A look at the new leadership in Senate includes committee chairs

[Cerridwen]

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Thursday, November 9, 2006 · Last updated 5:49 p.m. PT

A look at the new leadership in Senate

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A look at the new Democratic leaders and committee chairmen in the U.S. Senate when a new Congress convenes in January. Senate Democrats, including new members elected this week, will caucus next Tuesday to formally pick their leaders.

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Majority Leader: Harry Reid, D-Nev. Reid's no-nonsense, plainspoken style reflects his origins, growing up in a cabin in the tiny community of Searchlight, Nev. Once an amateur boxer and an official fighting organized crime in his home state, he won a House seat in 1982 and four years later moved to the Senate. Reid, 66, served as former Democratic leader Tom Daschle's deputy for six years until Daschle lost his re-election bid in 2004. Since becoming Democratic leader in 2005, Reid has continued to fight for Democratic causes such as an increase in the minimum wage and opposition to President Bush's tax cuts. But, as a practicing Mormon, he has also at times sided with Republicans on legislation opposing abortion.

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Assistant Majority Leader: Dick Durbin, D-Ill. Durbin, 62, joined the staff of former Illinois Democratic Sen. Paul Simon after graduating from law school, and in 1982 entered the House as a representative from the Springfield area. He served seven terms in the House before succeeding Simon, who retired from the Senate in 1996. A lawmaker with strong liberal credentials and a smooth speaking style, he frequently represents his party on TV talk shows. A skilled parliamentarian, he also was a natural successor to then-party whip Harry Reid when Reid became Democratic leader in 2005. Durbin has been an advocate of gun control and was an early critic of how the war in Iraq was being carried out.

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Agriculture: Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. Harkin, 66, remains an idealistic but pragmatic liberal after more than two decades in the Senate. He was a principal author of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. His previous brief chairmanship of the committee and championing of farm subsidies helped him four years ago overpower a conservative challenger in a swing state.

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Four paragraph rule, so here's a link to the rest of the list

edit: update title

[gully]

1. *sigh of relief*

K and R.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Well, lets hope they work together to garner spectacular SUCCESS

so they can do even more after 08.

Lets hope they work on POSITIVITY....the GOP had nothing but Negativity these past 6 years...

the change should and will be REFRESHING...

[NJ Democrats]

3. Can't wait for the new head of Health, Edu and Labor

Ted Kennedy to take over and start passing some good bills, as well as all othe other heads.

[Rowdyboy]

4. Gasping and struggling, some small piece of America is re-emerging

after a six-year hibernation.

[Barack_America]

5. Congratulations Senator Levin!

on Chairmanship of the Armed Services Committee! And thank you for all of the work you have done on behalf of the Democratic Party and Michigan!

Here's an article regarding his position in Iraq from today's Detroit Free Press:

CARL LEVIN: He wants Iraq policy shift, greater oversight

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061110/NEWS06/611100385/1001/NEWS


edited to add
If any of you out there are thinking of running for public office, here is a good legislator to model yourself after!