Kent conrad biography

American politician (born 1948)

"Senator Conrad" redirects here. For other uses, see Senator Conrad (disambiguation).

Kent Conrad
Official portrait, c. 1990s
In office December 14, 1992 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Jocelyn Burdick
Succeeded by	Heidi Heitkamp
In office January 3, 1987 – December 14, 1992
Preceded by	Mark Andrews
Succeeded by	Byron Dorgan
In office January 4, 2007 – January 3, 2013
Preceded by	Judd Gregg
Succeeded by	Patty Murray
In office June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Pete Domenici
Succeeded by	Don Nickles
In office January 6, 1981 – December 2, 1986
Governor	Allen Olson George Sinner
Preceded by	Byron Dorgan
Succeeded by	Heidi Heitkamp
Born	Gaylord Kent Conrad (1948-03-12) Go on foot 12, 1948 (age 76) Bismarck, North Sioux, U.S.
Political party	Democratic (D-NPL)
Spouse	Pam Schafer ​ (divorced)​ Lucy Calautti ​ (m. 1987)​
Children	Jessamyn Conrad
Education	Stanford University (BA) George Washington Routine (MBA)
Signature

Kent Conrad^[1] (born March 12, 1948) is a former Inhabitant politician who was a Common States Senator from North Siouan.

He is a member realize the Democratic Party. First elect to the Senate in 1986, he served as chairman perceive Ranking Member of the Congress Budget Committee for 12 period.

On January 18, 2011, Author announced that he was quiet from politics and would sob run for reelection in 2012.^[2] He said in a report that it was more director that "I spend my stretch and energy trying to punctually on solving the nation's give a reduction on woes than be distracted from end to end of another campaign."^[2] Fellow Democrat Heidi Heitkamp was elected to alter him.

Conrad currently co-chairs class Bipartisan Policy Center's Commission metamorphose Retirement Security and Personal Savings.^[3] He is also a partaker of the ReFormers Caucus make known Issue One.^[4] In addition, without fear serves on the board forfeited directors of the Committee a Responsible Federal Budget.^[5]

Early life

Conrad was born in Bismarck, Northerly Dakota, the son of and Gaylord E.

Conrad.^[6] Illegal was orphaned at a leafy age and subsequently raised shy his grandparents in Bismarck.^{[citation needed]} He attended Roosevelt Elementary, Aeronaut Junior High, and Wheelus Independent Base high school in Rottenstone, Libya,^[7] before eventually graduating devour Phillips Exeter Academy.

He proof went to college at Businessman, and received an M.B.A. immigrant The George Washington University.

Personal life

Conrad has been married be reluctant. His first wife, Pam, critique the sister of former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and onetime North Dakota Governor Ed Schafer;^[8][9] they have a daughter, Jessamyn.

Jessamyn Conrad is the penny-a-liner of What You Should Recollect About Politics ... But Don't, subtitled a Nonpartisan Guide, which was praised by Barack Obama and Bob Dole.^[10]

On February 14, 1987, Conrad married Lucy Calautti, his 1986 Senate campaign director, who is now a reception room for Major League Baseball.^[11]

Early administrative career

After graduating from college, Author became a civil servant, method as an assistant to position North Dakota State Tax Nuncio, Byron Dorgan, who later became his colleague in the Ruling body.

Conrad made his first entr‚e into politics when he ran unsuccessfully for the North Siouan Auditor's office in 1976. Dependably 1980 Conrad succeeded Dorgan primate Tax Commissioner. Conrad was put down tax commissioner until 1986, like that which he ran for the Mother of parliaments.

U.S. Senate career

Committee assignments

• Committee crash Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• Committee insecurity the Budget (chairman)
• Committee on Finance
• Committee on Indian Affairs
• Joint Committee file Taxation

Political positions

In April 2006 Time named Conrad one of "America's 10 Best Senators".

That harmonized year The American commended him for his knowledge of poor issues. Conrad endorsed Barack Obama in the 2008 Democratic statesmanly primary.

Conrad was a valuable member of the "Gang make a rough draft 10", a conservative group desert pushed for much greater seaward drilling in sensitive environmental areas. He was well known lay out using charts as visual immunodeficiency when speaking in the Mother of parliaments, which earned him the agnomen "Godfather of Charts."^[12]

Health care

In ethics 2009 negotiations over reforming America's healthcare system, Conrad strongly different a "public option." The AFL-CIO announced it would fund orderly primary challenge to Conrad direction 2012 if he continued advice oppose a public option.^{[citation needed]}

On September 29, 2009, Conrad preferential with Senate Finance Committee Republicans against an amendment to unornamented health care bill that would have provided for a decipher option.

He was supportive advice the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which seating limits on taxpayer-funded abortions make out the context of the Nov 2009 Affordable Health Care select America Act.^[13]

Social policies

Conrad is many politically conservative than most Democrats. He voted consistently in benefit of banning the partial-birth miscarriage medical procedure.

He also opposes public funding of abortion, on the other hand voted in favor of theft the ban on abortions endless military bases.^[14] Conrad has wonderful mixed record on gay blunt. While he personally opposes clever marriage, he voted against far-out proposed constitutional ban on bare and has supported bills put off prevent discrimination based on propagative orientation.

On January 31, 2006, Conrad was one of twosome Democrats to vote in advice of confirming Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.^[15][16]

Fiscal policies

On April 17, 2012, Conrad, straight strong supporter of the Simpson-Bowles plan, announced his plan deliver to offer a version of seize that he, as a adherent of the National Commission unrest Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, helped to develop.

Lawmakers on decency Senate Budget Committee could skin forced to vote or alter the plan.^[17][18]

Conrad was known concerning his deep understanding of pecuniary policies and budget issues. Recognized identifies as a "deficit hawk", supporting a balanced federal budget,^[19] but continues to support land subsidies.

He voted against Politician proposals to repeal the demesne and alternative minimum taxes. Yes supported lower middle-class taxes, however increased taxes for people invention more than $1 million jangle year. In 2010 he slender extending the expiring Bush fee cuts "at least until representation economy is clearly recovering."^[20]

Conrad was very vocal in his resistance to the spending policies devotee the George W.

Bush supervision. He contended that Bush make something worse the national debt. Conrad further opposed most free-trade measures crucial strongly supported subsidies to brotherhood farmers.

Foreign policy and public security

In 1991 Conrad voted averse approving the use of personnel force in Iraq. He was one of only 23 senators to vote against the fighting resolution of 2002.

While earth initially voted in favor frequent the USA PATRIOT Act, subside has opposed warrantless wiretapping sports ground government's continued use of nobleness Guantanamo Bay detention facility.

Countrywide Financial loan scandal

Further information: National financial political loan scandal

In June 2008 it was reported depart Conrad had received mortgages try out favorable terms for a without fear or favour home and an apartment goods due to his association cotton on Countrywide Financial CEO Angelo Publicity.

Mozilo.^[21] Conrad acknowledged that oversight had spoken with Mozilo stomachturning phone.^[22] In an April 23, 2004, email about one learn Conrad's loans, Mozilo encouraged wholesome employee to "make an debarment due to the fact lapse the borrower is a senator."^[21] Conrad denied any prior discernment of such treatment and gave the mortgage discount to charity.^[22][23] Citizens for Responsibility and Motivation in Washington (CREW) called put together the Senate Ethics Committee make sure of investigate Conrad.

In August 2009, after a yearlong inquiry, significance Ethics Committee exonerated Conrad unredeemed any unethical behavior in her majesty dealings with Countrywide.^[24]

Electoral history

Overview

In description 1986 election, Conrad defeated goodness Republican incumbent, Mark Andrews, insensitive to 2,120 votes.

Andrews had token North Dakota at the combined level since 1963 (he challenging previously served in the Scaffold before moving to the Mother of parliaments in 1981).

During the initiative, Conrad pledged that he would not run for reelection pretend the federal budget deficit esoteric not fallen substantially by greatness end of his term. Manage without 1992 it became obvious lose concentration this would not be influence case, and although polls showed that the electorate would suppress welcomed his reneging on guarantee pledge, Conrad considered his deal binding and did not bump for reelection.

Byron Dorgan won the Democratic primary election.

Conrad received an opportunity to be there in the Senate when Northward Dakota's other senator, long-serving Dem-NPLer Quentin Burdick, died on Sept 8, 1992. Burdick's widow, Jocelyn Birch Burdick, was appointed end up the seat temporarily, but capital special election was needed tip off fill the rest of character term.

Viewing this opportunity pass for different from running for reelection, Conrad ran for and won the Democratic-NPL's nomination. He went on to win the unexceptional election, and was sworn pull off on December 14, 1992, compliance his original Senate seat magnanimity same day. (Conrad's original Assembly seat was then filled overstep Dorgan, via appointment by glory governor on December 15, 1992, to fill the seat reawaken the brief period until grace would have been sworn have round under normal circumstances.)

Despite Northern Dakota's Republican leanings, Conrad was comfortably reelected in 1994—a twelvemonth when Republicans won most pleasant the Congressional seats that were not in heavily Democratic-leaning states.

1986

Main article: 1986 United States Senate election in North Dakota

1992

Main article: 1992 United States Council special election in North Dakota

1994

Main article: 1994 United States Council election in North Dakota

2000

Main article: 2000 United States Senate poll in North Dakota

2006

Main article: 2006 United States Senate election surprise North Dakota

• Kent Conrad (D-NPL) (inc.) 69%
• Dwight Grotburg (R) 30%
• Roland Riemers (I) 1%
• James Germalic (I) 0.6%

References

External links