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• John Kerry is currently serving his fourth term as the junior Senator from Massachusetts. Kerry has been re-elected to a fifth term with 66% of the vote.CNN: Massachusetts Election Results Kerry will replace Vice President-Elect Joe Biden as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2009.CBS News: Reid Reshuffles Committee Heads (December 15, 2008)

  In 2004, Kerry was the Democratic candidate for President; he lost to incumbent President George W. Bush.

• Fast Facts:

  1. Born: December 11, 1943 in Aurora] Colorado
  2. Position: United States Senator (D-MA)
  3. Assumed office: January 3, 1985
  4. Party: Democratic
  5. Spouse: Teresa Heinz Kerry
  6. College: Yale University
  7. Law School: Boston College
  8. Previous Occupation/Position Held: Soldier, Lawyer
  9. Senior Senator from Massachusetts: Edward Kennedy
  10. Lost 2004 Presidential Election

• Early Life

  The son of a Foreign Service officer, Kerry traveled between Europe and New England often as a child and enjoyed an upper-middle class life. After graduating from Yale University in 1996, Kerry joined the Naval Reserve and was sent to Vietnam in 1968. There, the future Senator was the commander of a Swift boat and for his injuries and service in battle received three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and a Bronze Star. After returning from Vietnam, Kerry became an outspoken opponent of the conflict. Kerry testified about his experiences in Vietnam before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 1971.

• Early Political Career

  After a failed run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972, Kerry entered law school, and in 1982 ran for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts on a ticket with Michael Dukakis and won. In 1984, he won the Senate seat vacated by an ailing Paul Tsongas. In 2008, he is running for his fifth term as Senator.

• 2004 Election

  In 2004, Kerry challenged incumbent President George W. Bush and lost by a narrow margin in both the popular and Electoral votes. He decided not to seek the Democratic nomination again in 2008, and in January of 2008 endorsed Barack Obama for President.

• Related Mahalo Pages

  U.S. Senate | Democratic Party | George W. Bush | John Edwards | Dennis Kucinich | Al Sharpton | Dick Cheney | Order of Skull and Bones | Swift Kids for Truth Video | Jeff Bingaman | John Kerry Party Photos | John Kerry 2008 Convention Speech | Massachusetts Exit Polls | Massachusetts Election Results | Anita Dunn | Jon Favreau Speechwriter

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