nd_sen_DORGAN
SEN. BYRON DORGAN
Age: 56 Born: May 14, 1942; Dickinson in North Dakota Education: University of Denver, M.B.A., 1966; University of North Dakota, B.A., 1965 Military: none Family: Married - Kimberly; 2 children, another son from a previous marriage Hometown: Bismarck, North Dakota Religion: Lutheran Career: U.S. Senator (1992-present); U.S. House of Representatives (1980-1992); defeated in race for U.S. Representative (1974); North Dakota Tax Commissioner (1969-80); ND Deputy Tax Commissioner (1968-69) |
• Byron Dorgan spent his childhood in Regent, North Dakota where his family sold farm equipment and petroleum, as well as raised cattle and horses.
• At age 26, Dorgan was appointed Tax Commissioner of North Dakota. He was elected for two more terms afterward.
• Dorgan ran unsuccessfully for the House in 1974; North Dakota's present senior Senator, Democrat Kent Conrad ran the campaign. In 1980, he decided to run again and won. Dorgan served five consecutive terms - winning each with at least 65% of the vote.
• The Democratic Incumbent is known for his sense of humor and personable approach when meeting with constituents.
• Until 1992, Dorgan resisted entering the Senate race - as he would have had to run against the Republican Incumbent Mark Andrews who defeated him in the 1974 House race. When Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad decided not to run for re-election, Dorgan entered the race and won. (Conrad retired, in part, after his wife was violently mugged near their home in Washington, D.C. He later changed his mind and was later elected in a special election to replace the late Sen. Quentin Burdick in December 1992.)
• In the Senate, Dorgan hasn't always been willing to tow the party line. He opposed NAFTA and voted to override Clinton's veto of late-term abortions. In 1994he supported Sen. Thomas Daschle's bid for Minority Leader and he became an Assistant Floor Leader.
• Dorgan has introduced a few provocative proposals during his tenure, including a law requiring all 400,000 federal vehicles to run on Ethanol, as well as legislation requiring students who bring guns to school to face a one-year expulsion.