ok_sen_nickles

SEN. DON NICKLES

• When Sen. Don Nickels was elected in 1980 at 31, he was youngest Republican ever elected to the U.S. Senate. (Delaware's Sen. Biden, the youngest Democrat, was 30 when he was sworn in.)

• Nickels' father died when he was 13 years old. He put himself through college working as a janitor making minimum wage. After school, Nickles returned to Ponca City to help run the family business. At 29, he was elected to the Oklahoma State Senate.

• In the 5-way race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Henry Bellmon, Nickels' had tremendous support from Christian conservatives; he is known as one of the most conservative members of the Senate. The American Conservative Union gave him a perfect 100 rating.

• Nickels conservatism is apparent in the health and lifestyle legislation he supports. In 1997, he introduced a bill requiring AIDS testing of all sexual predators and partner notification of positive HIV testers. He led the opposition to Joycelyn Elders and Henry Foster's nomination as Surgeon General.

• He sponsored the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996 and was the chief sponsor of the $500 per-child tax credit.

• Nickels was calling for Congressional Reform long before the Contract with America. In 1991, he introduced what later became the Congressional Accountability Act.

• In 1996, Nickels was elected Senate Majority Whip without opposition when Trent Lott ran for Majority Leader after Bob Dole's resignation. During the 1990 cycleNickles was chair of the Republican Senate campaign committee and in December 1990 beat Pete Domenici for Republican Conference chairman by 23-20.

• In 1992, he was named Chair of the platform committee for the Republican National Convention. When President Clinton unveiled his health care proposal in 1994, Nickles quickly became one of the most outspoken critics of the plan.