Sherrod has earned a reputation as an independent voice for working Ohioans and middle-class families. He is a man of principle who has made a career of standing up to special interests in Washington. In 2006, Ohio voters elected Sherrod to the United States Senate with one of the largest margins over an incumbent in U.S. history.

Since his election, Sherrod has been working on behalf of Ohioans to stop the erosion of jobs in Ohio due to the wrong-headed trade and economic policies of the past. Sherrod has stood up to Presidents of both parties to fight against trade agreements that don’t provide American workers and businesses with a level playing field.

On the Banking Committee, he was an early proponent for addressing the crisis in our housing markets that began by devastating neighborhoods throughout Ohio and ended up causing a meltdown throughout the world’s credit markets. He is fighting to ensure that efforts to rebuild the economy focus on Main Street as well as Wall Street, and that the federal government gives as much attention to manufacturing as it does to finance. Sherrod also refused to accept the congressional health care plan until affordable health insurance was available to Ohioans. And he continues to fight insurance company and pharmaceutical company lobbyists in order to make health care more affordable for seniors, workers, and small businesses.

Sherrod currently resides in Avon, Ohio with his wife Connie Schultz, a Pulitzer winning columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Sherrod and Connie have three daughters, a son, a daughter-in-law, and a grandson.

Kirsten serves on the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Agriculture Committee, the Special Committee on Aging, and the Armed Services Committee. She is the founder of the Congressional High-Tech Caucus and serves on the Green Jobs & the New Economy Subcommittee of Environment and Public Works.

Although not in the Senate long, Kirsten has already been a leader on a number of pressing causes including the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” delivering jobs to NY families, fighting for women’s rights and family issues, introducing cyber security legislation, and most recently, was the lead sponsor of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 (9/11 Health Bill).

Since arriving in the Senate, Amy has been a strong advocate for middle-class families and Minnesota values on the critical issues facing our nation: from promoting long-term economic growth and job creation to bringing fiscal responsibility and accountability to Washington, from supporting our Minnesota businesses, workers, and farmers to developing homegrown energy.

In the Senate, Amy took the lead on passing the most significant consumer product safety legislation in a generation, keeping foreign toxic products off our shores and out of our stores. She acted quickly to obtain full funding to replace the I-35W bridge, the eight-lane highway that was rebuilt in a record nine months after tragically falling into the Mississippi River. She introduced legislation to secure health and education benefits for our nation’s veterans. She took on the cell phone companies for more consumer-friendly policies. And she helped pass the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate.

Amy is known as a hard worker determined to get results, and has taken the lead on passing several bipartisan bills and amendments into law, including legislation supported by consumer and industry groups to ban foreign wood products containing formaldehyde, as well as bills providing for safe disposal of prescription drugs, simplifying adoption, banning lead in children’s toys, allowing small-town bankers to maintain their voice within the Federal Reserve, and helping improve early detection and treatment of breast cancer in young women.

The Washington Post has described Amy as “a rising star,” while the Star Tribune reported on her substantial progress, calling her “a fast-moving legislator.” Working Mother Magazine named her as a 2008 “Best in Congress” for her efforts on behalf of working families.

From time to time, Bill gets asked where he gets the energy and determination to stand up and keep fighting. He says it comes from being an optimist and believing things will get better for all people. It’s an optimism that comes from faith, from family and from his belief in individual responsibility. It’s why Bill Nelson is optimistic for the future of Florida and our nation.

During his first term in the Senate, Jon Tester has earned a reputation as a straight-talking, hardworking, common sense United States Senator who gets things done—from boosting the minimum wage after the longest gap in history and passing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to ensure equal pay for women, to passing the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create millions of jobs and confirming two new Supreme Court Justices to the bench.

Jon’s first order of business after taking office was a listening tour with Montana’s veterans. From his seat on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, he took what he heard and turned it into action. His landmark Rural Veterans Health Care Improvement Act became law and strengthened health care for all of Montana’s veterans, and veterans across rural America. A member of the Government Affairs and Homeland Security Committee, he has also worked to expand contracting opportunities for small businesses. On the Indian Affairs Committee, he has fought for increased job opportunities across Indian Country. And as a member of the Banking Committee, Jon has worked to make sure Wall Street works for Main Street.

Sporting his trademark flattop haircut ($10, including tip), Jon Tester needs no introduction to the Montanans he meets. After all, he’s one of them.

Sheldon is also a strong advocate for investments in clean energy technologies to create jobs, improve the economy, and address the climate change crisis. He has used his position on the Environment and Public Works Committee to champion legislation that would strip taxpayer subsidies from oil companies and make polluters pay for the toxins they emit. He is also the lead sponsor of the National Endowment for the Oceans bill, which would ensure that our oceans have a dedicated funding stream for research and preservation.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sheldon has worked closely with Al to help confirm Associate Justices Sotomayor and Kagan to the United States Supreme Court, and to put other progressive judges on the federal bench.

A forward-looking leader, Tammy voted against going to war in Iraq, and she is pushing to end the war in Afghanistan that has gone on far too long. Tammy was also one of the few members of Congress to vote against repealing the Glass-Steagall Act, which would have prevented Wall Street and the big banks from making the risky investments that led to our financial collapse. 
 
In 1999, Tammy became the first woman elected to Congress from Wisconsin, and also the first openly gay person to run and win as a first time candidate.  She is a national leader on civil rights and equality issues, a leader in the fight for expanded access to quality, affordable health care, and a powerful advocate for women’s health care and women’s rights, our veterans, and investing in the clean energy economy and renewable fuels.

Tammy is running for the U.S. Senate to ensure the voices of the people will be heard above the special interests.  She is a tireless leader we can trust to fight for jobs and stand up for middle class families and working men and women. 

As one of only a handful of members of Congress with a background in science and technology, Martin brings a unique perspective as we seek to create good, sustainable jobs in growing industries like clean energy and high-tech manufacturing. A true conservationist, Martin has had a life-long commitment to the environment. In the Senate Martin will continue his fight to make this country energy independent.

Martin’s campaign has been endorsed by the Sierra Club, Conservation Voters New Mexico and the Defenders of Wildlife. The son of an IBEW lineman and a factory worker, Martin Heinrich has also received overwhelming support from the labor community, including the AFL-CIO.

Whether it’s protecting Medicare and Social Security or ending the Bush tax breaks for millionaires, Martin always stands up for what’s right for our country and for the people of New Mexico. Martin is running for the U.S. Senate because he wants our children to inherit the kind of country we all grew up believing in. An America where you prosper if you work hard and play by the rules.

Prior to being elected to Congress in 2008, Martin served as Albuquerque City Council President and as Natural Resources Trustee for the State of New Mexico. He and his wife Julie are raising their two sons in Albuquerque.

A national advocate for quality early education, Mazie was instrumental in creating Hawaii’s Pre-Plus Program as lieutenant governor and was named Pre-K Now’s “Pre-K Champion” in 2008. Mazie’s leadership in Congress has helped save or create 15,000 jobs in her state and secured $194 million in funding to prevent cuts to education.

Before a competitive general election, Mazie will likely face former Congressman and Blue Dog Ed Case in a Democratic primary for the Senate seat. Republicans have recruited Republican former Governor Linda Lingle in an attempt to turn this blue seat red and gain control of the Senate. Supporting Mazie means both helping to hold the Democratic majority in the Senate and an incredible opportunity to elect the first Asian-American woman senator.

Chris was first elected to Congress in 2006, defeating 24-year-incumbent Nancy Johnson by running a positive, grassroots campaign. Since his election to Congress, Chris has maintained a constant presence throughout the district when he’s not representing Connecticut in Washington. Chris’ attentiveness to his constituents is well known – an article in a Capitol Hill newspaper, Roll Call, said that Chris is “considered ‘omnipresent’ back home” due to his commitment to knocking on doors year round and holding dozens of supermarket office hours.

In Connecticut and in Washington, Chris’ career has centered on his strong advocacy for better, more affordable health care. In Connecticut, he served as Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee in the General Assembly for four years, authoring Connecticut’s Stem Cell Investment Act and the state’s landmark ban on smoking in the workplace. During his second term in Congress, Chris was appointed to the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee where he took part in the drafting of the historic health care reform law. As the legislation moved through Congress, Chris was a leading voice for the public option and putting Americans back in charge of their health care.

Throughout his time in public service, Chris has fought for equal rights and protections for all Americans – no matter their sexual orientation or identity. He has advocated for the federal government to abandon the Defense of Marriage Act, supported legislation to end employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, and fought to end the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy.

Both sides of Chris’ family go back four generations in Connecticut. Chris grew up in Wethersfield, Connecticut, where his parents continue to live. He attended Williams College in Massachusetts, graduating with honors, and received his law degree from the University of Connecticut. Chris currently resides in Cheshire with his wife Catherine, a legal aid attorney, and their sons Owen and Rider.