al_sen_shelby
SEN. RICHARD SHELBY
Age: 64 Born: May 6, 1934, in Birmingham Education: University of Alabama, 1963, LL.B.; University of Alabama, 1957, B.A. Military: -- Family: Spouse - Annette Nevin; two children. Hometown: Tuscaloosa, Alabama Religion: Presbyterian Career: Practicing attorney, 1963-78; AL Senate, 1970-78; U.S. House of Reps., 1978-1986. |
- AlabamaÂ's senior Senator.
- Began political career as a conservative Democrat (voted to impeach Nixon) and then switched to the Republican Party in November 1994. (The Republicans regained control of the Senate in 1994).
- Won the 1986 Senate race against Jeremiah Denton (R) by a mere 50.3% (7000 votes). Shelby carried 65% of the votes to easily beat Richard Sellars (R) in the 1992 general election.
- Before ShelbyÂ's election in 1986, this seat had four occupants in ten years.
- Maintains a pro-business and economic agenda in the Senate and has authored legislation such as the Armey-Shelby Flat-Rate Income Tax proposal. He also sponsored the Balanced Budget Amendment.
- As a Member of the House, Shelby opposed not only the national holiday honoring the late Matin Luther King, Jr., but also the 1982 Voting Rights Act extension. Both of these positions angered the African American community.
- Committees: Select Intelligence/Chair; Appropriations; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Special Committee on Aging.
- As Chair of the Intelligence Committee, Shelby will be focusing on the allegations that the US transferred satellite technology to China.
- Shelby is in a strong position to win re-election in 1998.