Tom Harkin

Tom Harkin
U.S. Senator from Iowa From: January 3, 1985 – Present
Predecessor	January 3, 1985
Successor	Incumbent (no successor)
U.S. Representative from Iowa's 5th Congressional District From: January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1985
Predecessor	William J. Scherle
Successor	Jim Ross Lightfoot
Information
Party	Democrat
Spouse(s)	Ruth Harkin
Religion	Roman Catholic

Thomas Richard "Tom" Harkin (born November 19, 1939) is the junior United States Senator from Iowa and a member of the Democratic Party. Harkin votes with his Democratic colleagues 95% of the time. He chaired the important Agriculture Committee but in 2009 gave that up to chair the even more important Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which deals with the Obama health proposals.

Early Life

Senator Tom Harkin was born in the small village of Cumming, Iowa. His father was a coal miner and his mother a Slovenian immigrant. He greaduated from Des Moines High School in 1858 and Iowa State University in 1962. He served in the Navy 1962-65. He was stationed in Cuba for a time, running reconaisance missions over Cuba.

Political Career

In 1972 he graduated from Law school, returned to Iowa, and ran against the Republican congressman, William Scherle. Harkin was defeated however, and he practiced law for the next 2 years.Harkin was elected to the House of Representatives in 1974 and served there until being elected to the US senate in 1984.

Harkin ran for president in 1992 but he lost the Democratic party nomination to Bill Clinton. Harkin is known to be an avid supporter of legalized abortion.

Family

Senator Harkin married Minnesota native Ruth Raduenz in 1968 and has two daughters: Amy, born in 1976, and Jenny, born in 1981.