Tim Kaine
From Wikipedia
 | This article is outdated. (February 2015) |
| Tim Kaine | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Senator from Virginia | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2013 Serving with Mark Warner | |
| Preceded by | Jim Webb |
| Chair of the Democratic National Committee | |
| In office January 21, 2009 – April 5, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Howard Dean |
| Succeeded by | Donna Brazile (interim) |
| 70th Governor of Virginia | |
| In office January 14, 2006 – January 16, 2010 | |
| Lieutenant | Bill Bolling |
| Preceded by | Mark Warner |
| Succeeded by | Bob McDonnell |
| 38th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia | |
| In office January 12, 2002 – January 14, 2006 | |
| Governor | Mark Warner |
| Preceded by | John Hager |
| Succeeded by | Bill Bolling |
| 76th Mayor of Richmond | |
| In office July 1, 1998 – September 10, 2001 | |
| Preceded by | Larry Chavis |
| Succeeded by | Rudy McCollum |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Timothy Michael Kaine February 26, 1958 St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Anne Holton (1984–present) |
| Children | Nat Woody Annella |
| Alma mater | University of Missouri, Columbia Harvard University |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Senate website |
Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine (born February 26, 1958) is an American politician currently serving as the junior United States Senator from Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Kaine was first elected to the Senate in 2012.
Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Kaine is a graduate of Harvard Law School. Kaine began his career as a clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit before entering private practice and becoming a lecturer at the University of Richmond School of Law. Kaine was first elected to public office in 1995, when he won a seat on theRichmond, Virginia City Council. He was then elected Mayor of Richmond, Virginia in 1998, serving in that position until being elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 2002.
As all Virginia governors are limited to one consecutive term,[1] Kaine declared his candidacy for Governor of Virginia in 2005, in a bid to replace Mark Warner. Kaine won in an uncontested Democratic primary, and faced Republican Attorney General Jerry Kilgore in the general election; Kaine won with 51% of the vote, to Kilgore's 46%. Kaine served as Governor from 2006 to 2010. Upon becoming Governor, Kaine gave the Democratic response to the 2006 State of the Union Address. He was considered a top contender for running mate in Senator Barack Obama's successful 2008 presidential campaign, but instead became the 51st Chairman of theDemocratic National Committee, serving from 2009 to 2011.
In 2012, after incumbent Senator Jim Webb announced that he would retire, Kaine declared his candidacy for the U.S. Senate. Kaine prevailed in the Democratic primary and faced former Senator and Virginia Governor George Allen in the general election. On November 6, 2012, Kaine won with 53% of the vote, to Allen's 47%. Kaine was sworn into office on January 3, 2013.
Contents
[hide]- 1Early life and education
- 2Mayor of Richmond (1998–2001)
- 3Lieutenant governor (2002–2005)
- 42005 Gubernatorial election
- 5Governor of Virginia (2006–2010)
- 62008 vice presidential speculation
- 7Democratic Party chair (2009–2011)
- 8United States Senate
- 9Political positions
- 10Electoral history
- 11References
- 12Further reading
- 13External links
Early life and education[edit]
Kaine was born at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is the son of Mary Kathleen (née Burns) and Albert Alexander Kaine, Jr., who worked as a welderand owned a small iron-working shop.[2][3][4] He was raised Catholic.[2] His father is of Scottish and Irish descent, and his mother is of Irish ancestry.[5] Kaine grew up in theKansas City area and graduated from Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kaine graduated from the University of Missouri with a B.A. in economics in 1979.[6] Kaine was a Coro Foundation fellow in Kansas City in 1978.[7] He attended Harvard Law School, taking a year-long break during law school to work with the Jesuit order as a Catholic missionary in Honduras.[8] Kaine is fluent in Spanish as a result of his year in Honduras.[9] He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1983 with a Juris Doctor, and was admitted to the Virginia Bar. He clerked for Judge R. Lanier Anderson IIIof the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. In 1984, Kaine married former Richmond Juvenile Court Judge Anne Holton. Holton is the daughter of former Virginia governor A. Linwood Holton, Jr.Kaine and Holton have three children, Nat, Woody, and Annella.
Kaine practiced law in Richmond for 17 years, specializing in representing people who had been denied housing opportunities because of their race or disability. He was recognized by local, state, and national organizations for his advocacy of fair housing. He also taught legal ethics for six years at the University of Richmond Law School.[10] More than ten years into his legal career in 1994, he was elected to the city councilof the independent city of Richmond from the portion of the city in which he resided under Richmond's system of nine wards.
Mayor of Richmond (1998–2001)[edit]
He was elected mayor of Richmond by the city council in 1998. (Until 2004, the mayor of Richmond was chosen by the city council from among its membership; under the present system, the mayor is chosen by popular vote.) He spent seven years on the city council, including two terms as mayor.
Under Kaine's leadership, Richmond saw the construction of its first new schools in a generation, tax cuts, and a reduction in the city’s crime rate. Richmond’s success in reducing violent crime, including a 55 percent drop in the city's homicide rate during his tenure,[11] earned national recognition from Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Richmond's economic success during Kaine’s tenure earned the city its first-ever listing in Forbes magazine’s annual ranking of the top 10 cities in America for doing business.[12]
As mayor, Kaine gained national attention following the implementation of a gun law known as Project Exile, an initiative that moved trials for armed defendants to federal court, which has stiffer sentencing guidelines.[13][14]
During his tenure as Mayor, Kaine drew criticism for designating public funds for an anti-gun-violence rally.[15][16][17][18] After a constituent raised concerns about the funding at a Richmond City Council meeting, Kaine raised the money privately and reimbursed the city.[19]
Lieutenant governor (2002–2005)[edit]
In the Virginia general elections of November 2001, Kaine ran for lieutenant governor and won with 925,974 votes (50.35%).[20] His opponents were Republican state Delegate Jay Katzen, with 883,886 votes (48.06%) and Libertarian Gary Reams, with 28,783 votes (1.57%). Kaine was inaugurated on January 12, 2002. As lieutenant governor, he also served as president of the Virginia Senate.
2005 Gubernatorial election[edit]
Main article: Virginia gubernatorial election, 2005
In 2005, Kaine ran for and won the office of governor of Virginia in the November general election, defeating Republican former Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore with 52% of the vote to Kilgore's 46%.[21]
An underdog for most of the race, Kaine led in some polls for the first time in October 2005, and held his lead into the final week before the election.[22] While the previous Democratic Governor, Mark Warner, was credited with doing especially well for a Democrat in rural areas of the commonwealth, Kaine's win featured surprising triumphs in traditionally Republican areas such as Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and the Northern Virginia exurbs of Prince William County and Loudoun County, as well as impressive showings in Democratic strongholds such as Richmond and Norfolk.[23]
Kaine closely associated himself with popular outgoing Democratic Governor Mark Warner during his campaign; he won his race with a slightly smaller portion of the vote than Warner did, but achieved a slightly wider margin on account of the third-party candidate's comparatively greater success in 2005. A number of factors, from the poll numbers of President George W. Bush to public reaction to the death penalty ads run by Kilgore, have also been cited as contributing to his decisive win.[24][25] Kaine was inaugurated inWilliamsburg on January 14, 2006. Upon his inauguration, he became the first Catholic Governor in Virginia history.
Governor of Virginia (2006–2010)[edit]
Democratic response to State of the Union address[edit]
On January 31, 2006, Kaine gave the Democratic response to President Bush's 2006 State of the Union address. In his response, he argued that the Republicans failed to support bipartisanship in Washington and he condemned Bush's spending increases and tax cuts as "reckless".[26]
Budget special session[edit]
In March 2006, after the Virginia General Assembly failed to come up with a budget, Kaine called for a special session that continued until June. The debate was over transportation issues and how to fund current and new projects. Most of the debate originated in a struggle within the Republican-controlled Senate and House of Delegates. In 2007, however, a transportation bill was passed and signed into law by Kaine.[27]
Conservation[edit]
In May 2006, Governor Kaine announced his plan to protect 400,000 acres (1,600 km2) of Virginia land from development before the end of his service as Governor of Virginia. Kaine's conservation efforts focus on encouraging landowners to donate protective easements that restrict development.[28] As of 2007, according to government statistics,Maryland spends as much as $21 per capita on land conservation, while Virginia spends $1.45.[29] On the other hand, Virginia also has a higher proportion of its total land area under permanent protection than many other states, with about 13.69% of it currently protected.[30]
Smoking[edit]
In October 2006, Kaine signed an executive order banning smoking in all government buildings and state-owned cars as of January 1, 2007.[31] He signed legislation banning smoking in restaurants and bars, with some exceptions, in March 2009, making Virginia the first Southern state to do so.[32]
Civil War records[edit]
Kaine announced that Virginia would be the first state to digitize records from the Civil War Era Freedmen's Bureau. This would facilitate research into post-Civil War African-American history.[33]
HPV vaccinations[edit]
In 2007, large bipartisan majorities in the Republican-controlled state legislature passed a law that mandated HPV vaccine immunization for all sixth-grade girls in Virginia. It included a provision allowing parents to opt out of the requirement without citing a reason. After expressing "some qualms", Kaine signed the bill into law saying that "The particular language that ended up in the bill is fine. It's very broad, and people get information about the health benefits and any health concerns about the vaccination, and they get to make their own decisions. I think that is the right balance." Virginia was the second state to enact such legislation, following Texas.[34]
Virginia Tech shooting[edit]
When news of the Virginia Tech shootings broke, Kaine canceled a trade mission to Japan and India to attend to the situation. Kaine spoke at the convocation held inBlacksburg the day after the shooting in which he invoked the Biblical story of Job. Kaine said he would appoint a panel of independent law-enforcement officials to determine what the university knew about the student responsible for the massacre, which resulted in the deaths of 32 people.
The commission, led by former Virginia State Police Superintendent Gerald Massengill and former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, began work on April 28, 2007, and issued its findings and recommendations on August 30, 2007. On April 30, 2007, Governor Kaine signed an executive order instructing state agencies to step up efforts to block gun sales to people involuntarily committed to inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment centers.[35] Kaine's quick return to the state and his handling of the issue received widespread praise.[36]
Metro[edit]
In July 2007, during the debate on the Silver Line of the Washington Metro through Tysons Corner, Kaine supported an elevated track solution in preference to a tunnel, citing costs and potential delays that would put federal funding at risk.[37]
Education[edit]
During the 2008 General Assembly session, Governor Kaine backed a $22 million proposal to make pre-kindergarten education more accessible to at-risk four-year-olds.[38]
Omeish resignation[edit]
Kaine appointed Esam Omeish to the Virginia Commission on Immigration, which was examining whether Virginia should do more to restrict illegal immigration. In September 2007, Omeish resigned as a commission member—as requested by Kaine—three hours after remarks made by Omeish on a call-in show on WRVA radio in Richmond were brought to Kaine's attention, specifically his criticisms of the Israel lobby and call for Bush's impeachment on account of the Iraq War.[39] "I have been made aware of certain statements he has made which concern me," Kaine said in accepting Omeish's resignation. Kaine added that background checks would be more thorough in the future.[40]
Coal power plant[edit]
Kaine's support of a coal-fired power plant in Wise County[41] that would emit an estimated 5.4 million tons of carbon dioxide per year was opposed by environmentalists.[42]
Cabinet[edit]
- Chief of Staff — William Leighty (2006–2007), Wayne Turnage (2007–2010)
- Secretary of Administration – Viola Baskerville (2006–2010)
- Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry – Robert Bloxom (2006–2010)
- Secretary of Commerce and Trade – Patrick Gottschalk (2006–2010)
- Secretary of the Commonwealth – Katherine Hanley (2006–2010)
- Secretary of Education – Thomas Morris (2006–2010)
- Secretary of Finance – Jody Wagner (2006–2008), Richard D. Brown (2008–2010)
- Secretary of Health and Human Resources – Marilyn Tavenner (2006–2010)
- Secretary of Natural Resources – Preston Bryant (2006–2010)
- Secretary of Public Safety – John W. Marshall (2006–2010)
- Secretary of Technology – Aneesh Chopra (2006–2009), Leonard M. Pomata (2009–2010)
- Secretary of Transportation – Pierce Homer (2006–2010)
- Assistant for Commonwealth Preparedness – Robert P. Crouch (2006–2010)
- Senior Advisor for Workforce – Daniel G. LeBlanc (2006–2010)
2008 vice presidential speculation[edit]
Main article: United States presidential election, 2008
Kaine was considered as a possible running mate for Barack Obama in 2008, but was not chosen.[43] Kaine first supported Senator Obama's presidential bid in February 2007. It was maintained that Kaine's endorsement was the first from a statewide elected official outside of Illinois.[44] Since Kaine was a relatively popular governor of a southern state, there was media speculation that he was a potential nominee for Vice President.[45] Obama had supported Kaine in his campaign for governor and had said about him: "Tim Kaine has a message of fiscal responsibility and generosity of spirit. That kind of message can sell anywhere."[46] On July 28, 2008, Politico reported that Kaine was "very, very high" on Obama's shortlist for vice president,[47] a list which also included then Senator Hillary Clinton of New York, Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, and Senator Joe Biden of Delaware.[48] Obama ultimately selected Biden to become the vice-presidential nominee.[49]
Democratic Party chair (2009–2011)[edit]
In January 2009, Kaine became the Chair of the Democratic National Committee. He took the position at the request of President Obama,[50] and during his tenure he oversaw a significant expansion of the party's grassroots focus through Organizing for America.
In February 2011, it was reported that President Obama had joined Wisconsin's budget battle and would oppose the Republican anti-union bill. The Washington Post reported that Organizing for America, the political operation for the White House, got involved after Kaine spoke to union leaders in Madison. They made phone calls, sent emails, and distributed messages via Facebook andTwitter to work on building crowds for the rallies.[51]
United States Senate[edit]
2012 election[edit]
Main article: United States Senate election in Virginia, 2012
Kaine announced on April 5, 2011 that he would run for United States Senate in 2012, following Senator Jim Webb's decision not to seek re-election. Kaine filmed announcement videos in English and Spanish.[52][53]Kaine was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.[54] Kaine defeated former Senator and Governor George Allen in the general election.[55][56] Mike Henry was chosen as Kaine's campaign manager.[57]
Tenure[edit]
Kaine was sworn in for a six-year term on January 3, 2013, reuniting him with Mark Warner, the senior senator. When Warner was governor of Virginia, Kaine was his lieutenant governor.
On 11 June 2013, Kaine delivered a speech on the Senate floor in support of the bi-partisan "Gang of Eight" immigration bill. The speech was entirely in Spanish, marking the first time a Senator had ever made a speech on the Senate floor in a language other than English.[58]
In July 2013, Kaine was named chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism.[59]
Committee assignments[edit]
Political positions[edit]
Abortion[edit]
Kaine, a Roman Catholic, is for religious reasons privately against abortion,[60] but opposes overturning Roe v. Wade. On his 2012 Senate campaign website he says, "I strongly support the right of women to make their own health and reproductive decisions and, for that reason, will oppose efforts to weaken or subvert the basic holding of Roe v. Wade."
Kaine asserts that he has encouraged policymakers to focus on bringing down the number of abortions by reducing teen pregnancy through abstinence-focused education, ensuring women's access to health care and contraception, and promoting adoption.[61] He supports some legal restrictions on abortion, such as requiring parental consent and banning partial-birth abortions in cases where the woman's life is not at risk.[62]
Afghanistan and ISIS[edit]
On the issue of the war in Afghanistan, Tim Kaine's website states "The main mission in Afghanistan—destroying Al Qaeda—is nearly complete and we should bring our troops home as quickly as we can, consistent with the need to make sure that Afghanistan poses no danger in the broader region."[63]
In November 2014, at the Halifax International Security Forum, Kaine together with Senator John McCain emphasized the necessity of Congressional authorization for military operations against ISIS. "You just can't have a war without Congress", Kaine declared in Halifax.[64]
On December 11, 2014 after a 5-month campaign by Kaine, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved by 10-8 (straight party lines) a measure authorizing military force against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), but barring the use of ground troops.[65][66]
Capital punishment[edit]
Despite his personal opposition to capital punishment, often cited during the 2005 campaign by both sides, Kaine oversaw eleven executions as Governor, including the execution of John Allen Muhammad, theBeltway Sniper, on November 10, 2009. He has vetoed eight death-penalty expansion bills although some of the vetoes were overturned,[67][68] and opposed the electric chair as an option.[69] On June 9, 2008, Kaine commuted the death sentence of Percy Levar Walton to life in prison without parole.[70]
Healthcare[edit]
Kaine supported passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare. On this issue, Kaine said, “I was a supporter and remain a supporter of the Affordable Care Act. I felt like it was a statement that we were going to put some things in the rear view mirror."[71]
On September 27, 2013, Kaine voted to restore funding for ObamaCare as part of an amendment to legislation funding government operations for 45 days, and which also omitted House-passed language prioritizing debt payments if Congress fails to increase the nation’s borrowing limits.[72]
LGBT rights[edit]
When talking about gay marriage in 2005, Kaine said that "No couples in Virginia can adopt other than a married couple — that's the right policy. Gay individuals should be able to adopt."[73] In 2011, however, Kaine would change his position and become more open to the idea of adoption. Kaine said he believed that the judges would be able to make effective case-by-case analyses when dealing with unmarried couples applying to be possible parents. He said that he was open to consideration being made available to all couples, gay or straight.[74]
On May 8, 2012 Kaine said that "There should be a license that would entitle a committed couple to the same rights as a married couple."[75] In March 2013, Kaine announced his support of same-sex marriage.[76]
Local issues[edit]
Kaine supports some "smart growth"-style policies to manage sprawl and transportation issues; he refers to these plans as "balanced growth".[77]
Taxes[edit]
Kaine says that he supports allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire for those with high incomes.[78] Kaine also stated during a debate that he would be open to establishing a minimum tax that everyone must pay.[79]
In 2012, Kaine supported raising the cap on income subject to Social Security taxes. He said: "For Social Security, we can raise the income payroll tax cap so that it covers a similar percentage of income as it did in the 1980s under President Reagan, which would greatly extend the solvency of the program."[80]
Kaine supports introducing an internet sales tax that would require online retailers to collect the same sales taxes that traditional brick-and-mortar retailers currently collect.[81]
Electoral history[edit]
| Virginia Senate Election 2012[82] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Tim Kaine | 2,010,067 | 52.9 | ||
| Republican | George Allen | 1,785,542 | 47.0 | ||
| Virginia Gubernatorial Election 2005 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Tim Kaine | 1,025,942 | 51.7 | ||
| Republican | Jerry Kilgore | 912,327 | 46.0 | ||
| Virginia Lieutenant Governor Election 2001 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Democratic | Tim Kaine | 925,974 | 50.4 | ||
| Republican | Jay K. Katzen | 883,886 | 48.0 | ||
| Libertarian | Gary Reams | 28,783 | 1.6 | ||
No comments:
Post a Comment