Sam Brownback
| Sam Brownback | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| U.S. Senator from Kansas From: November 7, 1996 - Present | |||
| Predecessor | Sheila Frahm | ||
| Successor | Incumbent (no successor) | ||
| Former U.S. Representative from Kansas's 2nd Congressional District From: January 3, 1995 – November 7, 1996 | |||
| Predecessor | Jim Slattery | ||
| Successor | Jim Ryun | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Republican | ||
| Spouse(s) | Mary Brownback | ||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||
Sam Dale Brownback, born September 12, 1956 (age 67), in Parker, KS, is the senior US Senator from Kansas.[1] He was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election.
Brownback is currently seeking the governorship of Kansas and won the GOP primary in August, 2010.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Brownback grew up on his family farm near Parker, KS. He attended Prairie View High School in Linn County and served as state president of Future Farmers of America. His tradition of leadership continued through his college years as student body president at Kansas State University and as class president at University of Kansas Law School.[2]
Political Career
Brownback served as a White House Fellow during George H.W. Bush's administration and later became Secretary of Agriculture for Kansas, the youngest in the state's history. In 1994, Brownback was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Kansas' 2nd District as part of Newt Gingrich's Republican Revolution. In 1996, Brownback was elected to the United States Senate. He sits on the Appropriations and Judiciary committees and is the ranking member of the Joint Economic Committee.
2008 Presidential Campaign
In January 2008, Brownback declared his candidacy for President of the United States and touted himself as the most socially conservative candidate available. He has also referred to himself as a "bleeding heart conservative."[3] He withdrew from the race, citing funding problems, and later endorsed Arizona Senator John McCain.
Political Views
Brownback is most well known for his pro-life views and his work on human rights issues, especially relating to conflicts in Africa.
He has come under fire for supporting the Kennedy-McCain proposal on illegal immigration.
Raised as a Methodist, Brownback later joined a nondenominational evangelical church, and in 2002 he became Catholic.
In December 2005, Brownback advocated using Washington, DC as a "laboratory" for a flat tax.
The Reverend Rob Schenk of the National Clergy Council has called Brownback the "gold standard" for a viable conservative presidential candidate. [2]
Votes Missed
As of August 2007, Brownback had missed more votes during the current session of Senate other than South Dakota Democrat Tim Johnson and Arizona Republican John McCain, having missed over 39% of his votes. This was due to McCain and Brownback running for President. [4]
Also See
Blogs
- The Daily Brownbacker (Official Campaign Blog)
- Sam Brownback '08
- Students for Brownback
References
- ↑ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- ↑ Official Senate Biography
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Lawrence Journal-World, August 10, 2007
