Guide Note
Democrat Barbara Boxer is the junior United States Senator from California. She currently serves as the Democrat's Chief Deputy Whip. Boxer's daughter Nicole married to Hillary Clinton's brother Tony Rodham in a 1994 ceremony held at The White House. The couple divorced six years later.
Fast Facts
- Born November 11, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York
- First elected to U.S. Senate in 1992
- Chairwoman, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- Party: Democrat
- Along with California Senator Dianne Feinstein, one of the first two female Jewish Senators in U.S. History
- Spouse: Attorney Stewart Boxer
- One of the two shortest Senators
- First woman to chair the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Political Career
Boxer initially worked as a stockbroker and journalist after earning her Bachelor's Degree in Economics. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, and worked largely on the House Armed Services Committee. She was an outspoken defender of Anita Hill during the contentious confirmation process for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
Boxer joined the Senate in 1993. She had announced plans to retire in 2004, but reconsidered, and has now stated her intention to run again for office when her current term is up in 2010. She is routinely ranked among most progressive Democrats in the Senate, and is one of only two Senators to support Russ Feingold's proposal to censure President Bush over his domestic surveillance program in 2006.
Boxer in Popular Culture
In addition to her work in politics, Boxer is also a novelist. Her first book, A Time to Run, was published in 2005. She has also made several cameos in films and TV shows, including Curb Your Enthusiasm and the Steven Soderbergh movie Traffic.
