right ear when mortar landed near his foxhole during combat.
wn.com/Silvestre_Reyes -
Steve Bartlett
Harry Steven "Steve" Bartlett (born September 19, 1947) is the President and CEO of the Financial Services Roundtable, an advocacy group lobbying the U.S. Congress on financial services legislation. He is a former U.S. congressman, mayor of Dallas, Texas and member of the Dallas City Council.
On May 1, 1976, Bartlett was defeated as a delegate in the Republican presidential primary pledged to then U.S. President Gerald R. Ford, Jr. His defeat occurred ironically in Texas's 3rd congressional district, which he later represented in Congress. Victory went to a slate of delegates pledged to Ronald W. Reagan and headed by future State Senator John N. Leedom.
Bartlett served as a U.S. Representative from 1983 until his resignation in 1991. He won the open seat over former state Representative Kay Bailey Hutchison, later the state treasurer, U.S. senator, and gubernatorial candidate. The position became vacant when the long-term incumbent, James M. Collins ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate against the Democrat Lloyd M. Bentsen, Jr., of Houston.
wn.com/Steve_Bartlett -
Susan Collins
Susan Margaret Collins (born December 7, 1952) is the junior United States Senator from Maine and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1996, she is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
One of six children, Susan Collins was born in Caribou, Maine, where her family has operated a lumber business since 1844. Her parents, Patricia R. (née McGuigan) and Donald F. Collins, each served as mayor of Caribou; her father also served in both houses of the Maine Legislature. Her mother was born in Barranca-Bermeja, Colombia, to American parents. Her uncle, Samuel W. Collins, Jr., sat on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court from 1988 to 1994. Collins attended Caribou High School, where she was president of the student council. During her senior year of high school in 1971, Collins was chosen to participate in the U.S. Senate Youth Program, through which she visited Washington, D.C. for the first time and engaged in a two-hour conversation with U.S. Senator Margaret Chase Smith (R-ME). Collins is the first program delegate elected to the Senate and currently holds the seat once held by Smith.
wn.com/Susan_Collins -
Ted Poe
Lloyd "Ted" Poe (born September 10, 1948) is a Republican politician currently representing Texas's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. The district includes most of northern Houston, as well as most of the Beaumont-Port Arthur metropolitan area. He is the first Republican to ever represent the Texas 2nd.
Poe was born in Temple, Texas. He now lives in Humble, a suburb of Houston. Poe graduated in 1970, with a degree in political science from Abilene Christian University, where he served as class president, and, in 1973, received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Houston Law Center, where he had participated in the school's honor society. From 1970 to 1976, he served in the United States Air Force Reserve’s C-130 Unit at Houston’s Ellington Air Force Base.
wn.com/Ted_Poe -
Thad Cochran
William Thad Cochran (born December 7, 1937) is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and was its chairman from 2005 to 2007.
Cochran was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi, the son of Emma Grace (née Berry) and William Holmes Cochran, a teacher and school principal, respectively. His family settled in Hinds County, Mississippi, home of the state capital, Jackson, in 1946 after a few moves around the northern part of the state. Cochran still lives in Jackson today. Cochran earned Eagle Scout as a youth and was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award as an adult. He graduated valedictorian from Byram High School near Jackson and received a B.A. degree from the University of Mississippi with a major in psychology and a minor in political science in 1959. There he joined the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and was on the cheerleading squad (fellow senator Trent Lott was also an Ole Miss cheerleader). After a time in the United States Navy (1959–1961), he attended the University of Mississippi School of Law, was elected to the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and graduated in 1965. He then practiced law for seven years. He married Rose Clayton on June 6, 1964; the couple has two children, Clayton and Kate.
wn.com/Thad_Cochran -
Tom Carper
Thomas Richard "Tom" Carper (born January 23, 1947) is the senior United States Senator from Delaware and a member of the Democratic Party. He was previously the 71st Governor of Delaware and a member of the House of Representatives from Delaware.
A native of Danville, Virginia, Carper graduated from the Ohio State University. Serving as a Naval Flight Officer in the U.S. Navy from 1968 until 1973, he saw active duty in the Vietnam War. He remained in the U.S. Naval Reserve for another 18 years and retired with the rank of Captain. Upon receiving his MBA from the University of Delaware in 1975, Carper went to work for the State of Delaware in its economic development office. He was elected State Treasurer, serving from 1977 to 1983 and leading the development of Delaware's first cash management system.
Encouraged by local politicians, Carper successfully ran for Delaware's only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982. He served five terms in the House, where he chaired the Subcommittee on Economic Stabilization. In 1992 he arranged a "swap" with term-limited Governor Michael Castle, and the two were easily elected to each other's seats. Carper governed for two terms as a moderate, business-oriented "New Democrat", following the lead of the two previous Republican governors. He successfully prevented the closing of a General Motors automobile plant and won a bid for the headquarters of pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca. He led a tax-reduction campaign and helped improve the state's credit rating from among the worst in the nation to an excellent "AAA". He pushed for standards-based education, among other reforms.
wn.com/Tom_Carper -
Tom Coburn
Thomas Allen "Tom" Coburn, M.D. (born March 14, 1948), is a United States Senator, medical doctor, and Southern Baptist deacon. A member of the Republican Party, he is the junior senator from Oklahoma.
Coburn was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 as part of the Republican Revolution. He upheld his campaign pledge to serve no more than three consecutive terms and did not run for re-election in 2000. In 2004, he returned to political office with a successful run for the U.S. Senate.
Coburn is a fiscal and social conservative, known for his opposition to deficit spending and pork barrel projects, and for his leadership in the pro-life movement. He supports term limits, gun rights, and the death penalty and opposes gay marriage. In the Senate, he is known as "Dr. No" for his tendency to place holds on and vote against bills he views as unconstitutional.
Coburn announced on February 12, 2010 that he was running for a second term in the Senate, but would not run for re-election to a third term in the Senate in 2016.
wn.com/Tom_Coburn -
Tom Connally
Thomas Terry "Tom" Connally (August 19, 1877 – October 28, 1963) was an American politician, who represented Texas in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, as a member of the Democratic Party. He served in the US House of Representative from 1917–1928, and the US Senate from 1929 - 1953.
As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he was instrumental in the ratification of the treaty creating the North Atlantic Treaty Organization[citation needed]. He was also a member and vice-chairman to the United Nations Conference on International Organization in 1945 that chartered the United Nations.
Connally was the author of the noted "Connally Reservation," which amended the U.S. ratification of the U.N. charter to bar the International Court of Justice from having jurisdiction over domestic matters '"as determined by the United States"'. The self-defining proviso was and is seen as something of a repudiation of the authority of the world court. From an American perspective, the proviso would protect the U.S. against potential overreach by the international group[citation needed].
wn.com/Tom_Connally -
Tom Harkin
Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin (born November 19, 1939) is the current junior United States Senator from Iowa serving since 1985, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives (1975–1985).
Born in Cumming, Iowa, Harkin graduated from Iowa State University and the The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law. He served in the United States Navy as an active-duty jet pilot from 1962 to 1967. After serving as a congressional aide for several years he made two runs for the U.S. House of Representatives, losing in 1972 but winning in 1974. He went on to serve five terms in the House.
Harkin won a race for U.S. Senate in 1984 by a wide margin. He was an early frontrunner for his party's presidential nomination in 1992, but dropped out in support of eventual winner Bill Clinton. Now serving his fifth term, Harkin is chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. He is ranked as the most senior junior senator.
wn.com/Tom_Harkin -
Tom Udall
Thomas Stewart "Tom" Udall (born May 18, 1948) is the junior United States Senator from New Mexico and a member of the Democratic Party. He had represented New Mexico's 3rd congressional district as a member of the United States House of Representatives since 1999. Udall was elected as the junior United States senator from New Mexico on November 4, 2008, defeating Congressman Steve Pearce. He is expected to become the state's senior senator when Jeff Bingaman retires from the Senate in January 2013.
Udall was born in Tucson, Arizona, the son of Ermalee Lenora (née Webb) and Stewart Udall, who was Secretary of the Interior from 1961 to 1969. He attended Prescott College, graduating with a pre-law degree in 1970. In 1975, he graduated from Cambridge University in England with a Bachelor of Law degree. That fall, he enrolled in the University of New Mexico School of Law and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1977.
After graduating, Udall was Law Clerk to Chief Judge Oliver Seth of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. His legal career then included appointments as Assistant US Attorney in the criminal division and Chief Counsel to the Department of Health and Environment. A partnership followed in the Miller Law Firm.
wn.com/Tom_Udall -
Vassar Miller
Vassar Miller (July 19, 1924 – October 31, 1998) was a writer and poet.
Miller was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of real estate invester Jesse G. Miller. She began writing as a child, composing on a typewriter due to the cerebral palsy which affected her speech and movement. She attended the University of Houston, receiving her B.A. and M.A. in English.
In 1956, Miller published her first volume of poetry, Adam's Footprint. Her poems, most of which dealt with either her strong religious faith or her experiences as a person with a disability, were widely praised for their rigorous formality, clarity, and emotional impact. In 1961 Miller was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her collection Wage War on Silence. Her poems have been published in hundreds of periodicals and more than 50 anthologies, including Spanish translations in Latin American journals. The lasting power of Ms. Miller’s poetry and its distinctiveness was aptly described by many, including author Larry McMurtry. Reflecting on the qualities that make the work of only a few artists survive, Mr. McMurtry wrote of Vassar Miller and her poetry: “It’s easy to point out her clarity, her precision, her intelligence, her honesty. But I want to mention one other quality that I think she has both as a person and as a poet, and that is her tenacity. It’s not simply brute survival that a poet is involved with, although sometimes they are; it’s more than that. It’s a tenacity that has to be at one and the same time, physical, intellectual, and moral. I believe this tenacity is something that Vassar Miller is richly endowed with.”
wn.com/Vassar_Miller -
William A. Blakley
William Arvis "Dollar Bill" Blakley (November 17, 1898 – January 5, 1976) was an American senator and businessman from the State of Texas. He served two incomplete terms as Senator, the first in 1957, the second in 1961. He was part of the conservative wing of the Texas Democratic Party and is remembered for running against liberal Democrat Ralph Yarborough in the 1958 election and losing to Republican John Tower in the 1961 special election, yielding the first Republican senator from Texas since Reconstruction.
Blakley was born in Miami Station, Missouri, but moved shortly thereafter with his parents to Arapaho, Oklahoma. He worked a ranch hand as a young man, earning the nickname "Cowboy Bill." Blakley served with the United States Army in the First World War; he was admitted to the bar in 1933 and joined a law firm in Dallas, Texas. In following years, his interests expanded into real estate, ranch land, banking and insurance; by 1957, he was estimated to be worth $300 million.
wn.com/William_A._Blakley -
Zina Garrison
Zina Lynna Garrison (born November 16, 1963 in Houston, Texas) is a former professional tennis player from the United States. During her career, she was a women's singles runner-up at Wimbledon in 1990, a three-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion, and a women's doubles gold medalist at the 1988 Olympic Games.
An African-American and the youngest of seven children, Garrison started playing tennis at the age of 10 and entered her first tournament at the age of 12. Her success as a junior player quickly made the tennis world take notice. At the age of 14 she won the national girls' 18s title. And then in 1981, she won both the Wimbledon and US Open junior titles and was ranked the World No. 1 junior player. Garrison graduated from Sterling High School in Houston in 1982.
Garrison began suffering from the eating disorder bulimia when she was 19, following the death of her mother. "I had never been comfortable with my looks and felt I had lost the only person who loved me unconditionally", Garrison told the British Observer Sport Monthly in 2006. "The pressure of being labeled 'the next Althea Gibson' only made things worse. I felt I was never going to be allowed to grow into just becoming me."[citation needed]
wn.com/Zina_Garrison
Send this Playlist by SMS
Email this Page
Kay Bailey Hutchison educates CNN's Carol Costello about the gutting of welfare reform
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:04
- Updated: 03 Dec 2012
CNN's Carol Costello interviewed Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison about the Romney ad that slams Obama over gutting of welfare reform. Well Sen Hutchison was as pleasant as ever and educated Carol about welfare reform and exactly how the Obama administration has eased the work requirements for welfare so that people can now sleep, watch TV or read a book and get their welfare check. Carol like the rest of the Left was so desperate to support Obama that they trot out such fact that Romney and other governors wanted waivers. Yeah they wanted waivers to put more people who get welfare in work and not to ease the work requirements.
http://wn.com/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_educates_CNN's_Carol_Costello_about_the_gutting_of_welfare_reform
CNN's Carol Costello interviewed Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison about the Romney ad that slams Obama over gutting of welfare reform. Well Sen Hutchison was as pleasant as ever and educated Carol about welfare reform and exactly how the Obama administration has eased the work requirements for welfare so that people can now sleep, watch TV or read a book and get their welfare check. Carol like the rest of the Left was so desperate to support Obama that they trot out such fact that Romney and other governors wanted waivers. Yeah they wanted waivers to put more people who get welfare in work and not to ease the work requirements.
(R) Kay Bailey Hutchison Busted Up By MSNBC Anchors
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:20
- Updated: 30 Nov 2012
Follow us on Twitter. twitter.com Check Out TYT Interviews www.youtube.com Watch more at www.theyoungturks.com
http://wn.com/R_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_Busted_Up_By_MSNBC_Anchors
Follow us on Twitter. twitter.com Check Out TYT Interviews www.youtube.com Watch more at www.theyoungturks.com
- published: 04 Dec 2009
- views: 28122
- author: TheYoungTurks
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison responds to Sen. Franken on net neutrality
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:04
- Updated: 30 Jan 2012
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison responds to points made by Sen. Al Franken during the Senate floor debate on net neutrality.
http://wn.com/Sen_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_responds_to_Sen_Franken_on_net_neutrality
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison responds to points made by Sen. Al Franken during the Senate floor debate on net neutrality.
- published: 09 Nov 2011
- views: 310
- author: CommerceRepublicans
Kay Bailey Hutchison speaks at 2011 Commencement
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 19:36
- Updated: 24 Jun 2012
Senator and distinguished alumna Kay Bailey Hutchison delivers the 2011 Commencement ceremony keynote speech.
http://wn.com/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_speaks_at_2011_Commencement
Senator and distinguished alumna Kay Bailey Hutchison delivers the 2011 Commencement ceremony keynote speech.
- published: 01 Jun 2011
- views: 1118
- author: utaustintexas
Tribute to US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, The Greater San Antonio Chamber 2012 Pathfinder award
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:58
- Updated: 11 Sep 2012
This is the tribute video played during the program on May 1, 2012 when the Senator was given The Chamber's Pathfinder award. The video features Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, former Chamber President and CEO Joe Krier, former San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger, UT Chancellor Dr. Francisco Cigarroa and retired Chairman of AT&T; and General Motors Ed Whitacre
http://wn.com/Tribute_to_US_Senator_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison,_The_Greater_San_Antonio_Chamber_2012_Pathfinder_award
This is the tribute video played during the program on May 1, 2012 when the Senator was given The Chamber's Pathfinder award. The video features Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, former Chamber President and CEO Joe Krier, former San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger, UT Chancellor Dr. Francisco Cigarroa and retired Chairman of AT&T; and General Motors Ed Whitacre
- published: 02 May 2012
- views: 298
- author: thesanantoniochamber
Sen. Hutchison speaks on cybersecurity bill reconsideration
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:12
- Updated: 14 Nov 2012
http://wn.com/Sen_Hutchison_speaks_on_cybersecurity_bill_reconsideration
Campaign Ads: Rick Perry Attack Ads
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:35
- Updated: 19 Jul 2011
rick perry, governor perry, texas political ads, texas, texas politics,KBH, kay bailey hutchison,attack ads,
http://wn.com/Campaign_Ads_Rick_Perry_Attack_Ads
rick perry, governor perry, texas political ads, texas, texas politics,KBH, kay bailey hutchison,attack ads,
- published: 18 Jul 2011
- views: 2631
- author: thetexastribune
US Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison reacts to Supreme Court health care ruling.
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:43
- Updated: 09 Oct 2012
US Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison, (R) Texas, reacts to Supreme Court health care ruling.
http://wn.com/US_Sen_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_reacts_to_Supreme_Court_health_care_ruling
US Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison, (R) Texas, reacts to Supreme Court health care ruling.
- published: 28 Jun 2012
- views: 371
- author: thetexastribune
2/25/12 - Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) Delivers Weekly GOP Address On Gas Prices And Jobs Bills
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:14
- Updated: 19 Jul 2012
In the Weekly Republican Address, Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison calls on Senate Democrats to finally move small business jobs bills with overwhelming bipartisan support that they've been stalling on. Sen. Hutchison also discusses rising gas prices and laments the Obama administration's energy policies slowing down oil and gas production in the United States. Sen. Hutchison says, "We have six months before the elections and there is much we could accomplish -- much on which we can agree. But the President should send his message to the Senate Democrat leadership. For example, three of my Senate colleagues and I last week reiterated our call to have the Senate consider four bills that would make it easier for smaller companies to expand and hire. The key to moving from a monthly trickle of jobs to a tidal wave of growth is getting obstacles out of the way of our small businesses -- they are our job creators. The four measures that we have brought forward would remove outdated barriers to raising private funds for expansion and new hiring. Each of these bills has already passed the House with more than 400 votes -- large majorities of both Republicans and Democrats. Each bill has also been endorsed in concept by the President. And yet, these bills have been bottled up for months in the Democrat-controlled Senate." She continues, "President Obama also noted this week that Americans are concerned by 'the rising cost of gasoline.' They certainly are. Gasoline prices have ...
http://wn.com/2_25_12_Sen_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_R-TX_Delivers_Weekly_GOP_Address_On_Gas_Prices_And_Jobs_Bills
In the Weekly Republican Address, Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison calls on Senate Democrats to finally move small business jobs bills with overwhelming bipartisan support that they've been stalling on. Sen. Hutchison also discusses rising gas prices and laments the Obama administration's energy policies slowing down oil and gas production in the United States. Sen. Hutchison says, "We have six months before the elections and there is much we could accomplish -- much on which we can agree. But the President should send his message to the Senate Democrat leadership. For example, three of my Senate colleagues and I last week reiterated our call to have the Senate consider four bills that would make it easier for smaller companies to expand and hire. The key to moving from a monthly trickle of jobs to a tidal wave of growth is getting obstacles out of the way of our small businesses -- they are our job creators. The four measures that we have brought forward would remove outdated barriers to raising private funds for expansion and new hiring. Each of these bills has already passed the House with more than 400 votes -- large majorities of both Republicans and Democrats. Each bill has also been endorsed in concept by the President. And yet, these bills have been bottled up for months in the Democrat-controlled Senate." She continues, "President Obama also noted this week that Americans are concerned by 'the rising cost of gasoline.' They certainly are. Gasoline prices have ...
- published: 25 Feb 2012
- views: 6426
- author: gopweeklyaddress
Kay Bailey Hutchison - Wiki Article
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 36:07
- Updated: 20 Nov 2012
Kay Bailey Hutchison (born Kathryn Ann Bailey; July 22, 1943) is the senior United States Senator from Texas. She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most po... Kay Bailey Hutchison - Wiki Article - wikiplays.org Original @ http All Information Derived from Wikipedia using Creative Commons License: en.wikipedia.org Author: United States Congress. Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( This work is in the Public Domain. ) Author: Navy photo by Chief Photographer's Mate Eric A. Clement. Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( This work is in the Public Domain. ) Author: Lauren Gerson Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( This work is in the Public Domain. )
http://wn.com/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_Wiki_Article
Kay Bailey Hutchison (born Kathryn Ann Bailey; July 22, 1943) is the senior United States Senator from Texas. She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most po... Kay Bailey Hutchison - Wiki Article - wikiplays.org Original @ http All Information Derived from Wikipedia using Creative Commons License: en.wikipedia.org Author: United States Congress. Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( This work is in the Public Domain. ) Author: Navy photo by Chief Photographer's Mate Eric A. Clement. Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( This work is in the Public Domain. ) Author: Lauren Gerson Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( This work is in the Public Domain. )
- published: 20 Nov 2012
- views: 21
- author: WikiPlays
Kay Bailey Hutchison: Female Senators' Support System
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:03
- Updated: 27 Nov 2012
Watch more of her interview at www.makers.com Hutchison on the special bond between female Senators, no matter what party. Kay Bailey Hutchison is the first female United States Senator from the state of Texas. She has also served in the Texas State Legislature and as the state's Treasurer. Hutchison was raised in La Marque, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas Austin in 1962. In 1967, she was one of five women to graduate from UT-Austin Law School out of a class of five hundred people. "It was when I got out of law school that I hit my first brick wall," she says. "Law firms in Texas didn't hire women." Instead, Hutchison found a job a news correspondent for KPRC-TV in Houston, becoming the first female reporter in the Houston market. She burst onto the political scene in 1972, when she became the first Republican woman to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives. In 1976, President Gerald Ford appointed her to the National Transportation Safety Board. Despite these successes, Hutchison left politics for over a decade following her lopsided loss in a Congressional primary in 1978. Shortly afterwards, she was named Senior Vice President and General Counsel for RepublicBank Corporation. Over the next decade, she would go on to found Fidelity Bank of Dallas and then to purchase McCraw Candies Incorporated. Hutchison returned to public service in 1990 and quickly resumed her path-breaking ways, becoming the first Texan woman to win statewide office when ...
http://wn.com/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_Female_Senators'_Support_System
Watch more of her interview at www.makers.com Hutchison on the special bond between female Senators, no matter what party. Kay Bailey Hutchison is the first female United States Senator from the state of Texas. She has also served in the Texas State Legislature and as the state's Treasurer. Hutchison was raised in La Marque, Texas, and graduated from the University of Texas Austin in 1962. In 1967, she was one of five women to graduate from UT-Austin Law School out of a class of five hundred people. "It was when I got out of law school that I hit my first brick wall," she says. "Law firms in Texas didn't hire women." Instead, Hutchison found a job a news correspondent for KPRC-TV in Houston, becoming the first female reporter in the Houston market. She burst onto the political scene in 1972, when she became the first Republican woman to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives. In 1976, President Gerald Ford appointed her to the National Transportation Safety Board. Despite these successes, Hutchison left politics for over a decade following her lopsided loss in a Congressional primary in 1978. Shortly afterwards, she was named Senior Vice President and General Counsel for RepublicBank Corporation. Over the next decade, she would go on to found Fidelity Bank of Dallas and then to purchase McCraw Candies Incorporated. Hutchison returned to public service in 1990 and quickly resumed her path-breaking ways, becoming the first Texan woman to win statewide office when ...
- published: 23 Oct 2012
- views: 79
- author: MAKERSWomen
Greater Houston Partnership Tribute to Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:04
- Updated: 23 Oct 2012
Tribute video played on October 12, 2012 ahead of Sen. Hutchison's final State of the Senate remarks to the Greater Houston Partnership.
http://wn.com/Greater_Houston_Partnership_Tribute_to_Sen_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison
Tribute video played on October 12, 2012 ahead of Sen. Hutchison's final State of the Senate remarks to the Greater Houston Partnership.
- published: 23 Oct 2012
- views: 324
- author: SenatorHutchison
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:41
- Updated: 19 Jul 2012
ToGetHerThere.org: Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison shares who was there for her and her message for girls today.
http://wn.com/Senator_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison
ToGetHerThere.org: Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison shares who was there for her and her message for girls today.
- published: 02 Feb 2012
- views: 273
- author: TOGETHERTHERE
The Big Story: Kay Bailey Hutchison gives advice to GOP
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:35
- Updated: 08 Nov 2012
(Boston Globe) Retiring Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas is offering some advice to her party on her way out the door: "Stop trying to act like the woman is a throw-away."
http://wn.com/The_Big_Story_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_gives_advice_to_GOP
(Boston Globe) Retiring Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas is offering some advice to her party on her way out the door: "Stop trying to act like the woman is a throw-away."
- published: 08 Nov 2012
- views: 21
- author: thebostonglobe
TribLive: A Conversation with Kay Bailey Hutchison
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 50:29
- Updated: 26 Oct 2012
On October 15, Evan Smith talked with retiring US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, about health care, higher education, Rick Perry, and assorted highlights of her nearly twenty years in office.
http://wn.com/TribLive_A_Conversation_with_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison
On October 15, Evan Smith talked with retiring US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, about health care, higher education, Rick Perry, and assorted highlights of her nearly twenty years in office.
- published: 19 Oct 2012
- views: 372
- author: thetexastribune
Jon Kyl, Kay Bailey Hutchison Unveil Alternative To DREAM Act
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:12
- Updated: 10 Dec 2012
http://wn.com/Jon_Kyl,_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_Unveil_Alternative_To_DREAM_Act
Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison Interview with Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:53
- Updated: 19 Oct 2012
see more at uneditedpolitics.com
http://wn.com/Texas_Senator_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_Interview_with_Andrea_Mitchell_on_MSNBC
An Evening with Kay Bailey Hutchison
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 69:47
- Updated: 17 Oct 2012
On October 15, US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison sat down with Evan Smith, CEO and Editor in Chief of The Texas Tribune, to discuss her long legislative career, the 2012 elections, and the future of Texas. Senator Hutchison will end her nineteen year tenure in the Senate at the end of this year.
http://wn.com/An_Evening_with_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison
On October 15, US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison sat down with Evan Smith, CEO and Editor in Chief of The Texas Tribune, to discuss her long legislative career, the 2012 elections, and the future of Texas. Senator Hutchison will end her nineteen year tenure in the Senate at the end of this year.
- published: 17 Oct 2012
- views: 141
- author: TheLBJLibrary
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas On Senate Floor 7/30/11
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:06
- Updated: 14 Feb 2012
Knocks it out of the ball park. Prove her wrong.
http://wn.com/Senator_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_of_Texas_On_Senate_Floor_7_30_11
Knocks it out of the ball park. Prove her wrong.
- published: 31 Jul 2011
- views: 526
- author: RedWhiteBlueNews
Senator Hutchison thanks leaders in San Antonio for working together over the years
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:53
- Updated: 06 Mar 2012
US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison addresses the 2012 SA to DC delegation the last time before her retirement next January. So much has been accomplished with her that has made San Antonio a better place. We honor her for her contribution day in and day out.
http://wn.com/Senator_Hutchison_thanks_leaders_in_San_Antonio_for_working_together_over_the_years
US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison addresses the 2012 SA to DC delegation the last time before her retirement next January. So much has been accomplished with her that has made San Antonio a better place. We honor her for her contribution day in and day out.
- published: 28 Feb 2012
- views: 15
- author: thesanantoniochamber
Tribute to Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison: Her Life and Legacy
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:04
- Updated: 24 Oct 2012
VISION was honored to produce a tribute video for retiring US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison from Texas. The video was produced for the Greater Houston Partnership's "State of the Senate" address in 2012 and will be featured permanently in the Sam Houston State University museum honoring her service.
http://wn.com/Tribute_to_Senator_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_Her_Life_and_Legacy
VISION was honored to produce a tribute video for retiring US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison from Texas. The video was produced for the Greater Houston Partnership's "State of the Senate" address in 2012 and will be featured permanently in the Sam Houston State University museum honoring her service.
- published: 24 Oct 2012
- views: 7
- author: VISIONProdGroup
Closing Lunch Featuring Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison at TAMEST 2011 Annual Conference Closing Lunch
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 48:42
- Updated: 16 Aug 2012
TAMEST 2011 Annual Conference Innovation in Texas: Past, Present and Future January 6-7, 2011, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Austin, Texas www.tamest.org
http://wn.com/Closing_Lunch_Featuring_Senator_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_at_TAMEST_2011_Annual_Conference_Closing_Lunch
TAMEST 2011 Annual Conference Innovation in Texas: Past, Present and Future January 6-7, 2011, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Austin, Texas www.tamest.org
- published: 16 Aug 2012
- views: 24
- author: TAMEST2004
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison at TAMEST 2012 Annual Conference
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 29:27
- Updated: 02 Aug 2012
TAMEST 2012 Annual Conference Energy for Life: from Human Metabolism to Powering the Planet January 12-13, 2012, Omni Houston Hotel, Houston, Texas www.tamest.org
http://wn.com/Senator_Kay_Bailey_Hutchison_at_TAMEST_2012_Annual_Conference
TAMEST 2012 Annual Conference Energy for Life: from Human Metabolism to Powering the Planet January 12-13, 2012, Omni Houston Hotel, Houston, Texas www.tamest.org
- published: 02 Aug 2012
- views: 22
- author: TAMEST2004
photo: AP / Reed Saxon
10 Dec 2012
The wreckage of a small plane believed to be carrying Mexican-American singing superstar Jenni Rivera has been found in northern Mexico and there are no apparent survivors, authorities said. Transportation and Communications Minister Gerardo Ruiz Esparza said on Sunday that "everything points toward" it being the US-registered Learjet 25 carrying Rivera and six other people from Monterrey en route to Toluca, Mexico ... 192 Source. ... Share ... ....(size: 17.5Kb)
photo: AP / Bullit Marquez
11 Dec 2012
The death toll brought about by typhoon “Pablo” continued to rise with 714 persons confirmed dead by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) yesterday while those missing ballooned to 890 as massive search, retrieval and relief operations continue in the typhoon-ravaged areas in Mindanao ... 4 ... They were subsequently brought to Caraga Regional Hospital ... (NHMFC) (P100,000) ... With AFP ....(size: 5.4Kb)
photo: USAF / Staff Sgt. Jonathan Lovelady
10 Dec 2012
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling. In the desert of central Australia still resides a primitive tribe known as the Arunta. This non-technological and stateless group, which mainly depends on hunting and gathering, had suffered several inexplicable deaths ... Therefore, they organized an atinga, or revenge group ... When the guiltless tribe learned of their approach, they sent out a delegation of young women as a token of peace....(size: 5.8Kb)
photo: AP / Ahn Young-joon
12 Dec 2012
North Korea defied international warnings and fired a long-range rocket on Wednesday, the second launch under its new leader and a clear sign Pyongyang is pushing forward with its quest to develop the technology needed to deliver a nuclear warhead ... But South Korea and Japan said they couldn’t immediately confirm that ... officials could determine whether a North Korean satellite was circling the Earth ... Kim said ... Keywords....(size: 2.7Kb)
photo: AP / Todd Williamson
10 Dec 2012
MÉXICO, D.F., diciembre 9 (EL UNIVERSAL).- La Voz México, programa de talentos de Televisa, confirmó la muerte de la cantante Jenni Rivera, a través de su Twitter. "Que toquen fuerte las bandas, suelten por mí mariposas, apláudanme con sus palmas... http.//twitpic.com/bkmhl0 .Descanse en paz Jenni Rivera" ... Además, anunció un homenaje luctuoso dedicado a la cantante ... Descanse en Paz" ... ....(size: 2.1Kb)
The Dallas Morning News
12 Dec 2012
There are 49 other states. Re. “Blame voters on funding” by Bill Cox, Sunday Letters. Loved Cox’s letter saying we Texans should stop voting for Republicans, as they are responsible for inadequate funding for education ... It seems like it’s getting more and more crowded by the day ... As Kay Bailey Hutchison just said, we need to stick together and protect it ... Kay Bailey Hutchison, lamenting the attitude of Congress toward the Texas delegation....(size: 3.1Kb)
The Washington Post
12 Dec 2012
THE SLAYING Monday of a women’s advocate in Afghanistan underlined one of the greatest dangers of the approaching withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops. that the fragile gains of women in the 11 years since the downfall of the Taliban will be reversed ... Such attacks can be expected to intensify as U.S ... Loading... Recommend ... (D-Pa.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) ... ....(size: 4.8Kb)
Huffington Post
12 Dec 2012
Sen ... Also on HuffPost ... (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) ... Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) speaks during the final day of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on September 6, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina ... 5, 2006 ... Walker/Getty Images for Women's Campaign Fund) Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) ... Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) speaks to reporters on November 30, 2011 at Capitol Hill in Washington ... Long ... ....(size: 17.8Kb)
Antiwar
12 Dec 2012
Asia to Latin America, Europe to the Greater Middle East, and increasingly Africa as well. Build we must ... Over the years, millions of soldiers, private contractors, spies, civilian employees of the U.S ... Our latest base-building mania ... Although the figures may be overstated, it’s no wonder members of Congress like Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison have called for a new “Build in America” policy to protect “the fiscal health of our nation.”....(size: 24.7Kb)
The Dallas Morning News
11 Dec 2012
Retiring Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison began her farewell tour in earnest Monday as she was honored by members of the Dallas Citizens Council. The ceremony included a video tribute from former President George W. Bush and other top state political figures. Joined by John Cornyn, the state’s junior senator, Hutchison. Get Subscriber Content access to read this story ... Subscribe Now . Link Your Subscriber Account ... ....(size: 2.3Kb)
The Examiner
11 Dec 2012
So I ran for Congress in 2010 in the Republican Primary. Don't worry if you didn't hear about that--nobody did. I didn't raise much money and I ran against somebody who had all kinds of money backing their terrible record. Oh, well. But I bring that up (again) to point out just how innovative of a campaign that I ran on the policy front ... So did U.S. Rep ... Now U.S ... Kay Bailey Hutchison, is advocating a 4-point plan to reform Social Security ... ....(size: 3.9Kb)
my SA
11 Dec 2012
Todd Curtis was watching the TV show “NCIS” at his home in Boston six weeks ago when it dawned on him that one story line was strikingly familiar. It had to do with the Montford Point Marines — the nation's first black Marines, which had included his father. At the end of the show, these words appeared. “Dedicated to the Montford Point Marines ... June 27, 2012.” ... Marine Lt ... Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, Sen.-elect Ted Cruz and Rep....(size: 4.9Kb)
Huffington Post
11 Dec 2012
South Carolina Gov ... Tim Scott, Rep ... (Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images) Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) ... Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) speaks during the final day of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on September 6, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina ... Walker/Getty Images for Women's Campaign Fund) Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) ... Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) speaks to reporters on November 30, 2011 at Capitol Hill in Washington ... ....(size: 17.6Kb)
The Dallas Morning News
10 Dec 2012
Kay Bailey Hutchison was honored for her service to Texas. “No one can replace the role Kay has played,” Sen ... At the Omni Hotel in Dallas, Cornyn and others called Hutchison a fighter for Texas with the skills to bring people together ... Bush ended the video with a thank you to Hutchison ... Kay,” he said....(size: 1.7Kb)
The Dallas Morning News
10 Dec 2012
Kay Bailey Hutchison received a glowing tribute from the Dallas Citizens Council at its annual luncheon today. Here are three points that Ted Cruz and other members of the Senate should remember from their retiring colleague’s observations.. 1. Getting a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff will require balance ... 2 ... 3 ... ....(size: 1.6Kb)
The Dallas Morning News
10 Dec 2012
In the most exhaustingly partisan year in memory, one politician stood out as a beacon of moderation, civility and productivity in 2012. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison deserves to be theDallas Morning NewsTexan of the Year — not as a farewell tribute to her accomplishments, which are numerous,. Get Subscriber Content access to read this story. To read the full story, you need Subscriber Content access ... ....(size: 2.3Kb)
Star Telegram
10 Dec 2012
Senate, Kay Bailey Hutchison said Monday that she's working as hard as she ever has - especially in trying to help Congress avoid the looming fiscal cliff ... "I hope there is a balance," Hutchison said as she and Sen ... Hutchison, who will leave office early next month, is trying to use every last minute in office to wrap up as many congressional issues as possible before she leaves....(size: 3.8Kb)
The Dallas Morning News
10 Dec 2012
| Kay Bailey Hutchison | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| United States Senator from Texas |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office June 14, 1993 Serving with John Cornyn |
|
| Preceded by | Bob Krueger |
| Texas State Treasurer | |
| In office 1991–1993 |
|
| Governor | Ann Richards |
| Preceded by | Ann Richards |
| Succeeded by | Martha Whitehead |
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives | |
| In office 1972–1976 |
|
| Succeeded by | Brad Wright |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kathryn Ann Bailey (1943-07-22) July 22, 1943 (age 68) Galveston, Texas |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | John Pierce Parks (1967-1969, divorced)
Elton Ray Hutchison (1978-present) |
| Children | Kathryn Bailey Hutchison (adopted) Houston Taylor Hutchison (adopted) Brenda Hutchison (stepdaughter) Julie Hutchison (stepdaughter) |
| Residence | Dallas, Texas |
| Alma mater | University of Texas at Austin (B.A., J.D.) |
| Occupation | Attorney Journalist Bank Executive Politician |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
| Website | www.hutchison.senate.gov |
Kay Bailey Hutchison (born Kathryn Ann Bailey; July 22, 1943) is the senior United States Senator from Texas. She is a member of the Republican Party. In 2001, she was named one of the thirty most powerful women in America by Ladies Home Journal. The first woman to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate, Hutchison also became the first Texas U.S. senator to receive more than four million votes in a single election.
Hutchison is the most senior female Republican senator, and fifth most senior female senator, having assumed office in June 1993 behind Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD, 1987), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA, 1992), Barbara Boxer (D-CA, Jan. 1993), and Patty Murray (D-WA, Jan. 1993).
Contents |
Early life[link]
Hutchison was born Kathryn Ann Bailey in Galveston, the daughter of Kathryn Ella (née Sharp) and Allan Abner Bailey, Jr.,[1] an insurance agent. She has two brothers, Allan and Frank. Hutchison grew up in La Marque, Texas.
She married her first husband, John Pierce Parks, a medical student, on April 8, 1967; they divorced in 1969.[2] She married her present (second) husband, Ray Hutchison, in Dallas on March 16, 1978.[3] They have two adopted children: Kathryn Bailey and Houston Taylor, both adopted in 2001. She also has two stepdaughters, Brenda and Julie, from her husband's previous marriage. Ray Hutchison is a former member of the Texas Legislature, a former state Republican chairman, and ran an unsuccessful bid for the Texas governorship, having lost the Republican nomination in 1978 to Bill Clements, a senior partner with the law firm of Vinson & Elkins, of Dallas.
Hutchison and her family have their primary residence in Dallas, where her children attend school.[4] She has a second house in Virginia, where she lives when the Senate is in session. In August 2009 she put her Virginia house up for sale, and her campaign stated, "She's no longer going to be in the United States Senate. She's coming home to Texas. That's why it's for sale."[5] She has also purchased a house in Nacogdoches, Texas. She is a supporter of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation where she is an honorary board member.[6]
She received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1962. She was also a sister of the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity. She received her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1967. Following her graduation from law school, she was the legal and political correspondent for KPRC-TV in Houston. Hired by Ray Miller, host of the long-running The Eyes of Texas anthology series, Hutchison was the first female onscreen newswoman in Texas.
Early career[link]
In 1972, Hutchison was elected to the Texas House of Representatives from a district in Houston. She served until 1976. She was vice-chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1976 to 1978. She was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives in 1982 for the Dallas-based 3rd District, but was defeated in the primary by Steve Bartlett. She temporarily left politics and became a bank executive and businesswoman.
Kay Bailey Hutchison was a bank executive of a failed bank in Texas and met and married her second husband Ray Hutchison who was the chairman of the Texas Republican Party in 1976 but left in 1977 to pursue his gubernatorial campaign.[7] In 1978, Ray Hutchison lost the nomination to Bill Clements by a lopsided vote of 115,345 (72.8 percent) to 38,268 (24.2 percent). Kay met Ray when they were both Texas legislators, and Kay's interest in politics grew exponentially. Ray is currently a senior attorney at the largest and most powerful law firm and lobbying organization in Houston, Vinson & Elkins.[8]
Personal wealth[link]
Hutchison’s husband, Ray, a prominent Dallas bond attorney, makes slightly less than a half million dollars a year in combined salary and deferred compensation, records provided by her campaign show. A big stake in ExxonMobil, valued at between $250,000 and $500,000, along with other stock holdings and equity investments, have also helped provide the family yearly dividend income of about $60,000 a year since 2001, records show.[9] The Hutchison family reported assets of between $2.8 million and $6.7 million in 2008, not including homes used for residential purposes, Senate records show. The Senate records give ranges of asset value, making an exact calculation impossible.[10]
United States Senate[link]
Committees[link]
- Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Defense
- Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
- Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans' Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Ranking Member)
- As Ranking Member of the full committee, Sen. Hutchison may serve as an ex officio member of all subcommittees.
- Committee on Rules and Administration
Caucus memberships[link]
- Congressional Oil and Gas Caucus
- Congressional Internet Caucus
- International Conservation Caucus
- Senate Auto Caucus
- Sportsmen's Caucus
Elections[link]
1993[link]
Main article: United States Senate special election in Texas, 1993
Hutchison was elected Texas State Treasurer in 1990 and served until June 1993 when she ran against Senator Bob Krueger for the right to complete the last two years of Lloyd Bentsen's term. Bentsen had resigned in January 1993 to become Secretary of the Treasury in the Clinton administration. Krueger had been appointed by Texas Governor Ann Richards to fill the seat until a replacement was elected.
A field of 24 candidates sought to fill Bentsen's unexpired term, in the May 1993 special election.[11] The top two vote-getters were Hutchison (593,338, or 29 percent) and Krueger (593,239, also 29 percent). Two conservative Republican congressmen, Joe Barton of Dallas (284,135 or 13.9 percent) and Jack Fields of Houston (277,560, or 13.6 percent) split pro-life voters, but even their combined totals, 561,693, would have placed neither in the runoff. A fifth candidate, Democrat Richard W. Fisher, son-in-law of Republican former U.S. Representative James M. Collins, polled 165,564 votes (8.1 percent); the remaining candidates had about 6 percent combined. Running far behind the pack was the Houston conservative political activist and former crusading journalist Clymer Wright, father of his city's 1991 term-limits initiative. Lou Zaeske, an engineer from Bryan, who in 1988 had spearheaded the English-only movement in Texas, polled barely 2,000 votes.
During the campaign Krueger charged that Hutchison was a "country club Republican" and insensitive to the feelings of minorities.[12] In January, the Houston Chronicle reported that both Hutchison and Fields had promised to serve a maximum of two six-year terms in the Senate as part of her support for term limit legislation for members of Congress. In April, the Dallas Morning News reported that Hutchison had repeated her pledge to serve only two terms in the U.S. Senate, if elected, and had also said term limits ought to cover all senators, including Senator Phil Gramm (Republican), who had been elected in 1984 and re-elected in 1990. (He would stay in the Senate until 2002.) The term-limits legislation never passed, and Hutchison has said that she would not leave the Senate in the absence of such legislation, because doing so would unilaterally hurt Texas at the expense of other states in the seniority-driven institution.
After the initial voting, most of the Barton and Fields voters switched to Hutchison, who won the runoff, 1,188,716 (67.3 percent) to 576,538 (32.7 percent). Lower turnout in the runoff resulted in a decrease in Krueger's vote total, by 17,000. Hutchison became the first woman to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate.
Following Hutchison's election in 1993, Texas has had two sitting Republican U.S. senators.
1993 indictments for misconduct as Texas Treasurer[link]
On June 10, 1993, shortly after the special election victory, Travis County authorities, led by Democratic district attorney Ronnie Earle, raided Hutchison's offices at the State Treasury. Earle failed to obtain a search warrant in conducting that raid.[13] Subsequently, after two other grand jury indictments were thrown out, Hutchison was indicted a 3rd time [14] by a Texas grand jury in September 1993 for official misconduct and records tampering. Hutchison stated that she was the innocent victim of a politically motivated prosecutor. Earle had attempted to get Democratic Governor Ann Richards to appoint Earle to the US Senate seat, to which Hutchison was ultimately elected, but he has denied that his legal actions against Hutchison were politically motivated.[15]
1994 acquittal[link]
The case against Hutchison was heard before State District Judge John Onion in February 1994. Pre-trail motions included a Motion to Quash evidence Earle obtained without a warrant when raiding the Treasurer's office. During pre-trial proceedings, the judge announced that he would make no rulings on the admissibility of evidence prior to the trial. That blocked Earle's options as to the admissibility of the evidence.[16] Following Onion's ruling, Earle declined to proceed with his case.[13] Onion swore in a jury and directed the jury to acquit Hutchison, since Earle chose not to present evidence.[13] The acquittal barred any future prosecution of Hutchison.[14]
1994 election[link]
Main article: United States Senate election in Texas, 1994
In 1994, the election for her first full term, Hutchison received 2,604,281 votes (60.8 percent) to 1,639,615 votes (38.3 percent) cast for Democrat Richard W. Fisher, the son-in-law of the late Republican Congressman James M. Collins, who had also run in the special election the year before.
2000[link]
Main article: United States Senate election in Texas, 2000
In 2000 she defeated Democrat Gene Kelly, with 4,082,091 (65 percent) to 2,030,315 (32.2 percent). She carried 237 of the 254 counties, including one of the most Democratic counties, Webb County (Laredo). This was the only time since the early 1900s that Webb County had supported a Republican candidate for any office on a partisan ballot. More than four million Texans voted for Hutchison that year — still the record highest number of actual votes ever cast in Texas for a non-presidential candidate (George W. Bush received 4,526,917 votes in Texas in the 2004 election).
2006[link]
Main article: United States Senate election in Texas, 2006
Speculation began in 2004 that Hutchison would run for Governor of Texas in 2006, challenging current Governor Rick Perry in the Republican primary. However, on June 17, 2005, Hutchison announced that she would seek reelection to the Senate instead, reneging on an earlier promise to a two-term limit. Many political analysts speculated that she did not believe she could defeat Perry in the GOP primary because of his popularity among Christian conservatives, while her Senate seat was unlikely to face a serious threat.
Hutchison's Democratic opponent in the November 2006 general election was former Houston attorney and mediator Barbara Ann Radnofsky (born July 8, 1956), who had not previously run for public office. Radnofsky received 44 percent of the vote in the primary and won a runoff election against Gene Kelly with 60 percent of the vote. Kelly had been the unsuccessful Democratic nominee against Hutchison in 2000. Libertarian Scott Lanier Jameson (born July 1, 1966), a real estate consultant from Plano, also ran for the seat.
Radnofsky faced an uphill battle in a state that has not elected a Democrat statewide since 1994, as George W. Bush's landslide reelection as governor in 1998 had helped carry Republicans into all the other statewide offices. In the August 2006 Rasmussen poll, Hutchison led her opponent by 30 percentage points — 61 to 31.[17] The Survey USA Poll, which is not a head-to-head matchup, but only lists approval ratings of incumbents, found Hutchison with a 61 percent approval rating.[18] The Zogby poll, in contrast, showed a closer result, but still showed Hutchison with a 17.3 percent lead — the highest of any incumbent Republican Zogby tracks.[19] The authors stated "...Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who got 65 percent of the vote in 2000, is a safe bet to win a third term."
On election night 2006, Hutchison won re-election to another term, winning 2,661,789 votes (61.7%). Radnofsky won 1,555,202 votes (36.04%).[20] Radnofsky only won in base Democratic areas, carrying only border counties with strong Hispanic majorities, such as El Paso and Webb (Laredo) and in Travis County (Austin). Hutchison won everything else, having won majorities in 236 of the state's 254 counties.
2010 gubernatorial election[link]
Main article: Texas gubernatorial election, 2010
On August 17, 2009, Senator Hutchison formally announced that she was a Republican candidate for Governor of Texas and positioned herself as a moderate alternative to Governor Rick Perry. Perry criticized Hutchison for her pro-choice position and received endorsements from social conservatives in the state.[21] Although Hutchison led Perry in polls taken in early 2009 and was perceived by many to be the front-runner in the race, by the fall her lead had evaporated and she consistently trailed the incumbent in the final months before the primary. Hutchison accumulated a list of high profile endorsements that included former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, former U.S. Secretary of State James Baker, former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, legendary baseball player Nolan Ryan, and several current and former congressmen and Cabinet secretaries. However, Hutchison lost the primary to Perry, 31 to 53 percent, with the remainder of the vote going to Debra Medina, a dark horse candidate with ties to the Tea Party movement.
Political Positions[link]
 |
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Kay Bailey Hutchison |
Hutchison serves on the following Senate committees: Appropriations; Commerce, Science and Transportation; Rules and Administration; Veterans' Affairs. During her time in the Senate, Hutchison has been a strong supporter of NASA.
In June 2000, Hutchison and her Senate colleagues coauthored Nine and Counting: The Women of the Senate. In 2004, her book, American Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country, was published.
From 2001 to 2007, Hutchison served as Chairwoman of the Senate Republican Conference (caucus), making her the fifth-ranking Republican in the Senate behind Majority Leader Bill Frist, Majority Whip Mitch McConnell and conference chairman Rick Santorum, and Policy Chairman Jon Kyl. In 2007, Hutchison succeeded Jon Kyl as the Policy Chair for Senate Republicans, the fourth ranking leadership position in the Republican caucus behind Minority Leader McConnell, Minority Whip, and conference chairman Kyl.
The National Journal ranked Hutchison as follows in its 2004 rankings, which are based on various key votes relating to economic policy, social policy, and foreign policy: "Economic: 26% Liberal, 73% Conservative; Social: 38% Liberal, 60% Conservative; Foreign: 0% Liberal, 67% Conservative. Although a loyal Conservative Republican she has been known to cross over to the other side on a few issues. She is more likely to do this than either Phil Gramm or his successor John Cornyn." A poll that was released on June 19, 2007, shows that Hutchison has an approval rating of 58%, with 34% disapproving.[22]
The National Journal's opinion is disputed by many Texas Republicans and Tea Party members, however. Konni Burton, a member of the Northeast Tarrant Tea Party steering committee, said "She personifies everything that the Tea Party is fighting. She is a Republican, but when you check her votes on many issues, they are not ones that conservatives are happy with."[23] "On fiscal issues, she is more loyal to her friends and special interests than to the people of Texas," according to Adrian Murray, president of the grassroots 912 Project Fort Worth.
Hutchison broke ranks with her Republican colleagues and opposed an attempt to stall the Democrats' health-care bill in the Senate.[24]
DREAM Act[link]
Kay Bailey Hutchison told some Republicans in a letter that she will not be in support of the DREAM Act in a letter dated 9 December 2010.[25]
Abortion[link]
Hutchison supports the legality of abortion and considers herself pro-choice. She has, however, frequently voted for restricting abortion. Her average score from the NRLC between the years of 1997 and 2010 is 93%, with her highest score being 100% and lowest being 75%.[26] NARAL Pro-Choice Texas executive director Sara Cleveland once said, "by our definition, Sen. Hutchison's voting record does not indicate that she is pro-choice."[27] She also believes that the decision of the United States Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade was appropriate and should not be overturned,[28] but is opposed to the Freedom of Choice Act because it would restrict the right of states to impose restrictions on abortion. In the past years NARAL has given her ratings of 0%, 7%, 20%, and 0%, indicating that her voting record mostly favored enacting proposed abortion restrictions.[29]
She has served on the Advisory Board of The Wish List (Women in the Senate and House) a Political Action Committee, which contributes to pro-choice female Republican candidates for Congress. She is no longer on the board[30] and the PAC did not endorse her in 2006.[31]
While in the Texas House of Representatives (1973 to 1977), Hutchison worked, along with Sarah Weddington (the attorney who won Roe v. Wade), to protect rape victims from having their names published.
DC Personal Protection Act[link]
Hutchison proposed the "District of Columbia Personal Protection Act," which drew 31 cosponsors in the United States Senate, while drawing 157 cosponsors from the House. This bill would have protected gun rights of DC citizens by dismantling the handgun bans the city had in place for thirty years. DC's law states that one may not possess a rifle or shotgun unless it is in disassembled and inoperative form, and may not possess pistols in any form. The law was recentlyTemplate:2008 struck down in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, District of Columbia v. Heller.
Education[link]
Hutchison is a strong supporter of single-sex education in public schools. In 2001, she worked with Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) to write provisions into the No Child Left Behind Act (specifically sections 5131.a.23 and 5131c) authorizing single-sex education in public schools. Section 5131c required the Department of Education to write new regulations facilitating single-sex classrooms; this provision led to the publication of new regulations by the Department of Education in 2006 which do in fact facilitate single-sex education in public schools. She is a supporter of the U.S. Public Service Academy.
Environmental record[link]
In 2006, Hutchison received more campaign contributions from members of large oil and gas corporations than any other member of Congress.[32] In 2005, Hutchison voted against prohibiting oil leasing in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and has supported legislation promoting drilling in the refuge in 2002 and 2003. In 2005 she also voted against including oil and gas smokestacks in the Environmental Protection Agency's mercury regulations.[33][34] In 1999, she voted to remove funding for renewable and solar energy, although she has more recently stated she supports the development of alternative energy sources.[35] According to the League of Conservation Voters environmental scorecard, Hutchison received a rating of zero — the lowest possible score — in the 104th Congress.[36] However, they have since upgraded her to a grade of 18% in the 110th Congress[37]
Term limits[link]
Hutchison has proposed limiting Texas governors to two four-year terms.[citation needed] She promised not to serve more than two terms as U.S. Senator, but then changed her mind and ran for a third term. She has made many statements concerning whether she would continue in office which were subsequently refuted by herself when she decided to remain in power as U.S. Senator.[38]
Earmarks and appropriations[link]
Hutchison supports the practice of earmarking as a way to bring Federal government money to her constituents. Hutchison, through her assignment on the Senate's appropriations committee, has been influential in directing Federal funds to projects in her state. In FY 2008 and FY 2009, Hutchison sponsored or co-sponsored 281 earmarks totaling almost $500 million. In an interview with the Austin American-Statesman, Hutchison expressed her pride in the practice as a way to, "garner Texans' fair share of their tax dollars." [39]
Hutchison's earmarks and appropriations have been criticized as pork barrel projects or pet projects by the non-partisan government watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste. CAGW recognized Hutchison's efforts by naming her "Porker of the Month" in October 2009, based on her extensive legislative history, in addition to her request for 149 such pork projects worth $1.6 billion in FY 2010.[40]
Hutchison continues to support earmarks despite a moratorium called for by the Republican Party in both houses of Congress. She is a strong supporter of the Space Launch System, also known as the Senate Launch System, the single largest earmark in the Federal budget[41] and possibly the single large earmark in US history. The SLS earmark has been opposed by fiscal conservative groups, including the Tea Party.,[42][43] as well as space-exploration advocacy groups. Congressman Tom McClintock (R-CA) has expressed "serious concerns with NASA's attempt to avoid holding a full and open competition to acquire the SLS." Rep. McClintock "stringly believe[s] that such a de facto sole source award would be a violation of the 1984 Competition in Contracting Act." Rep. McClintock has asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the SLS earmark.[44]
Ironically, the SLS earmark primarily benefits the Marshall Space Flight Center, which is not located in Hutchison's home state. To fund SLS development, Hutchison supports cutting funds for NASA's Commercial Crew and Cargo Program, which would rely on private companies such as Space Exploration Technologies and Blue Origin (both of which have significant operations in Texas). Critics contend that building SLS would increase the cost of access to space and result in long-term cutbacks in NASA's human spaceflight program, based in Houston, Texas.
Immediately after the first successful test flight of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, Hutchison issued a statement dismissing the value of SpaceX, which has approximately 10% of its workforce in Texas and is one of the fastest growing employers in the state. "This first successful test flight of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is a belated sign that efforts to develop modest commercial space cargo capabilities are showing some promising signs," Hutchison said. "While this test flight was important, the program to demonstrate commercial cargo and crew transport capabilities, which I support, was intended to enhance not replace NASA's own proven abilities to deliver critical cargo and humans to low Earth orbit. Make no mistake, even this modest success is more than a year behind schedule, and the project deadlines of other private space companies continue to slip as well. This test does not change the fact that commercial space programs are not ready to close the gap in human spaceflight if the space shuttle is retired this year with no proven replacement capability and the Constellation program is simultaneously canceled as the president proposes."[45]
Citizens Against Government Waste has consistently opposed the SLS earmark as well. According to CAGW, "The private sector should be relied upon to fulfill the U.S. mission in space. If the U.S. has a requirement for a heavy-lift launch vehicle to carry beyond low-Earth orbit, there should be a new, full and open competition to determine the best path forward." [46]
Other Republicans have criticized the SLS earmark, which has even become an issue in the Presidential primary. At a town meeting hosted by the Dallas Tea Party, Presidential Candidate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich criticized politicians supporting the Space Launch System, "I think it is disgraceful the way getting into space has been turned into a political pork-barrel. It’s an abuse of the taxpayer and an abuse of America’s future.”[47]
Financial reform[link]
When questioned on Fox Business Network whether she was worried about her constituents turning on her for continuing to block financial reform of banks and financial institutions, Hutchison said, "If we just vote by polls that's wrong, we have to do what's right. This is not a Wall Street Bill this is a mainstream Bill that needs to cover throughout the financial industry. The problem was not mainstream banks. We need to make sure that we don't over-regulate the mainstream banks so they can't loan to small business." [48] Hutchison decided to vote for Senate Republican amendments to the financial reform bill before eventually voting against HR 4173, the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, on May 20, 2010.[49]
Bailouts[link]
Senator Hutchison voted for the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.,[39] which authorized the creation of the Troubled Assets Relief Program.
Political future[link]
Hutchison announced her intention to resign her Senate post in the autumn of 2009 in order to challenge Texas Governor Perry for the Republican Party nomination.[50] State Republican Chairman Cathie Adams later called upon Hutchison to clarify when she would vacate the Senate so that other Republican candidates can make preparation for their races.[51]
On November 13, 2009, Hutchison announced that she would not resign from the Senate seat until after the March 2, 2010 primary.[52] On March 31, 2010, she announced her intention to serve out her third term.[53]
On January 13, 2011, after some discussion about whether she would change her mind,[54] Hutchison announced she would not seek re-election in 2012.[55]
On June 22, 2011, Hutchison told Chris Matthews on Hardball with Chris Matthews that she had pondered running for president, but said she could not run in the 2012 election due to having two 10-year-old children.[56]
Electoral history[link]
| Year | Democrat | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | 3rd Party | Party | Votes | Pct | 4th Party | Party | Votes | Pct | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Lloyd Bentsen* | 3,149,806 | 59% | Beau Boulter | 2,129,228 | 40% | Jeff Daiell | Libertarian | 43,989 | 1% | |||||||||
| 1993 | Bob Krueger | 576,538 | 33% | Kay Bailey Hutchison | 1,188,716 | 67% | |||||||||||||
| 1994 | Richard W. Fisher | 1,639,615 | 38% | Kay Bailey Hutchison | 2,604,218 | 61% | Pierre Blondeau | Libertarian | 36,107 | 1% | |||||||||
| 2000 | Gene Kelly | 2,025,024 | 32% | Kay Bailey Hutchison | 4,078,954 | 65% | Douglas Sandage | Green | 91,329 | 1% | Mary Ruwart | Libertarian | 72,657 | 1% | |||||
| 2006 | Barbara Ann Radnofsky | 1,555,202 | 36% | Kay Bailey Hutchison | 2,661,789 | 62% | Scott Jameson | Libertarian | 97,672 | 2% |
*Lloyd Bentsen resigned his term to become Secretary of the Treasury; Hutchison won the runoff special election in 1993 to fill out the remainder of his term.
References[link]
- ^ Ancestry of Kay Bailey Hutchison
- ^ Lawrence Kestenbaum. "Index to Politicians: Hutchison to Hyche". The Political Graveyard. http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/hutchison-hyche.html#R9M0J1L4H. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ Manu Raju, "Hutchison pressured to stay in Senate", Politico, January 15, 2009.
- ^ "Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison puts Virginia house on the market | News for Dallas, Texas | Dallas Morning News | Texas Regional News". Dallasnews.com. 2009-08-20. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/082109dntexhutchisonhouse.fcd1dfd7.html. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ MMRF Honorary Board
- ^ "Kay Bailey Hutchison". Famoustexans.com. http://www.famoustexans.com/kaybaileyhutchison.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ "Vinson & Elkins LLP - Lawyers - Ray Hutchison". Vinson-elkins.com. http://www.vinson-elkins.com/lawyers/RayHutchison.aspx. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ "Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison’s wealth fueled by investments, husband’s income, records show". Blog.taragana.com. 2009-10-26. http://news.gaeatimes.com/texas-sen-kay-bailey-hutchisons-wealth-fueled-by-investments-husbands-income-records-show-207320/. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ "Kay Bailey Hutchison: Campaign Finance/Money - News Items - Senator 2000". OpenSecrets. http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/inthenews.php?cycle=2000&cid=N00005675&type=I. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/external/pre-election/profilesstates/TX.html?SITE=OKTULELN&SECTION=POLITICS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
- ^ Senator Trails in Texas, and Slugs Alone New York Times 1993-06-03
- ^ a b c Fight Over Evidence Results in Acquittal Of Senator in Texas, New York Times, February 12, 1994
- ^ a b Fight Over Evidence Results in Acquittal Of Senator in Texas, New York Times, February 12, 1994
- ^ Trial To Begin For Texas Senator, Los Angeles Times, February 6, 1994.
- ^ Suppression Of Evidence Also Suppresses The Truth, philly.com, February 17, 1994.
- ^ [2][dead link]
- ^ "SurveyUSA News Poll #9993". Surveyusa.com. http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=ca95974e-73b1-4317-ab3e-791e5ece016d. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-flash06.html?project=elections06-ft&h=495&w=778&hasAd=1&mod=blogs.
- ^ http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe
- ^ "Kay Bailey Hutchison kicks off run for Texas governor". The Dallas Morning News. August 17, 2009. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/081709dnmetkbh.ebeb3717.html. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
- ^ "SurveyUSA News Poll #12245". Surveyusa.com. http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=59e13048-8ca9-4fc8-9302-dc8681fe64b0. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ Tinsley, Anna (4 December 2010). "Tea Party candidates vow to take on Hutchison is she seeks another term". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/12/04/2680066/tea-party-candidates-vow-to-take.html.
- ^ Tea Party groups protest Hutchison's moves on health care bill BENNING, TOM and GILLMAN, TODD J. The Dallas Morning News December 22, 2009. Retrieved December 27, 2009.
- ^ http://somosrepublicans.com/2010/12/texas-senator-kay-hutchison-will-punish-dream-act-children-2/
- ^ "Federal Legislation - Legislative Action Center". Capwiz.com. http://www.capwiz.com/nrlc/home/. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ Hu, Elise (2010-01-21). "Kay Bailey Hutchison Struggles With Abortion Issue — 2010 Texas Governor's Race". The Texas Tribune. http://www.texastribune.org/stories/2010/jan/21/abortion-answer/. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 108th Congress - 1st Session, On the Amendment (Harkin Amdt. No. 260 ).
- ^ "Project Vote Smart - Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison - Interest Group Ratings". Vote-smart.org. 2010-05-14. http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=S0852103. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ "Why "pro-life" Voting Records are Not Enough - May 6, 2005". Rnclife.org. 2005-05-06. http://www.rnclife.org/faxnotes/2005/may05/05-05-06.html. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ "The WISH List-Your Partner In Politics!". Thewishlist.org. http://www.thewishlist.org/2005-2006_Candidates.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ Big Oil's 10 favorite members of Congress - MSN Money
- ^ Public Theology: Senate Vote on Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
- ^ Kay Bailey Hutchison on the Issues
- ^ Rice University | News & Media
- ^ Environmental Zeroes and Heroes of the 104th Congress
- ^ "2009 National Environmental Scorecard". Capwiz.com. http://capwiz.com/lcv/bio/keyvotes/?id=552&congress=1111&lvl=C. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ Schwartz, Barry (2009-11-13). "Hutchison and the Republican Hypocrisy on Term Limits". PERRspectives. http://www.perrspectives.com/blog/archives/001667.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ a b Embry, Jason (2009-09-28). "Austin news, sports, weather, Longhorns, business". Statesman.com. http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/2009/09/28/0928gopgov.html. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ "Citizens Against Government Waste: porkerofthemonth". Cagw.org. http://www.cagw.org/site/PageServer?pagename=news_porkerofthemonth_2009_October. Retrieved 2010-08-29. [dead link]
- ^ Simberg, Rand. "Blame Congress and Pork, Not NASA". http://www.openmarket.org/2011/09/23/blame-congress-and-pork-not-nasa/.
- ^ Wilkinson, Everett. "TEA Party Catches Congress Hiding Earmark In Space". Tea Party Wire. http://teapartywire.com/blog/2011/05/15/press-release-tea-party-catches-congress-hiding-earmark-in-space/.
- ^ Gasser, Andrew. "Are Republican Senators Trying to Kill NASA?". Tea Party in Space. http://www.teainspace.com/are-republican-senators-trying-to-kill-nasa/.
- ^ McClintock, Tom. "Letter to Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States". http://www.teapartyinspace.org/sites/default/files/McClintock%20to%20GAO%2022Sep11_0.pdf.
- ^ Alan, Boyle. "SpaceX fans and foes speak out". Cosmic Log. MSNBC. http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/06/04/4465072-spacex-fans-and-foes-speak-out.
- ^ "Prime Cuts Summary: June 2011". Citizens Against Government Waste. http://www.cagw.org/assets/reports/primecuts-_web.pdf.
- ^ "Newt Gingrich calls Space Launch System "disgraceful" pork". Space Frontier Foundation. http://spacefrontier.org/2011/10/21/newt-gingrich-calls-space-launch-system-disgraceful-pork/.
- ^ “” (2010-04-28). "Kay Bailey Hutchison on Fox Business Discussing Financial Reform". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT73LaPjxrQ. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ The Washington Post. http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/h001016/.
- ^ "Hutchison set to declare for governor today". San Antonio Express News. 17 Aug 2009. http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/53371477.html. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
- ^ "Cathie Adams refuses to withdraw endorsement of Rick (Perry)". ricvskay.blogspot.com, October 26, 2009. http://rickvskay.blogspot.com/2009/10/cathie-adams-refuses-to-withdraw.html. Retrieved October 28, 2009.
- ^ Root, Jay (November 13, 2010). "Hutchison won't resign seat before Texas primary". The Seattle Times. The Associated Press. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010270476_apustexasgovernorhutchison.html.
- ^ "Texas GOP Sen. Hutchison to stay in Senate". News 8 Austin (TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P.). March 31, 2010. http://austin.ynn.com/?ArID=269877.
- ^ Benning, Tom (May 28, 2010). "Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison undecided on running, but foes aren't". Dallasnews.com (Dallas Morning News). http://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/national-politics/20100528-Sen-Kay-Bailey-Hutchison-undecided-1219.ece.
- ^ Janda, Greg (January 13, 2011). "Sen. Hutchison Won't Run for Re-Election in 2012". KXAS-TV (NBC Universal, Inc.). http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/politics/Hutchison-Wont-Run-for-Re-election-113467264.html.
- ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/#43501814
- ^ "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
- ^ Senatorial election results, for the special election in 1993
External links[link]
- U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison official U.S. Senate site
- Kay Bailey Hutchison official campaign site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Congressional profile at GovTrack
- Congressional profile at OpenCongress
- Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
- Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
- Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Campaign contributions at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
- Appearances on C-SPAN programs
- Collected news and commentary at The New York Times
- Profile at SourceWatch
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Ann Richards |
Texas State Treasurer 1991–1993 |
Succeeded by Martha Whitehead |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by Bob Krueger |
United States Senator (Class 1) from Texas 1993–present Served alongside: Phil Gramm, John Cornyn |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Paul Coverdell |
Vice-Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference 2001–2007 |
Succeeded by John Cornyn |
| Preceded by Jon Kyl |
Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee 2007–2009 |
Succeeded by John Ensign |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Patty Murray D-Washington |
United States Senators by Seniority 25th |
Succeeded by Jim Inhofe R-Oklahoma |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hutchison, Kay Bailey |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | American politician |
| Date of birth | 1943-07-22 |
| Place of birth | Galveston, Texas |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison
Related pages:
http://ru.wn.com/Хатчисон, Кэй Бэйли
http://fr.wn.com/Kay Bailey Hutchison
http://nl.wn.com/Kay Bailey Hutchison
http://pt.wn.com/Kay Bailey Hutchison
http://de.wn.com/Kay Bailey Hutchison
http://it.wn.com/Kay Bailey Hutchison
http://pl.wn.com/Kay Bailey Hutchison
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Rick Perry | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Rick Perry in February 2012. | |
| 47th Governor of Texas | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office December 21, 2000 |
|
| Lieutenant | Bill Ratliff David Dewhurst |
| Preceded by | George W. Bush |
| 39th Lieutenant Governor of Texas | |
| In office January 19, 1999 – December 21, 2000 |
|
| Governor | George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Bob Bullock |
| Succeeded by | Bill Ratliff |
| 9th Commissioner of Agriculture of Texas | |
| In office January 15, 1991 – January 19, 1999 |
|
| Governor | Ann Richards George W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Jim Hightower |
| Succeeded by | Susan Combs |
| Member of the House of Representatives of Texas from District 64 |
|
| In office 1985–1991 |
|
| Preceded by | Joe Hanna |
| Succeeded by | John Cook |
| Personal details | |
| Born | James Richard Perry (1950-03-04) March 4, 1950 (age 62) Paint Creek, Texas |
| Political party | Republican Party (since 1989) Democratic Party (until 1989) |
| Spouse(s) | Anita Thigpen |
| Children | Griffin Sydney |
| Residence | West Austin, Texas (Temporary residence since 2007, during repairs to the Texas Governor's Mansion)[1] |
| Alma mater | Texas A&M University (B.S.) |
| Profession | Military Officer Farmer Politician |
| Religion | Christianity (evangelical) [2] |
| Signature |  |
| Website | www.governor.state.tx.us |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1972–1977 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 772nd Tactical Airlift Squadron |
 |
This article is part of a series about Rick Perry |
Mitt Romney
 |
|---|---|---|
|
2012 Presidential Campaign |
||
James Richard "Rick" Perry (born March 4, 1950) is the 47th and current Governor of Texas. Perry, a Republican, was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States. Perry was elected to full gubernatorial terms in 2002, 2006 and 2010. With a tenure in office to date of &1000000000000001100000011 years, &10000000000000188000000188 days, Perry is the longest continuously serving current U.S. governor, and the second longest serving current U.S. governor—after Terry Branstad of Iowa. Perry served as Chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 2008 (succeeding Sonny Perdue of Georgia) and again in 2011.[3] Perry is the longest serving governor in Texas state history. As a result, he is the only governor in modern Texas history to have appointed at least one person to every eligible state office, board, or commission position (as well as to several elected offices to which the governor can appoint someone to fill an unexpired term, such as six of the nine current members of the Texas Supreme Court).
Perry won the Texas 2010 Republican gubernatorial primary election, defeating U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison and former Wharton County Republican Party Chairwoman and businesswoman Debra Medina.[4] In the 2010 Texas gubernatorial election, Perry won a third term by defeating former Houston mayor Bill White and Kathie Glass.[5]
On August 13, 2011, Perry announced in South Carolina that he was running for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2012 presidential election. On January 19, 2012, Perry announced he would be suspending his campaign for the Republican nomination, and endorsed Newt Gingrich.
Contents |
Early life, education, and military service[link]
A fifth-generation Texan, Perry was born in Paint Creek, about 60 miles (97 km) north of Abilene in West Texas, to ranchers Joseph Ray Perry and the former Amelia June Holt. Perry's ancestry is almost entirely English, dating as far back as the original thirteen colonies. His family has been in Texas since before the Texan Revolution.[6][7][8]
His father, a Democrat, was a long-time Haskell County commissioner and school board member. Perry has said that his interest in politics probably began in November 1961, when his father took him to the funeral of U.S. Representative Sam Rayburn (D-TX),[9] who during his long public career served as speaker of the Texas House for a short time at the age of 29 and then later for 17 years as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Perry was in the Boy Scouts (BSA) and earned the rank of Eagle Scout; his son, Griffin, would later become an Eagle Scout as well.[10][11] The BSA has honored Perry with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.[12]
Perry graduated from Paint Creek High School in 1968. He then attended Texas A&M University, where he was a member of the Corps of Cadets, a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, was elected senior class social secretary, and was also elected as one of A&M's five yell leaders.[13][14] Perry graduated in 1972 with a Bachelor of Science in animal science.[15][16]
Perry said that the Corps of Cadets gave him the discipline to complete his animal sciences degree and earn a commission in the Air Force. In a 1989 interview he said that "I was probably a bit of a free spirit, not particularly structured real well for life outside of a military regime, I would have not lasted at Texas Tech or the University of Texas. I would have hit the fraternity scene and lasted about one semester."[15] Perry was a prankster in college: he once placed live chickens in the closet of an upperclassman during Christmas break and used M-80 firecrackers to prank students using the toilet.[15]
In the early 1970s, Perry interned during several summers with the Southwestern Company, as a door-to-door book salesman. "I count my time working for Dortch Oldham [President of the Southwestern Company] as one of the most important formative experiences of my life," Perry said in 2010. "There is nothing that tests your commitment to a goal like getting a few doors closed in your face." He said that "Mr. Oldham taught legions of young people to communicate quickly, clearly and with passion, a lesson that has served me well in my life since then."[17]
Upon graduation in 1972, Perry was commissioned in the Air Force and completed pilot training in February 1974. He was then assigned as a C-130 pilot to the 772nd Tactical Airlift Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base. Perry's duties included two-month overseas rotations at RAF Mildenhall in England and Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany. His missions included a 1974 U.S. State Department drought relief effort in Mali, Mauritania and Chad, and two years later, earthquake relief in Guatemala.[18] He left the Air Force in 1977 with the rank of captain, returned to Texas, and went into business farming cotton with his father.[19]
Early political career[link]
Texas Legislature[link]
In 1984, Perry was elected to the Texas House of Representatives as a Democrat from district 64, which included his home county of Haskell. He served on the House Appropriations and Calendars committees during his three two-year terms in office. He befriended fellow freshman state representative Lena Guerrero of Austin, a staunch liberal Democrat who endorsed Perry's reelection bid in 2006 on personal, rather than philosophical, grounds.
Perry was part of the "Pit Bulls", a group of Appropriations members who sat on the lower dais in the committee room (or "pit") who pushed for austere state budgets during the 1980s.[20] At one point, The Dallas Morning News named him one of the ten most effective members of the legislature.[21]
In 1987, Perry voted for a $5.7 billion tax increase proposed by Republican governor Bill Clements.[22] Perry supported Al Gore in the 1988 Democratic presidential primaries and worked in an unspecified capacity for Gore's campaign in Texas.[23] In 1989, Perry announced that he was switching parties, becoming a Republican.[24]
Agriculture Commissioner[link]
In 1990, as a newly minted Republican, Perry challenged Jim Hightower, the incumbent Democratic Agriculture Commissioner. Hightower had worked on behalf of Jesse Jackson for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, while Perry had supported U.S. Senator Al Gore of Tennessee.
During 1990, Hightower's office was embroiled in a FBI investigation into corruption and bribery. Three aides were convicted in 1993 of using public funds for political fundraising, although Hightower himself was not found to be involved in the wrongdoings.[25] Perry narrowly defeated Hightower in November 1990.
As Agriculture Commissioner, Perry was responsible for promoting the sale of Texas farm produce to other states and foreign nations, and for supervising the calibration of weights and measures, such as gasoline pumps and grocery store scales.[26]
In April 1993, Perry, while serving as Texas agriculture commissioner, expressed support for the effort to reform the nation's health care, describing it as "most commendable".[27] The health care plan, first revealed in September, was ultimately unsuccessful due to Republican congressional opposition.[28][29][30][31][32] In 2005, after being questioned on the issue by a potential opponent in the Republican governor primary, Perry said that he expressed his support only in order to get Clinton to pay more attention to rural health care.[33]
In 1994, Perry was reelected Agriculture Commissioner by a large margin, getting 2,546,287 votes (62 percent) to Democrat Marvin Gregory's 1,479,692 (36 percent). Libertarian Clyde L. Garland received the remaining 85,836 votes (2 percent).[34] Gregory, a chicken farmer from Sulphur Springs, Texas, was on the Texas Agricultural Finance Authority with Perry in the early nineties, as a Republican. He became a Democrat before running against Perry in 1994.[35]
Lieutenant Governor[link]
In 1998, Perry chose not to seek a third term as Agriculture Commissioner, running instead for Lieutenant Governor to succeed the retiring Democrat Bob Bullock. During this election, Rick Perry had a notable falling out with his previous top political strategist Karl Rove, which began the much-reported rivalry between the Bush and Perry camps.[36] Perry polled 1,858,837 votes (50.04 percent) to the 1,790,106 (48.19 percent) cast for Democrat John Sharp of Victoria, who had relinquished the Comptroller's position after two terms to seek the lieutenant governorship. Libertarian Anthony Garcia polled another 65,150 votes (1.75 percent).[34] Perry thus became the state's first Republican lieutenant governor since Reconstruction, taking office on January 19, 1999.
Governor of Texas[link]
Main article: Governorship of Rick Perry
Perry assumed the office of governor on December 21, 2000, following the resignation of George W. Bush—who was preparing to become President of the United States.[10] He won the office in his own right in the 2002 gubernatorial election, where he received 57.80% of votes to businessman Tony Sanchez's 39.96%.[34] He was re-elected in the 2006 gubernatorial election against three major opponents, polling 39% of votes against runner-up Chris Bell with 29.8%. In the 2010 gubernatorial election, Perry became the first Texas governor to be elected to three four-year terms, polling 54.97% of votes to Bill White's 42.48%.
In his three gubernatorial campaigns, Perry received hard-money campaign contributions of $102 million, half of which came from 204 donors.[37]
In the 2001 legislative session, Perry set a record for his use of the veto, rejecting 82 acts, more than any other governor in any single legislative session in the history of the state since Reconstruction.[38] [39][40]
Fiscal policies[link]
In his presidential campaign, Perry has highlighted the economic success Texas achieved under his governorship, although the true success of his policies has been questioned.[41][42][43][44][45][46] A proclaimed proponent of fiscal conservatism, Perry has often campaigned on job growth and tax issues, such as his opposition to creating a state income tax. Perry refused in 2002 to promise not to raise taxes as governor, and in the following years did propose or approve various tax and debt[47] increases.[48][49][50][51] In 2009, Perry signed Grover Norquist's pledge to "oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes".
Texas began borrowing money in 2003 to pay for roads and will owe $17.3 billion by the end of 2012, increasing total state debt, from $13.4 billion in 2001 to $37.8 billion in 2011.[52] The state's public finance authority sold $2 billion in bonds for unemployment benefits, and it's authorized to sell $1.5 billion more if necessary. Texas federal borrowing topped $1.6 billion in October 2010, before the bond sales.[53] Texans voted November 8, 2011 for a Water Works Bill with an additional $6 billion of debt and against new tax breaks for landowners.[54] A Republican on the Natural Resources Committee laments “we couldn’t get the votes” which would break Perry's pledge not to raise taxes.[55]
In 2003, Perry signed legislation that created the Texas Enterprise Fund, which has since given $435 million in grants to businesses. The New York Times reported that many of the companies receiving grants, or their chief executives, have made contributions to Perry's campaigns or to the Republican Governors Association.[56]
Health[link]
As Governor, Perry has been an outspoken opponent of federal health-care reform proposals and of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, describing the latter as "socialism on American soil".[57] Perry's focus in Texas has been on tort reform, signing a bill in 2003 which restricted non-economic damages in medical malpractice judgments.[58] Perry touted this approach in his Presidential campaign, although independent analysts have concluded that it has failed to increase the supply of physicians or limit health-care costs in Texas.[57][59]
During Perry's governorship, Texas rose from second to first among states with the highest proportion of uninsured residents at 26%, and had the lowest level of access to prenatal care in the U.S.[57] Perry and the Republican-led state legislature have cut Medicaid spending and made it more difficult to enroll in the program, which currently covers one-third of Texas children.[57] The cost of caring for uninsured Texans has been borne by those with insurance, leading to substantial rises in insurance premiums and leading Texas to rank next-to-last among states in terms of affordability of health insurance.[60] The Los Angeles Times wrote that under Perry, "working Texans increasingly have been priced out of private healthcare while the state's safety net has withered."[60]
Perry's office has argued that Texas represents a model private-sector approach to health-care. His spokeswoman stated that "Texas does provide an adequate safety net to those truly in need... and many individuals simply choose not to purchase healthcare coverage."[60]
Perry is pro-life and has signed multiple bills creating new rules or restrictions for abortion procedures and funding for such.[61][62] These bills include a May 2010 law requiring that a sonogram be performed prior to every abortion, and that the practitioner discuss the sonogram images with the patient except in limited cases where the patient may waive the explanation.[63][64][65] In December 2011, Perry said he had undergone a "transformation" and now opposed all abortions, including in cases of rape and incest. The next day he clarified that he would allow an exception for abortions that would save a mother's life.[66][67]
In February 2007, Perry issued an executive order mandating that Texas girls receive the HPV vaccine, which protects against some strains of the human papilloma virus, a contributing factor to some forms of cervical cancer.[68] Following the move, news outlets reported various apparent financial connections between Perry and the vaccine's manufacturer, Merck.[68][69] Merck's political action committee has contributed $28,500 since 2001 to Perry's campaigns.[70] The order was criticized by some parents and social conservatives, and a lawsuit was filed later that month.[71] In May 2007, the Texas Legislature passed a bill undoing the order; Perry did not veto the bill, saying the veto would have been overruled, but blamed lawmakers who supported the bill for the deaths of future cancer victims.[72]
In 2011, Governor Perry both had adult stem cell surgery himself, in Houston by Dr. Jones, and started "laying the groundwork" for the commercialization of the adult stem cell industry in Texas.[73][74]
Religion[link]
Perry grew up in the Methodist church, until 2010 when he began attending Lake Hills Church in Austin.[2] In 2006, Perry stated that he believes in the inerrancy of the Bible and that those who do not accept Jesus as their savior will go to hell. He later clarified, "I don't know that there's any human being that has the ability to interpret what God and his final decision-making is going to be."[75] In his 2008 book On My Honor, Perry expressed his views on the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause. "Let's be clear: I don't believe government, which taxes people regardless of their faith, should espouse a specific faith. I also don't think we should allow a small minority of atheists to sanitize our civil dialogue on religious references."[76] In June 2011, Perry proclaimed August 6 as a Day of Prayer and Fasting, inviting other governors to join him in a prayer meeting hosted by the American Family Association in Houston.[77][78] The event was criticized as going beyond prayer and fasting to include launching Perry's presidential campaign.[79]
Perry has called himself "a firm believer in intelligent design as a matter of faith and intellect", and has expressed support for its teaching alongside evolution in Texas schools, but has also said that "educators and local school officials, not the governor, should determine science curriculum."[80]
Education[link]
Perry has repeatedly attacked the Robin Hood plan to provide court-mandated equitable school financing for all school districts in the state. In 2005, following rejection of Perry's proposal to replace the Robin Hood plan, Perry vetoed all funding for public schools for the 2007–2008 biennium, saying he would not "approve an education budget that shortchanges teacher salary increases, textbooks, education technology, and education reforms. And I cannot let $2 billion sit in some bank account when it can go directly to the classroom."[81] Following a second rejection of Perry's bill, Perry asked John Sharp to head a task force charged with preparing a bipartisan education plan, which was subsequently adopted.[82][83]
In 2001, Perry expressed his pride in the enactment of the statute extending in-state tuition to undocumented immigrants who meet Texas' residency requirements. It also required the undocumented students to pledge to apply for permanent residency or citizenship if this became a possibility for them.[84]
LGBT issues[link]
In 2002, Perry described the Texas same-sex anti-sodomy law as "appropriate".[85] The United States Supreme Court's civil rights decision in Lawrence v. Texas struck down the statute Perry referred to the following year for violating the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Perry supported the 2005 ballot proposition which amended the Texas constitution by defining marriage as "only a union between a man and a woman" and prohibiting the state from creating or recognizing "any legal status identical or similar to marriage".[86] In 2011, after New York legalized same-sex marriage, Perry stated that it was their right to do so under the principle of states' rights delineated in the 10th Amendment.[87] A spokesman later reiterated Perry's support for a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, saying that position was not inconsistent since an amendment would require approval by three-fourths of the states.[88]
In his first book, On My Honor, published in 2008, Perry drew a parallel between homosexuality and alcoholism, writing that he is "no expert on the 'nature versus nurture' debate", but that gays should simply choose abstinence.[89] During the 2012 presidential campaign, he criticized the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell".[90]
Crime[link]
Perry's campaigns for lieutenant governor and governor focused on a tough stance on crime. He has supported block grants for crime programs.[91]
Jeff L. Blackburn, chief counsel of the Innocence Project of Texas, said of Perry that "He has done more good than any other governor we've ever had ... unless, of course, it involves the death penalty. On the death penalty, Rick Perry has a profound mental block".[92]
In 2007, Perry signed a law ending automatic arrest for marijuana possession.[93]
Death penalty[link]
 |
The neutrality of this section is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved. (November 2011) |
For more details on this topic, see Capital punishment in Texas.
Perry supports the death penalty.[94] In June 2002, he vetoed a ban on the execution of mentally retarded inmates.[91] As of August 10, 2011, Texas has carried out 234 executions since Rick Perry became governor.[95] Cases in which Perry has been criticized for his lack of intervention include those of Cameron Todd Willingham, Frances Newton, and Mexican nationals José Medellín and Humberto Leal Garcia.[96][97][98][99]
Perry commuted the death sentence of Kenneth Foster, who was convicted of murder despite evidence that he was only present at the scene of the crime.[100] Perry also pardoned Tyrone Brown, who was sentenced to life in a Texas maximum security prison for smoking marijuana while on probation.[101] Perry's actions in both these cases were following the recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.[100][101]
Infrastructure[link]
In 2001, Perry proposed the Trans-Texas Corridor, a $145+ billion-dollar project that would build multi-lane highways, rail lines and data lines from Oklahoma to Mexico, and from east to west in southern Texas. Instead of paying for the project with taxes, Perry proposed that it be partially financed, partially built and wholly operated by private contractors, who would subsequently receive all toll proceeds.[102] All of Perry's gubernatorial opponents opposed the corridor project, as did the 2006 state party platforms of both the Democratic and Republican parties.[103][104] After much contentious debate between supporters and opponents, an official decision of "no action" was issued by the Federal Highway Administration on July 20, 2010, formally ending the project.
Gun ownership[link]
Perry has an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association.[105] He possesses a Concealed Handgun License (CHL)[106] and has signed a number of bills that increased CHL access.[107]
2012 presidential campaign[link]
Main article: Rick Perry presidential campaign, 2012
Until 2011, Perry persistently denied aspirations to higher office; he was originally included on the 2012 Presidential Straw Poll ballot at the Values Voter Summit in September 2009, but his name was removed at his own request.[108] In April 2008 while appearing as a guest on CNBC's Kudlow & Company, he specifically stated that he would not agree to serve as Vice President in a McCain administration, stating that he already had "the best job in the world" as governor of Texas. Further, during a Republican gubernatorial debate in January 2010, when asked if he would commit to serving out his term if re-elected, he replied that "the place hasn't been made yet" where he would rather serve than the governor of Texas. In December 2010, when asked if he was a "definite maybe" to run for President in 2012, he replied, "a definite no, brother".[109]
On May 27, 2011, he said he is "going to think about" running for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination after the close of the Texas legislative session.[110] Perry said in a response to a question from a reporter, "but I think about a lot of things," he added with a grin.[111]
On August 11, a Perry spokesman said that he will be running for President in 2012, with plans to announce his formal entry into the race the next day, August 12.[112][113] Perry himself confirmed it on a visit to KVUE, the ABC affiliate in Austin. As the Associated Press bulletin announcing his entry into the race came across the wire, Perry signed and dated a printed copy of the bulletin.[114]
On August 13, Perry officially announced that he will be running for president.[115]
In October 2011, the Washington Post reported that Perry's family leases a hunting camp once called "Niggerhead". According to some local residents interviewed by the Post, the Perrys used the camp for years before painting over a large rock with that name on it, which stands at an entrance to the area, and during this time Perry hosted friends and supporters at the camp.[116] Perry's campaign disputed the claims, stating that the Perrys painted over the rock almost immediately after acquiring a lease on the property in 1983.[117][118]
On December 6, Perry released a Presidential campaign video on YouTube called "Strong" discussing his religious beliefs, as well as criticism of Obama's governance.[119] The video states "there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but your kids can't openly celebrate Christmas." The video has been largely criticised in the on-line community and has received over 750,000 dislikes on YouTube.[120]
Perry announced on January 19, 2012, that he would be dropping out of the 2012 Presidential Race, publicly endorsing Newt Gingrich.[121] However on April 25, 2012, Perry endorsed Mitt Romney after Gingrich announced that he drop out a week later.
Political views[link]
See: Political positions of Rick Perry
Publications[link]
Rick Perry has written two books:
- On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts are Worth Fighting For was published in February 2008.[122] In his book, Perry celebrates the positive impact of the organization on the youth of America and criticizes the ACLU for its legal actions against the Boy Scouts of America.[123]
- His second book, Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington was published in November 2010.[124] Perry's second book discusses his support for limited central government.
Perry has also written a lecture about the role of the federal government and the military in disaster management titled Federalizing Disaster Response.[125]
Personal life[link]
In 1982, Perry married Anita Thigpen, his childhood sweetheart whom he had known since elementary school. They have two grown children, Griffin and Sydney. Anita Perry attended West Texas State University and earned a degree in nursing. She has spearheaded a number of health-related initiatives such as the Anita Thigpen Perry Endowment at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, which focuses on nutrition, cardiovascular disease, health education, and early childhood development.[126] Anita has also helped develop and host the Texas Conference for Women.[127]
Electoral history[link]
| Texas Gubernatorial Election 2002 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Rick Perry (Incumbent) | 2,617,106 | 58.1 | ||
| Democratic | Tony Sanchez | 1,809,915 | 40.3 | ||
| Texas Gubernatorial Election 2006 [128] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Rick Perry (Incumbent) | 1,716,792 | 39.02 | -19.08 | |
| Democratic | Chris Bell | 1,310,337 | 29.78 | -10.52 | |
| Independent | Carole Keeton Strayhorn | 796,851 | 18.11 | ||
| Independent | Richard “Kinky” Friedman | 547,674 | 12.44 | ||
| Libertarian | James Werner | 26,749 | 0.60 | ||
| Texas Gubernatorial Election 2010[5] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Republican | Rick Perry (Incumbent) | 2,733,784 | 54.97 | +15.95 | |
| Democratic | Bill White | 2,102,606 | 42.28 | +12.50 | |
| Libertarian | Kathie Glass | 109,057 | 2.19 | ||
| Green | Deb Shafto | 19,475 | .39 | ||
| Independent | Andy Barron (Write-In) | 7,973 | .16 | ||
References[link]
- ^ Selby, W. Gardner; Novak, Shonda (September 27, 2007), "Rent will run about $10,000 a month for house on Hickory Creek Drive.", Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/09/27/0927house.html, retrieved May 19, 2011
- ^ a b Joshunda Sanders, Jason Embry. "Candidates attending more than one church". Statesman. http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/governors_race/candidates-mirror-population-in-attending-more-than-one-1009306.html. Retrieved 20 August 2011.
- ^ "RGA Announces New Leadership". Republican Governors Association. 2010-11-18. http://www.rga.org/homepage/rga-announces-new-leadership/. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
- ^ "Texas Governor Profile". The New York Times. http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/governor/texas. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ a b "TX Governor Race - Nov 02, 2010". Our Campaigns. http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=404248. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- ^ "rick perry". Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/celeb/perry.htm. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ politicks Org. "Perry's Ancestry". 2012.republican-candidates.org. http://2012.republican-candidates.org/Perry/Ancestry.php. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ "Surname Database: Perry Last Name Origin". Surnamedb.com. http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Perry. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ "Richard L. Connor: Texas' Perry might surprise Obama in 2012". Maine Sunday Telegram. June 5, 2011. http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/texas-perry-might-surprise-obama-in-2012_2011-06-05.html. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ a b "Texas Governor Rick Perry". Office of the Governor. http://www.governor.state.tx.us/about. Retrieved 2006-11-08.
- ^ Lucas, Fred (February 11, 2008). "Texas Governor Urges Protection for Boy Scouts of America". Cybercast News Service. Archived from the original on May 18, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080518183709/http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200802/CUL20080211b.html. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
- ^ "Distinguished Eagle Scout Award". Boy Scouts of America. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/02-529.pdf. Retrieved 2010-11-04.
- ^ Hylton, Hilary (2009-01-25). "Bush Returns to a Divided Texas Republican Party". Time. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1873143,00.html.
- ^ http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/cheerleading-politics/story?id=16380524#5
- ^ a b c Hooks, Chris (August 2, 2011). "Texas A&M Years Launched Perry — and a Rivalry". The Texas Tribune (Austin). http://www.texastribune.org/texas-people/rick-perry/perry-aggie-years/. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ Jacobs, Jennifer (September 21, 2011). "Trivia question: Which presidential candidate has a degree in economics?". The Des Moines Register. http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/09/21/trivia-question-which-presidential-candidate-has-a-degree-in-economics/. Retrieved November 12, 2011.
- ^ Wood, E. Thomas (2009-02-27). "Dortch Oldham dies at 89". NashvillePost.com. http://www.nashvillepost.com/news/2009/2/27/dortch_oldham_dies_at_89. Retrieved 2010-12-02.
- ^ "For Rick Perry, Air Force Service Broadened and Narrowed Life". The New York Times. November 25, 2011. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/26/us/politics/for-rick-perry-air-force-service-broadened-and-narrowed-life.html?pagewanted=all.
- ^ "Candidates' Corner 2012- Rick Perry". U.S. Global Leadership Coalition | American Foreign Policy & Foreign Affairs - Usglc.org. August 13, 2011. http://www.usglc.org/2011/08/12/rick-perry/. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ Camia, Catalina (July 15, 2011). "GOP's Rick Perry spent early years as a Democrat". USA Today. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/onpolitics/post/2011/07/rick-perry-presidential-race-former-democrat/1. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ "71st Legislature, 6th C.S., HR63.". Legislative Reference Library of Texas. 1990. http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/scanned/members/honorary/71/Perry_Rick_HR63.pdf. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
- ^ Jay Root, Rick Perry: The Democrat Years The Texas Tribune July 14, 2011.
- ^ "Rick Perry backed Al Gore, didn't lead his Texas campaign". PolitiFact. http://www.politifact.com/texas/article/2011/sep/07/perry-backed-gore-did-not-lead-his-texas-campaign/. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ "50 Things You need to Know about Governor Rick Perry" Dallas Morning News February 19, 2010.
- ^ Three ex-aides to Hightower are sentenced Houston Chronicle. November 11, 1993
- ^ "What is the Texas Department of Agriculture?". Texas Department of Agriculture. http://www.agr.state.tx.us/agr/main_render/0,1968,1848_8330_0_0,00.html?channelId=8330. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ Ashford-Grooms, Meghan (September 24, 2011). "Ron Paul says Rick Perry wrote a letter supporting Hillarycare". Austin American-Statesman / PolitiFact.com. http://www.politifact.com/texas/statements/2011/sep/24/ron-paul/ron-paul-says-rick-perry-wrote-letter-supporting-h/. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
- ^ R.G. Ratcliffe (March 29, 2005). "Perry letter commending Hillary Clinton found". Houston Chronicle. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Perry-letter-commending-Hillary-Clinton-found-1914428.phpa.
- ^ "Tea Party faithful wonder if Rick Perry walks the walk". Accuracy in Media. August 10, 2011. http://www.aim.org/newswire/tea-party-faithful-wonder-if-rick-perry-walks-the-walk/. Retrieved October 10, 2011.
- ^ Ramsey, Ross (July 14, 2011). "Perry, Social Conservatives and the Road to the Top". The Texas Tribune. http://www.texastribune.org/texas-politics/2012-presidential-election/perry-social-conservatives-and-the-road-to-the-top/.
- ^ Ratcliffe, R.G. (September 10, 2009). "The video Perry's campaign can't resist using". San Antonio Express-News. http://blog.mysanantonio.com/texas-politics/2009/09/the-video-perrys-campaign-cant-resist-using/.
- ^ Mark, David. Going dirty: the Art of Negative Campaigning. p. 127.
- ^ Ratcliffe, R.G. (March 30, 2005). "Perry says Hutchison-Clinton video politics as usual". Houston Chronicle. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Perry-says-Hutchison-Clinton-video-politics-as-1660157.php.
- ^ a b c http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/
- ^ Swartz, Mimi (September 2011). "The Great Campaigner". Texas Monthly. http://www.texasmonthly.com/2011-09-01/feature7.php.
- ^ "POLITICO: If Rick Perry gets in, will Karl Rove be out?". http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0711/59687.html. Retrieved 2010-09-10.
- ^ Taibbi, Matt (October 26, 2011), "Rick Perry: The Best Little Whore In Texas", Rolling Stone, http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/rick-perry-the-best-little-whore-in-texas-20111026?page=3, retrieved 2011-11-20
- ^ "The Executive Branch: Budgetary Powers", Texas Politics, University of Texas at Austin, retrieved June 20, 2011
- ^ "The Limits of the Veto", Texas Politics, University of Texas at Austin, retrieved June 20, 2011
- ^ Aaronson, Becca (June 17, 2011), "Vetoes — Then and Now", The Texas Tribune (Austin), http://www.texastribune.org/texas-legislature/82nd-legislative-session/on-the-records-vetoes--then-and-now/, retrieved June 20, 2011
- ^ Luhby, Tami (August 12, 2011). "Rick Perry and his Texas jobs boom: The whole story - Aug. 12, 2011". CNNMoney.com. http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/12/news/economy/perry_texas_jobs/. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ "West Texans React to Perry's Presidency Run". Odessa, TX: KWES-TV. August 13, 2011. http://www.newswest9.com/story/15263295/west-texans-react-to-perrys-presidency-run. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ "The Lone Star Jobs Surge". The Wall Street Journal. June 10, 2011. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304259304576375480710070472.html. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ Plumer, Brad (2011-07-28). "Breaking down Rick Perry's 'Texas miracle' - Ezra Klein". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/breaking-down-rick-perrys-texas-miracle/2011/08/15/gIQAzRHFHJ_blog.html. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ "Rick Perry's four economic vulnerabilities - TODAY News - TODAY.com". Today.msnbc.msn.com. http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44164452/ns/business-us_business/. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ The Texas Unmiracle By PAUL KRUGMAN, New York Times, August 14, 2011
- ^ Texas Department of Transportation (State of Texas). "Proposition 12 (General Obligation Bond Projects)". Txdot.gov. http://www.txdot.gov/project_information/prop12.htm. Retrieved 2011-10-11.
- ^ Gleckman, Howard (August 16, 2011). "Rick Perry's Changing Take On Raising Taxes". Forbes.
- ^ "The Texas pole tax". The Economist. January 3, 2008.
- ^ "Gov. Perry Signs Landmark Business Tax Reform" (Press release). Office of the Governor. May 18, 2006. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/2426/. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ "New Texas Margin Tax – Business or Income Tax". accountingweb.com. August 16, 2006. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ "Analyzing Rick Perry’s record: Texas transportation needs left behind | Texas on the Potomac | a Chron.com blog". Blog.chron.com. 2011-08-20. http://blog.chron.com/txpotomac/2011/08/analyzing-rick-perrys-record-texas-transportation-needs-left-behind/. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ Schnurman, Mitchell. "Texas' debt practices contradict Perry's rhetoric | News | News from Fort Worth, Dallas". Star-telegram.com. http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/07/15/3225103/texas-debt-practices-contradict.html. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ Galbraith, Kate (November 9, 2011). "Texas Water Propositions Meet Different Fates". Texas Tribune.
- ^ Mildenberg, David; McFerron, Whitney (October 14, 2011). "Texans Face Billions in Water Works Bills as Drought Saps Perry's Economy". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-10-14/water-starved-texas-rice-crops-erode-u-s-harvest-prospects-as-prices-gain.html.
- ^ Perry Mines Texas System to Raise Cash, by Nicholas Confessore and Michael Lu, New York Times, August 20, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Sack, Kevin (September 3, 2011). "G.O.P. Candidates’ Stances on Health Care Mask Their Records as Governors". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/04/us/politics/04governors.html. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ Blumenthal, Ralph (September 15, 2003). "Malpractice Suits Capped at $750,000 in Texas Vote". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/15/us/malpractice-suits-capped-at-750000-in-texas-vote.html.
- ^ Paik, Myungho; Black, Bernard S.; Hyman, David A.; Silver, Charles M. (July 16, 2010). "Will Tort Reform Bend the Cost Curve? Evidence from Texas". Social Science Research Network. http://ssrn.com/abstract=1635882. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ a b c Levey, Noam (September 8, 2011). "Texas healthcare system withering under Gov. Perry". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/sep/08/nation/la-na-perry-healthcare-20110908. Retrieved September 12, 2011.
- ^ "Rick Perry Gets A Grade on Abortion From Texas Pro-Life Groups". LifeNews.com. 2011-06-10. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/07/26/rick-perry-gets-a-grade-on-abortion-from-texas-pro-life-groups/. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ July 21st, 2011 (2011-07-21). "Texas Gov. Rick Perry Signs Bill De-Funding Planned Parenthood". Catholic Tide. http://www.catholictide.com/21/texas-gov-rick-perry-signs-bill-de-funding-planned-parenthood/. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ "Texas House passes abortion-ultrasound bill without exceptions | AHN". Allheadlinenews.com. http://www.allheadlinenews.com/briefs/articles/90038375. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ "Democrats derail sonogram bill, at least for a day". Statesman.com. 2011-08-24. http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/democrats-derail-sonogram-bill-at-least-for-a-1294019.html. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ "Texas Gov. Rick Perry Signs Ultrasound Before Abortion Bill". Lifenews.com. 2011-05-20. http://www.lifenews.com/2011/05/20/texas-gov-rick-perry-signs-ultrasound-before-abortion-bill/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lifenews%2Fnewsfeed+%28LifeNews.com%29. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
- ^ Saenz, Arlette. "Rick Perry Clarifies Abortion Stand, Mother’s Life Only Exception." ABC News, 28 December 2011.
- ^ Philpott, Ben. "Rick Perry Pivots on Abortion." KUT News, 27 December 2011.
- ^ a b Carney, Timothy (June 21, 2011) "Rick Perry's mixed record on regulatory robbery", The Washington Examiner
- ^ Peterson, Liz Austin (February 22, 2007). "Perry's staff discussed vaccine on day Merck donated to campaign". Austin American-Statesman. Associated Press. http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/02/22/22perry.html. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ Mason, Melanie. "Rick Perry understated drug company campaign cash." Los Angeles Times, September 13, 2011.
- ^ "Texas Families Seek to Block Gov's Order". Associated Press. Newsmax Media. February 25, 2007. http://newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/2/25/111903.shtml. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ MacLaggan, Corrie (May 9, 2007). "Perry lets HPV bill go into law". Austin American-Statesman. http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/05/09/9hpv.html. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- ^ Ramshaw, Emily (2011-08-04). "Perry, Allies Lay Groundwork for TX Stem Cell Industry". The Texas Tribune. http://www.texastribune.org/texas-people/rick-perry/perry-allies-lay-groundwork-tx-stem-cell-industry/. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- ^ Maslin Nir, Sarah (2011-08-04). "Rick Perry Has Stem Cell Procedure, Then Works to Bring it to Texas". The New York Times. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/04/rick-perry-has-stem-cell-procedure-then-works-to-bring-it-to-texas/. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- ^ Hoppe, Christy (November 6, 2006). "Perry believes non-Christians doomed". The Dallas Morning News. Archived from the original on November 19, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20061119030904/http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/110606dnTSWperry.351c57c.html. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
- ^ Perry, Rick (2008). On My Honor. Macon, GA: Stroud & Hall Publishers. p. 88. ISBN 0-9796462-2-7.
- ^ Perry, Rick (June 6, 2011). "Gov. Perry Declares August 6th a Day of Prayer". Office of the Governor. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/proclamation/16247/. Retrieved June 29, 2011.
- ^ Bacon, Perry, Jr.; Henderson, Nia-Malika (August 5, 2011). "Texas Gov. Rick Perry to host major prayer event in Houston". The Washington Post.
- ^ Fikac, Peggy (August 19, 2011). "Email on voting prompts questions about Perry prayer event". Houston Chronicle. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Email-on-voting-prompts-questions-about-Perry-2132729.php. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
- ^ "2010 The Vote: K-12 Education". San Angelo Standard-Times. September 11, 2010. http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2010/sep/11/this-series-examines-important-issues-to-texans/. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ "Press Release] Gov. Perry Says Legislators Must Come Back, Get School Funding Right". Office of the Governor Rick Perry -Governor.state.tx.us. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/3589/. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ "Gov. Perry's Principles For A Stronger Texas". Office of the Governor - Rick Perry - Governor.state.tx.us. http://www.governor.state.tx.us/priorities/tax_reform/TTRC_report/files/TTRC_report.pdf. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ Perry, Rick (August 22, 2001). "Gov. Rick Perry's Remarks to the Border Summit". Office of the Governor. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/speech/10688/. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- ^ "Perry calls sodomy law 'appropriate'". Houston Chronicle. Associated Press. December 4, 2002. http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/2002_3605756/perry-calls-sodomy-law-appropriate.html. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
- ^ Elliott, Janet (November 8, 2005). "Same-sex marriage ban wins OK". Houston Chronicle. http://www.chron.com/default/article/Same-sex-marriage-ban-wins-OK-1933429.php. Retrieved August 29, 2011.
- ^ Jacobs, Jennifer (July 23, 2011). "Perry defends gay marriage as states' choice; Santorum takes a swipe". The Des Moines Register. http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/07/23/perry-defends-gay-marriage-as-a-states-choice-santorum-takes-a-swipe/. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
- ^ Barabak, Mark Z. (July 28, 2011). "Rick Perry contorts over same-sex marriage". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jul/28/news/la-pn-perry-gay-marriage-20110728. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
- ^ Benjamin, Mark (August 24, 2011). "Perry Compared Homosexuality to Alcoholism in 2008 Book". Time. http://swampland.time.com/2011/08/24/perry-compared-homosexuality-to-alcoholism-in-2008-book/. Retrieved October 21, 2011.
- ^ Stein, Sam (December 8, 2011). "Rick Perry's Anti-Gay Iowa Ad Divides His Top Staff". The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/08/rick-perry-anti-gay-iowa-ad-divides-top-staff_n_1136587.html. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
- ^ a b "Public Notes on 01-NGA10". On The Issues. September 14, 2001. http://www.ontheissues.org/Notebook/Note_01-NGA10.htm. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ Sontag, Deborah (October 30, 2011). "Perry Displays Varied Stance Toward Crime". The New York Times.
- ^ Yoder, Steve (November 7, 2011). "The GOP, 'tough on crime' no more?" Salon.
- ^ Thomas, Evan; Brant, Martha (November 10, 2007). "Injection of Reflection". Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/id/69546/output/print. Retrieved June 22, 2008.
- ^ "Texas Set Today to Execute 234th person under Governor Rick Perry". Texas Moratorium Network. August 10, 2011. http://stopexecutions.blogspot.com/2011/08/texas-set-today-to-execute-234th-person.html. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
- ^ "From arson to politics: Why has Texas's governor derailed a death-penalty investigation?". The Economist. October 22, 2009. http://www.economist.com/node/14699746. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
- ^ Grann, David (January 7, 2009). "Cameron Todd Willingham, Texas, and the death penalty". The New Yorker. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/07/090907fa_fact_grann. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ "Frances Elaine Newton #982". Clarkprosecutor.org. http://www.clarkprosecutor.org/html/death/US/newton982.htm. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ Graczyk, Michael (July 8, 2011). "Criticism of Texas' execution of Mexican Leal doesn't bother Perry". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/07/08/3209871/criticism-of-texas-execution-of.html. Retrieved August 7, 2011.
- ^ a b Blumenthal, Ralph (August 31, 2007). "Governor Commutes Sentence in Texas". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/31/us/31execute.html. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
- ^ a b "Inmate Given Life After Drug Use Is Pardoned in Texas". The New York Times. Associated Press. March 11, 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/11/us/11pot.html. Retrieved November 23, 2011.
- ^ "Trans-Texas Corridor: FAQs". Texas Department of Transportation. 2004. Archived from the original on 2007-11-13. http://web.archive.org/web/20071113223501/http://ttc.keeptexasmoving.com/faqs/?faq_type=3. Retrieved 2008-11-13.
- ^ "2006 State Republican Party Platform". Texas Republican Party. 2006. Archived from the original on 2008-06-25. http://web.archive.org/web/20080625233304/http://www.texasgop.org/site/DocServer/Platform_Updated.pdf?docID=2001. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ "2006 Texas Democratic Party Platform". 2006. http://txdems.bluestatedigital.com/page/-/Party%20Platforms/2006%20TDP%20platform.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ "Rick Perry's unwavering support for gun rights could boost his presidential prospects". Nra-Ila. http://www.nraila.org/News/Read/InTheNews.aspx?ID=15316. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- ^ "'Wily' coyote no match for governor's gun". Austin American-Statesman. http://www.statesman.com/news/local/wily-coyote-no-match-for-governors-gun-634362.html. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- ^ "Gov. Perry Signs Bills to Protect Gun Owners' Rights". Office of the Governor Rick Perry - Governor.state.tx.us. http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/3598/. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- ^ "Texas Gov. Rick Perry pulled out of conservative straw poll". CNN. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/18/texas-gov-rick-perry-pulled-out-of-conservative-straw-poll/. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ "Quote of the Day". Political Wire. http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/12/26/quote_of_the_day.html. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
- ^ "Texan Perry to 'think about' a 2012 White House run". The Washington Times. May 27, 2011. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/may/27/texas-gov-perry-think-about-2012-white-house-run. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
- ^ Gutierrez, Kris (May 27, 2011). "President Perry? Texas Governor to 'Think About it'". Fox News. http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/05/27/president-perry-texas-gov-think-about-it. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
- ^ "Spokesman says Texas Gov. Rick Perry is running for president, announcement planned Saturday". The Washington Post. August 11, 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/campaigns/texas-gov-rick-perry-running-for-president-spokesman-says/2011/08/11/gIQAscqI9I_story.html. Retrieved August 14, 2011. [dead link]
- ^ "Rick Perry to run for president, spokesman says". Associated Press. CBS News. August 11, 2011. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/11/politics/main20091362.shtml. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
- ^ Bergamo, Jim (August 11, 2011). "Spokesman says Perry running for president". Austin, TX: KVUE.
- ^ Promising Better Direction, Perry Enters Race.
- ^ McCrummen, Stephanie (October 1, 2011). "At Rick Perry’s Texas hunting spot, camp’s old racially charged name lingered". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/rick-perry-familys-hunting-camp-still-known-to-many-by-old-racially-charged-name/2011/10/01/gIQAOhY5DL_story.html. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ^ Burns, Alexander (October 2, 2011). "Perry team pushes back on Herman Cain criticism". Politico. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1011/64926.html. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ^ "Republican Rick Perry in hunting lodge race row". BBC News. October 3, 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-15155042. Retrieved October 3, 2011.
- ^ RPerry2012 (2011-12-06). "Strong Campaign YouTube Video". Youtube.com. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PAJNntoRgA. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ George, Alison (2011-12-09). "Rick Perry Ad Generating Epic Hate on YouTube". Slate.com. http://www.slate.com/blogs/trending/2011/12/09/rick_perry_ad_generating_epic_hate_on_youtube.html. Retrieved 2012-03-12.
- ^ Zeleny, Jeff; Shear, Michael D. (January 19, 2012). "Perry to End Bid for Presidency". The Caucus (The New York Times). http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/perry-to-end-bid-for-presidency/. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
- ^ Perry, Rick (February 2008). On My Honor: Why the American Values of the Boy Scouts are Worth Fighting For. Stroud & Hall. ISBN 978-0-9796462-2-5.
- ^ Selby, W. Gardner (2008-02-09). "In first book, Perry criticizes ACLU and defends Boy Scouts". Austin American-Statesman. http://www.statesman.com/news/content/region/legislature/stories/02/09/0209perrybook.html. Retrieved 2008-06-22.
- ^ Perry, Rick (November 2010). Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington. Little, Brown. ISBN 978-0-316-13295-4.
- ^ Perry, Rick (November 2005). Federalizing Disaster Response. Heritage Foundation.
- ^ "Endowment named for First Lady Anita Perry - The News - University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio". Uthscsa.edu. 2001-06-15. http://www.uthscsa.edu/opa/issues/new34-24/perry.html. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
- ^ Giles, Mike. "Governor Rick Perry Leads Texas by Faith". DFW Christian Family. http://www.dfwchristianfamily.com/cover/Governor-Rick-Perry-Leads-Texas-by-Faith.php. Retrieved August 22, 2011.
- ^ http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe Texas Board of Elections as of July 24, 2009
External links[link]
 |
Wikinews has related news: Texas governor Rick Perry to announce his presidential intentions |
- Governor Rick Perry official state site
- Rick Perry for President official presidential campaign site
- Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
- Appearances on C-SPAN programs
- Appearances at the Internet Movie Database
- Works by or about Rick Perry in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Financial information at OpenSecrets.org.......
|
|
- Governor
- Biography at the National Governors Association
- Campaign contributions at FollowTheMoney.org
| Texas House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joe Hanna |
Member of the House of Representatives of Texas from the District 64 1985–1991 |
Succeeded by John Cook |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Jim Hightower |
Commissioner of Agriculture of Texas 1991–1999 |
Succeeded by Susan Combs |
| Preceded by Bob Bullock |
Lieutenant Governor of Texas January 19, 1999 – December 21, 2000 |
Succeeded by Bill Ratliff |
| Preceded by George W. Bush |
Governor of Texas December 21, 2000 – present |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by George W. Bush |
Republican nominee for Governor of Texas 2002, 2006, 2010 |
Most recent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Joe Biden as Vice President |
Order of Precedence of the United States Within Texas |
Succeeded by Mayor of city in which event is held |
| Succeeded by Otherwise John Boehner as Speaker of the House of Representatives |
||
| Preceded by Rick Scott as Governor of Florida |
Order of Precedence of the United States Outside Texas |
Succeeded by Terry Branstad as Governor of Iowa |
|
|
|||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Perry, Rick |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | American politician |
| Date of birth | March 4, 1950 |
| Place of birth | Paint Creek, Texas |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Rick_Perry
Related pages:
http://it.wn.com/Rick Perry
http://cs.wn.com/Rick Perry
http://es.wn.com/Rick Perry
http://ru.wn.com/Перри, Рик
http://nl.wn.com/Rick Perry
http://pt.wn.com/Rick Perry
http://pl.wn.com/Rick Perry
http://fr.wn.com/Rick Perry
http://de.wn.com/Rick Perry
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Perry
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is about the current Arizona Senator. For his father, a U.S. Representative from Iowa, see John Henry Kyl. For a U.S. Representative from Mississippi with a similar name, see John Kyle.
| Jon Kyl | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| United States Senator from Arizona |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 1995 Serving with John McCain |
|
| Preceded by | Dennis DeConcini |
| Senate Minority Whip | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office December 19, 2007 |
|
| Leader | Mitch McConnell |
| Preceded by | Trent Lott |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 4th district |
|
| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1995 |
|
| Preceded by | Eldon Rudd |
| Succeeded by | John Shadegg |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jon Llewellyn Kyl (1942-04-25) April 25, 1942 (age 70) Oakland, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Caryll Collins |
| Children | Kristine John |
| Alma mater | University of Arizona Rogers College of Law |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Presbyterian[1] |
| Website | www.kyl.senate.gov |
Jon Llewellyn Kyl (/ˈkaɪl/; born April 25, 1942)[2] is the junior United States Senator from Arizona and the Senate Minority Whip, the second-highest position in the Republican Senate leadership. In 2010 he was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for his persuasive role in the Senate.[3]
The son of U.S. Representative John Henry Kyl, he was born and raised in Nebraska and lived for some time in Iowa. He received his bachelor's degree and law degree from the University of Arizona. He worked in Phoenix, Arizona as a lawyer and lobbyist before winning election to the United States House of Representatives, where he served from 1987 to 1995. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994 and has been re-elected by large margins since.
Kyl was ranked by National Journal in 2007 as the fourth-most conservative U.S. Senator.[4] He has been a fixture of Republican policy leadership posts, chairing the Republican Policy Committee (2003–2007) and the Republican Conference (2007). In December 2007 he became Senate Minority Whip. In February 2011, Kyl announced that he would not seek re-election to the Senate in 2012 and would retire at the end of his third term, which concludes on January 3, 2013. He expressly ruled out running for further office except, if offered, the Vice Presidency.[5][6]
Contents |
Early life, education and career[link]
Kyl was born in Oakland, Nebraska, the son of Arlene Pearl (née Griffith) and John Henry Kyl,[7] a teacher at Nebraska State Teachers College. His father served as a Congressman from Iowa after moving his family to Bloomfield, Iowa. After graduating from high school in 1960, Kyl attended the University of Arizona where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1964, graduating with honors. Kyl is a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. He then earned a law degree in 1966 at the University of Arizona's James E. Rogers College of Law, and served as editor-in-chief of the Arizona Law Review. Before entering politics, he was a lawyer and lobbyist with Jennings, Strouss & Salmon in Phoenix, Arizona.[8]
Kyl is married to Caryll Collins, with whom he has had two children. They also have seven grandchildren.
U.S House of Representatives[link]
Kyl served in the House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995. He was first elected in 1986 against Democrat Philip R. Davis, 64.5% to 35.5%. He was reelected in 1988 against Gary Sprunk of the Libertarian party, 87% to 13%;[9] in 1990 against Democrat Mark Ivey, Jr., 61% to 39%;[10] and in 1992 against Democrat Walter R. Mybeck, II, 59.2% to 26.7%.[11]
U.S. Senate[link]
Committee assignments[link]
Leadership[link]
Kyl has been elected by his fellow Senate Republicans to a succession of leadership posts: Policy Committee chairman (2003–2007), Conference chairman (2007), and most recently (in December 2007), Senate Minority Whip.[12] Kyl's ascension to Minority Whip makes him the first Arizonan to hold such an influential Senate leadership post since Democrat Ernest W. McFarland served as Senate Majority Leader from 1951 to 1953. Kyl is the only Arizona Republican to hold such a powerful leadership position.
Political positions[link]
Kyl is considered to be a conservative,[13] and was ranked by National Journal as the fourth-most conservative United States Senator in their March 2007 conservative/liberal rankings.[4] In addition, in April 2006, Kyl was selected by Time Magazine as one of "America's 10 Best Senators"; the magazine cited his successful behind-the-scene efforts as head of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.[14]
Kyl is a signer of Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge.[15]
Crime victims' rights[link]
Kyl was one of the original sponsors, along with Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, of an effort to amend the United States Constitution to protect crime victims' rights in the criminal justice system. When in 2004 it appeared that the constitutional amendment would not receive the requisite 2/3 support to pass the Senate, Kyl and Feinstein authored the Crime Victims' Rights Act, which listed a victims' bill of rights and provided mandamus relief in appellate court for any victim denied those rights.[16] The act also offered sanctions against government officials who wantonly and willfully refused to comply with the Crime Victims' Rights Act.
Arms control[link]
In November 2010, Kyl announced that he would oppose the New START arms control treaty's ratification in the lame duck session.[17][18] He was unsuccessful in this regard, as the treaty passed easily.
Internet gambling[link]
In September 2006, working with then-Congressman Jim Leach, Jon Kyl was a major Senate supporter of Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. The Act was passed at midnight the day Congress adjourned before the 2006 elections. Prior to it being added to the bill, the gambling provisions had not been debated by any Congressional committee, although the general issue had been debated in multiple times in the past.[19] When publication of the associated regulations was delayed until June 2010, Kyl responded by denying unanimous consent to confirm the appointment of 6 nominees to the US Treasury Department, none of whom specialized on gambling issues.[20]
Healthcare[link]
Kyl voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in December 2009,[21] and he voted against the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.[22]
Other[link]
In February 2006, Kyl joined Senator Lindsey Graham in an amicus brief in the Hamdan v. Rumsfeld case. The brief presented to the Supreme Court of the United States an "extensive colloquy" added to the Congressional Record. It was not, however, included in the December 21st debate as evidence that "Congress was aware" that the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 would strip the Court of jurisdiction to hear "pending cases, including this case" brought by the Guantanamo detainees.[23]
In 2011, Kyl said that the GOP had abandoned opposition to defense cuts.[24]
Controversies[link]
Planned Parenthood[link]
On April 8, 2011, Kyl spoke on the Senate floor and claimed that performing abortions is "well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does." Planned Parenthood responded that 90 percent of its services are to provide contraception, STD and cancer testing and treatment, and only 3 percent are abortion-related. A spokesperson for Kyl later claimed the senator’s remark "was not intended to be a factual statement but rather to illustrate that Planned Parenthood, an organization that receives millions in taxpayer dollars, does subsidize abortions." Politifact noted that Planned Parenthood's numbers (from their most recent Annual Report, year ending June 30, 2009[25]) are the result of self-reporting and that there is no national audit on such claims, but stated their belief that Kyl "vastly overstated" the number.[26] A political science professor writing at National Review Online suggested that perhaps Kyl's comments were based on the pregnancy-related services provided to pregnant women, citing Planned Parenthood's 2009 annual report figures and claiming that 98% of those services were for abortion.[27] The phrase "not intended to be a factual statement" was mocked by political comedians such as Stephen Colbert, who joked, "You can’t call him out for being wrong when he never intended to be right."[28][29][30]
Political campaigns[link]
See also: United States Senate election in Arizona, 2006, United States Senate election in Arizona, 2000, and United States Senate election in Arizona, 1994
Kyl was first elected to the Senate in 1994, defeating Samuel G. Coppersmith (D), then a member of the House of Representatives, 54% to 40%. Libertarian Party candidate Scott Grainger got 6% of the votes.
Kyl was reelected in 2000 without major-party opposition, with 79.3% of the vote. Independent William Toel got 7.8%; Green Party candidate Vance Hansen also got 7.8%; and Barry Hess of the Libertarian Party got 5.1%.
On November 7, 2006, Kyl defeated real estate developer and former Arizona Democratic Party chairman Jim Pederson to win his third term in the Senate.[31] Kyl won with 53.3% of the vote; Pederson received 43.5%; and Libertarian Party candidate Richard Mack received 3.2%. The race was one of the most expensive in Arizona history, with Kyl raising more than $15 million and Pederson raising just shy of that amount.[32]
A major issue in the campaign was illegal immigration. While in the Senate, Kyl cosponsored legislation that would give illegal immigrants up to five years to leave the country. Once there, they could apply for permanent residence or be guest workers.[33] Since fellow Arizona Senator John McCain opposed this legislation, Pederson tried to use the issue as a way of allying with McCain and dividing the Republicans in Arizona.[34] Controversy also arose when each candidate accused the other of supporting the amnesty provisions in a 1986 immigration bill, although both candidates deny ever supporting those provisions.[35]
Kyl appeared in the U.S. national news near the end of the campaign as an example of a case where some bloggers were attempting to influence search engine results for searches on Kyl's name, using Google bombs.[36]
References[link]
- ^ Burton, Danielle (27 November 2007). "10 Things You Didn't Know About Jon Kyl". U.S. News & World Report. http://www.usnews.com/news/national/articles/2007/11/27/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-jon-kyl. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
- ^ Jon Kyl bio at congress.org
- ^ McConnell, Mitch (April 29, 2010). "The 2010 Time 100". Time. http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1984685_1984864_1984901,00.html. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ a b "Political Arithmetik: National Journal 2006 Liberal/Conservative Scores". http://politicalarithmetik.blogspot.com/2007/03/national-journal-2006.html.
- ^ Kyl openly courts 2012 vice presidential nomination - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
- ^ Sen. Jon Kyl announces his retirement from Senate - David Catanese - POLITICO.com
- ^ Senator Jon Kyl at ancestry.com
- ^ Darrin Hostetler (August 11, 1994). "Bland Ambition: He's Running for the U.S. Senate as an Outsider, a Boring Straight Arrow with the Common Touch". Phoenix New Times. http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/content/printVersion/161281.
- ^ Dendy, Dallas L., Jr.; Anderson, Donald K. (April 20, 1989). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 8, 1988. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1988election.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
- ^ Dendy, Dallas L., Jr.; Anderson, Donald K. (April 29, 1991). Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 1990. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1990election.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
- ^ Dendy, Dallas L., Jr.; Anderson, Donald K. (May 31, 1993). Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 3, 1992. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1992election.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
- ^ Bart Jansen and Alan K. Ota (December 6, 2007). "Kyl, Alexander Move Up in Senate GOP Leadership". CQ Politics. http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002637521.
- ^ Robert Nelson (April 13, 2006). "Stealth Zealot". Phoenix New Times. http://phoenixnewtimes.com/Issues/2006-04-13/news/feature.html. Retrieved 2006-10-03.
- ^ Burnett, David (April 14, 2006). "Jon Kyl: The Operator". Time Magazine. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1183960,00.html. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
- ^ "The Taxpayer Protection Pledge Signers 112th Congressional List". Americans for Tax Reform. http://s3.amazonaws.com/atrfiles/files/files/091411-federalpledgesigners.pdf. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
- ^ 18 U.S.C. § 3771 (West 2008).
- ^ Weber, Christopher (November 16, 2010). Politics Daily. http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11/16/sen-john-kyl-says-hell-block-vote-on-arms-treaty-with-russia/. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
- ^ Baker, Peter (November 16, 2010). "Senate Leader Deals Blow to President on Arms Treaty". The Caucus (New York Times).
- ^ Nelson Rose (2006). "The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 Analyzed". http://www.gamblingandthelaw.com/columns/2006_act.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
- ^ "Kyl Blocking Treasury Nominees Because He Doesn’t Like Internet Gambling". http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/01/08/kyl-treasury-holds/. Retrieved 2010-01-11.
- ^ U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records Home > Votes > Roll Call Vote
- ^ "U.S. Senate: Legislation & Records Home > Votes > Roll Call Vote". Senate.gov. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00105. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ Bazelon, Emily (March 27, 2006). "Invisible Men: Did Lindsey Graham and Jon Kyl mislead the Supreme Court?". Slate Magazine. http://www.slate.com/id/2138750.
- ^ Hewitt. Hugh. "Senate GOP Whip Jon Kyl On The Choices On The Debt Ceiling Table." Amac, 25 July 2011.
- ^ Annual Report 2008-2009, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
- ^ Jon Kyl says abortion services are “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does”, PolitiFact.com at St. Petersburg Times, 8 April 2011
- ^ In Senator Kyl’s Defense, Michael J. New, National Review, 13 April 2011
- ^ Colbert keeps Twitter heat on Kyl, Jennifer Epstein & Karin Tanabe, Politico CLICK, 13 April 2011
- ^ Cherette, Matt (2011-04-12). "Watch Stephen Colbert’s Defense of Planned Parenthood". Gawker. http://gawker.com/5791100/watch-stephen-colberts-defense-of-planned-parenthood. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
- ^ Cherette, Matt (2011-04-13). "Stephen Colbert Gives Jon Kyl a Taste of His Own Medicine". Gawker. http://gawker.com/5791496/stephen-colbert-gives-jon-kyl-a-taste-of-his-own-medicine. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
- ^ Josh Brodesky (November 8, 2006). "Kyl clinches his third term in tough race with Pederson". Arizona Daily Star. http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/155007.
- ^ "Congressional Elections: Arizona Senate Race: 2006 Cycle". OpenSecrets. http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.php?id=AZS2&cycle=2006. Retrieved 2010-08-29.
- ^ "GOP Senators Look for Compromise on Immigration Reform". Fox News. April 4, 2006. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,190550,00.html.
- ^ Josh Brodesky (September 25, 2006). "For both sides, McCain becomes all-purpose asset". Arizona Daily Star. http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/148147.
- ^ "Pederson, Kyl trade barbs about amnesty". Arizona Republic. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0919kyl-amnesty0919.html.
- ^ Zweller, Tom, Jr. (2006-10-26). "A New Campaign Tactic: Manipulating Google Data". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/us/politics/26googlebomb.html?_r=1&sq=Jon%20Kyl%20google%20bomb&st=cse&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&scp=1&adxnnlx=1219511160-Y1LSTZu+13u7uaatm+pHBQ. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
External links[link]
- United States Senator Jon Kyl official U.S. Senate site
- Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
- Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Congressional profile at GovTrack
- Congressional profile at OpenCongress
- Issue positions and quotes at On the Issues
- Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
- Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
- Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
- Appearances on C-SPAN programs
- Appearances at the Internet Movie Database
- Collected news and commentary at The New York Times
- Works by or about Jon Kyl in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- Jon Kyl at PolitiFact.com Truth-O-Meter
- Profile at SourceWatch
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Eldon D. Rudd |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 4th congressional district 1987–1995 |
Succeeded by John B. Shadegg |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by Dennis DeConcini |
United States Senator (Class 1) from Arizona 1995–present Served alongside: John McCain |
Incumbent |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Trent Lott |
Senate Minority Whip December 19, 2007 – present |
Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by Larry Craig |
Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee 2003–2007 |
Succeeded by Kay Bailey Hutchison |
| Preceded by Rick Santorum |
Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference January 4, 2007 – December 19, 2007 |
Succeeded by Lamar Alexander |
| Preceded by Trent Lott |
Senate Republican Whip December 19, 2007 – present |
Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Olympia Snowe R-Maine |
United States Senators by seniority 28th |
Succeeded by Ron Wyden D-Oregon |
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||
| Representatives to the 100th–112th United States Congresses from Arizona (ordered by seniority) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 100th | Senate: D. DeConcini | J. McCain | House: M. Udall | B. Stump | J. Kolbe | J. Kyl | J. J. Rhodes III |
| 101st | Senate: D. DeConcini | J. McCain | House: M. Udall | B. Stump | J. Kolbe | J. Kyl | J. J. Rhodes III |
| 102nd | Senate: D. DeConcini | J. McCain | House: B. Stump | J. Kolbe | J. Kyl | J. J. Rhodes III | E. Pastor |
| 103rd | Senate: D. DeConcini | J. McCain | House: B. Stump | J. Kolbe | J. Kyl | E. Pastor | S. Coppersmith | K. English |
| 104th | Senate: J. McCain | J. Kyl | House: B. Stump | J. Kolbe | E. Pastor | J. D. Hayworth | M. Salmon | J. Shadegg |
| 105th | Senate: J. McCain | J. Kyl | House: B. Stump | J. Kolbe | E. Pastor | J. D. Hayworth | M. Salmon | J. Shadegg |
| 106th | Senate: J. McCain | J. Kyl | House: B. Stump | J. Kolbe | E. Pastor | J. D. Hayworth | M. Salmon | J. Shadegg |
| 107th | Senate: J. McCain | J. Kyl | House: B. Stump | J. Kolbe | E. Pastor | J. D. Hayworth | J. Shadegg | J. Flake |
| 108th | Senate: J. McCain | J. Kyl | House: J. Kolbe | E. Pastor | J. D. Hayworth | J. Shadegg | J. Flake | T. Franks | R. Grijalva | R. Renzi |
| 109th | Senate: J. McCain | J. Kyl | House: J. Kolbe | E. Pastor | J. D. Hayworth | J. Shadegg | J. Flake | T. Franks | R. Grijalva | R. Renzi |
| 110th | Senate: J. McCain | J. Kyl | House: E. Pastor | J. Shadegg | J. Flake | T. Franks | R. Grijalva | R. Renzi | G. Giffords | H. Mitchell |
| 111th | Senate: J. McCain | J. Kyl | House: E. Pastor | J. Shadegg | J. Flake | T. Franks | R. Grijalva | G. Giffords | H. Mitchell | A. Kirkpatrick |
| 112th | Senate: J. McCain | J. Kyl | House: E. Pastor | J. Flake | T. Franks | R. Grijalva | G. Giffords | P. Gosar | B. Quayle | D. Schweikert |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Kyl, Jon Llewellyn |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | junior U.S. Senator from Arizona |
| Date of birth | April 25, 1942 |
| Place of birth | Oakland, Nebraska |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Jon_Kyl
Related pages:
http://ru.wn.com/Кайл, Джон
http://fr.wn.com/Jon Kyl
http://nl.wn.com/Jon Kyl
http://pt.wn.com/Jon Kyl
http://de.wn.com/Jon Kyl
http://it.wn.com/Jon Kyl
http://pl.wn.com/Jon Kyl
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kyl
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
For the Australian politician, see Andrea Mitchell (politician).
 |
This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2008) |
| Andrea Mitchell | |
|---|---|
 Andrea and her husband Alan Greenspan, 2007 |
|
| Born | (1946-10-30) October 30, 1946 (age 65) New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Education | University of Pennsylvania |
| Occupation | News anchor |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Notable credit(s) | NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Today, Andrea Mitchell Reports |
| Title | NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Host, Andrea Mitchell Reports |
| Spouse | Alan Greenspan (1997–present) Gil Jackson (divorced 1970s) |
| Website | |
| http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3688874/ NBC News Biography | |
Andrea Mitchell (born October 30, 1946) is an American television journalist, anchor, reporter, and commentator for NBC News based in Washington, D.C.. She is the NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, and has recently reported on the 2008 Race for the White House for NBC News broadcasts, including NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, Today, and MSNBC. She anchors Andrea Mitchell Reports airing at 1pm–2pm ET weekdays on MSNBC, has appeared on and guest hosted Meet the Press, and is often a guest on Hardball with Chris Matthews and The Rachel Maddow Show.
Contents |
Early life[link]
Mitchell graduated with a B.A. in English literature from the University of Pennsylvania in 1967, where she served as news director of student radio station WXPN. She stayed in Philadelphia after graduation, hired as a reporter at KYW radio. Mitchell rose to prominence as the station's City Hall correspondent, and also reported for sister station KYW-TV. She moved to CBS affiliate WTOP in Washington, D.C., in 1976. Two years later, Mitchell moved to NBC's network news operation, where she served as a general correspondent. In 1979, she was named the NBC News energy correspondent and reported on the late 1970s energy crisis and the Three Mile Island nuclear accident. Mitchell also covered the White House from 1981 until becoming chief congressional correspondent in 1988.
NBC News and MSNBC[link]
She has been the Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent for NBC News since November 1994.[citation needed] Previously, she had served as Chief White House Correspondent (1993–1994) and Chief Congressional Correspondent (1988–1992) for NBC News.
In 2005, Mitchell published a book entitled Talking Back... to Presidents, Dictators, and Assorted Scoundrels (ISBN 0143038737), chronicling her work as a journalist.
Mitchell hosts a program on MSNBC entitled Andrea Mitchell Reports. It broadcasts weekdays from 1 PM ET/10 AM PT.
Controversies[link]
Role in the Plame Affair[link]
A report in The Washington Post ("Bush Administration Is Focus of Inquiry CIA Agent's Identity Was Leaked to Media" by Mike Allen and Dana Priest, Washington Post, September 28, 2003) that Mitchell was leaked Valerie Plame's identity led to her being questioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. While Mitchell never appeared before the investigating grand jury or in I. Lewis Libby's trial, she was on the subpoena list as a person of interest. In October 2003, on "Capitol Report," Mitchell made a statement which Libby's defense construed to mean it was widely known among journalists that Joe Wilson's wife was in the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), a position she later clarified.[1]
MURRAY: And the second question is: Do we have any idea how widely known it was in Washington that Joe Wilson's wife worked for the CIA?
MITCHELL: It was widely known amongst those of us who cover the intelligence community and who were actively engaged in trying to track down who among the foreign service community was the envoy to Niger. But frankly I wasn't aware of her actual role at the CIA and the fact that she had a covert role involving weapons of mass destruction, not until Bob Novak wrote it.
McCain's "cone of silence"[link]
Following a forum at the Saddleback Church in August 2008 on values and ethics conducted by Christian pastor and author Rick Warren between the presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain, Mitchell reported that the Obama campaign accused McCain of overhearing the questions asked of Obama, when McCain was supposed to be in a secluded "cone of silence."
According to the New York Times, Warren assured the audience that “we have safely placed Senator McCain in a cone of silence” and that he could not hear the questions. However, McCain was not in the building at the time; he was still in transit, without supervision by the forum staff.[2] According to CNN, Warren said "we flat out asked him" if he heard any of the questions. The McCain campaign asserted "that McCain did not hear or see any of the broadcast" in the motorcade or after he arrived.[3] The accusation provoked the McCain campaign into writing a letter to NBC News, complaining of biased news coverage.[4] The dispute expanded, including reports on other networks such as CBS noting that there were allegations McCain had access to "communications devices" which may have advised him of the questions even if he was not listening directly to the broadcast itself.[5]
Controversy during Obama Campaign[link]
During an appearance on MSNBC on June 5, 2008, Mitchell came under fire when she referred to the voters of the southwest Virginia region as rednecks.[6] On June 9, Mitchell apologized for her comment stating:
And now, a point of personal privilege. I owe an apology to the good people of Bristol, Virginia, for something stupid that I said last week. I was trying to explain, based on reporting from Democratic strategists, why Barack Obama was campaigning in southwest Virginia, but without attribution or explanation, I used a term strategists often use to demean an entire community. No excuses, I'm really sorry. As they say, when I make a mistake, it's a beaut.[7]
Iowa Caucus Controversy[link]
Mitchell came under criticism for a comment made during an interview of Republican strategist Mike Murphy in a January 1, 2012 news segment on Nightly News with Brian Williams. Mitchell said, "The rap on Iowa: it doesn't represent the rest of the country – too white, too evangelical, too rural." NBC defended the comment stating, "she was referencing critics who argue that the state shouldn't carry so much weight because it doesn't proportionally represent the rest of the country." [8]
Personal life[link]
Mitchell was born in New York City. She married her second husband, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, twenty years her senior, in 1997 following a lengthy relationship. [9] Previously, she was married to Gil Jackson; that marriage ended in divorce in the mid-1970s. At the end of her show on September 7, 2011, Mitchell revealed that she was diagnosed with breast cancer during a doctor's visit a few weeks earlier. It was caught early and treated.[10]
References[link]
- ^ http://thenexthurrah.typepad.com/the_next_hurrah/files/030207_walton_evidentiary_opinion.pdf
- ^ Despite Assurances, McCain Wasn’t in a ‘Cone of Silence’, August 17, 2008, New York Times.
- ^ McCain Camp Fires At NBC, August 18, 2008, Fox News.
- ^ McCain protests NBC coverage, August 17, 2008, Politico.
- ^ McCain's "Cone Of Silence" At Saddleback, August 18, 2008, CBS News.
- ^ MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Refers To Rural Virginians As 'Rednecks'
- ^ NBC's Mitchell apologizes for "redneck" comments
- ^ NBC Says Andrea Mitchell Didn't Say Iowa Is 'Too White' to Matter January 2, 2012, The Atlantic Wire.
- ^ Alan Greenspan, Andrea Mitchell, April 6, 1997, New York Times.
- ^ "NBC's Andrea Mitchell reveals she has breast cancer". 2011-09-07. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44427588/. Retrieved 2011-09-07.
External links[link]
|
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Andrea Mitchell |
- Andrea Mitchell Reports at MSNBC TV, with Biography
- Andrea Mitchell on Twitter
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Andrea Mitchell on Charlie Rose
- Andrea Mitchell at the Internet Movie Database
- Works by or about Andrea Mitchell in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- Andrea Mitchell at the Notable Names Database
- Andrea Mitchell – University of Pennsylvania video
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mitchell, Andrea |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | |
| Date of birth | October 30, 1946 |
| Place of birth | New York, New York |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Andrea_Mitchell
Related pages:
http://fr.wn.com/Andrea Mitchell
http://de.wn.com/Andrea Mitchell
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrea_Mitchell
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
