About Russ Feingold

Profiles of Senator Feingold in the news

• "Withdrawal Symptoms" by Michael Crowley - The New Republic
• "Why the US must leave Iraq" by Michael Scherer - Salon.com

Biography

Text from DraftRuss.com. I can't think of a better way to describe him than this.

Russ Feingold began his career in politics with a simple idea: that the common sense of the people should dictate what our elected officials do. He has continued to focus on this principle throughout his years of public service.

Feingold graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Madison with honors in 1975. He continued his education at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, receiving a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in 1977. He then attended Harvard Law School, where he graduated in 1979, again with honors. After college, he worked as an attorney from 1979-1985 in Madison, Wisconsin. Feingold was first elected to the Wisconsin state senate in 1982, then reelected in 1986 and 1990. Then, in 1992, he ran for and was elected to the office of U.S. Senator. His third term will begin in 2005, and by 2008, he will have worked in the public arena for 26 years.

Russ Feingold has a history of keeping his promises. When he first ran for the Senate in 1992, he promised that he would hold listening sessions in every Wisconsin county every single year. To this day, he has not broken this promise. He also promised that he would not accept a single pay raise while he was in the senate. That’s why he votes against every raise when they come up, and that’s why he returns every penny beyond his starting wage to the national treasury.

Most importantly, Russ Feingold is a doer. He has worked across the aisle on several issues, including campaign finance reform, and he has proposed numerous bills, such as his initiative to place a moratorium on the death penalty until it has been reviewed. He is a senator who believes in what he says and does what he claims he will do. His ability to articulate his views is shown in his campaign ads and in his speeches around the country. Using his clout as a senator, Feingold has spoken to crowds about numerous important and controversial issues, such as media reform and civil liberties.

Russ Feingold understands what he believes, and he acts on his knowledge and intuition. His past proves that he is willing and able to stand up and fight for the average American. These are the qualities that we need in our President, and that’s why Russ Feingold has proven himself to be the best choice for the Democratic party’s nomination in 2008