|
|
|
Jim Bunning - U.S. Senator
|
On November 2, 2004, Jim Bunning was elected to serve
a second term as U.S. Senator for the Commonwealth of
Kentucky. Bunning was first elected to the U.S. Senate in
1998, winning by a mere 6,766 votes. In 2004 he won by a
margin almost 3 ½ times larger than his victory in 1998,
and he also won 73 of Kentucky's 120 counties and secured
873,507 votes - the most votes ever for a U.S. Senate
candidate from Kentucky. People who know Bunning were not
surprised by these victories. Competition is a hallmark
of Bunning's life, and he is no stranger to winning.
As a youngster in Northern Kentucky, Bunning fell in love
with baseball and even then he displayed a competitive
spirit and a willingness to work hard. That combination
carried him on to a highly successful 17-year career as a
Major League Baseball player after his graduation from
Xavier University with an Economics degree.
Pitching primarily for the Detroit Tigers and
Philadelphia Phillies, Bunning accumulated a record of
achievement that eventually won him a seat in the
Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996. He was the second
pitcher in history (Cy Young was the first) to record
1,000 strikeouts and 100 wins in both the American and
National leagues. When he retired in 1971, Bunning was
second on the all time strikeout list - second only to
Walter Johnson.
The same commitment that made Jim Bunning a Hall of Famer
also serves him well in public office. In 1977, Bunning
wanted to give something back to his community and he ran
for and won a City Council seat in Fort Thomas, Kentucky.
In 1979, he was elected to the Kentucky State Senate and
became its Republican Leader. In 1986, Bunning was
elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the 4th
District of Kentucky where he served for 12 years.
As Chairman of the House's Social Security Subcommittee,
Bunning established himself as one of Congress's foremost
experts and defenders of Social Security, as well as a
leading spokesmen for strengthening and protecting Social
Security. In Congress, Bunning has been a proponent of
walling-off budget surpluses to help ensure the
livelihood and commitment of Social Security for our
seniors and future generations. Bunning also played a key
role in the passage of landmark legislation establishing
the Social Security Administration as a standalone and
independent agency. He was also the author of the law to
raise the unfair "earnings limit" for seniors.
In the Senate, Bunning's hard work won him the respect of his colleagues
and a coveted seat on the influential Finance Committee,
making him the first Kentuckian in nearly 40 years to
serve on this powerful committee. Service on this
committee allows Bunning a direct role as to how nearly
two-thirds of all federal dollars are spent on such
issues as tax policy, Medicare and Medicaid, Social
Security, welfare reform, and trade policy.
Bunning also serves on the Banking Committee where he
played a key role in passage of the Corporate
Accountability Act and he authored key Flood Insurance
legislation which was signed into law. From his seat on
the Energy Committee, Bunning is working hard to make
America more energy independent with diverse energy
sources, especially clean coal, soy-diesel, and ethanol.
Bunning also serves on the Budget Committee where he is
fighting for fiscally responsible budgets that fund our
top priorities, with an emphasis on securing the homeland
from terrorist threats.
Although his election in the U.S. Senate and induction
into the Baseball Hall of Fame stand out as top moments
in his life, the all-time high point in his life was his
marriage to Mary Catherine Theis. Together, they raised
nine children and have 35 grandchildren. Jim and Mary
make their home in Southgate, Kentucky and are active
members of the St. Therese Catholic Church in Southgate,
Kentucky.Web Site:
http://bunning.senate.gov/
Email Address:
sjim_bunning@bunning.senate.gov |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paid for by the Jefferson County Republican Party
P. O. Box 24843 | Louisville, KY 40224-0843 | Phone 502.584.7111 | Fax:
502.584.7118 | info@louisvillegop.com
©2008 Jefferson County Republican Party. All rights reserved.
|
|
