| |
Hon. Tom Daschle
Tom Daschle was a U.S. Senator from South Dakota from 1986 until 2004 and the Senate Democratic Leader from 1994 until 2004. Daschle first ran for office in 1978 when he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he served four terms and quickly became a part of the Democratic leadership. Daschle was then elected to the Senate in a close victory over incumbent Republican James Abdnor in 1986. In his first year, he was appointed to the powerful Senate Finance Committee, an unusual honor for a freshman. In 1988, then-Senate Democratic Leader George Mitchell named Daschle the first-ever co-chair of the Democratic Policy Committee, making him the first South Dakotan ever to hold a Senate leadership position. In 1992 and 1998, South Dakotans re-elected Daschle to the Senate by overwhelming margins. In 1994, he was chosen by his colleagues to succeed the retiring Senator George Mitchell as Democratic Leader. In addition to the Leader's post, Daschle also served as a member of the Agriculture Committee. In past Congresses, he has served on the Veterans, Indian Affairs, Finance and Ethics Committees. In 2005, Senator Daschle joined the Legislative and Public Policy Group of the law firm Alston & Bird, LLP.
|
 |
