DNC Chair Tim Kaine on 2010 Election Outlook

Tim Kaine

Governor Tim Kaine is a lifetime public servant who was elected Chair of the Democratic National Committee on January 21, 2009. His mission is to promote the success of President Obama and Democratic officeholders and candidates throughout America and build a strong grassroots infrastructure to produce meaningful change in the nation's policies and politics.

Governor Kaine served as the 70th Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia from January 2006 until January 2010. During his tenure as Governor, Virginia was recognized as the best state for business in America (Forbes.com 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009; CNBC 2007, 2009), the top-performing state government in America (Governing Magazine, 2008) and the state where "a child is most likely to have a successful life" (Education Week, 2007). Under Governor Kaine's leadership, Virginia had one of the highest median incomes and one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation, even during the toughest economy since the 1930's. Kaine successfully led efforts to expand early childhood and technical education programs, increase college access, revamp the state's workforce training system, ban smoking in restaurants and bars, expand public transportation and rail solutions, reform the state's community mental health and foster care systems, reduce infant mortality and preserve over 400,000 acres of open space. As Governor, he restored substantially more voting rights than any previous Virginia governor. He also implemented policies that led to dramatic increases in state contracting for small businesses as well as women and minority-owned businesses.

As a political leader, Governor Kaine helped Virginia Democrats regain two U.S. Senate seats, a majority of Virginia's Congressional delegation and control of the state Senate. In addition, as the national co-chair of Obama for America, he campaigned in 15 states for the President and helped Virginia deliver its 13 electoral votes to a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time since 1964.

Prior to serving as Governor, Kaine served four terms on the Richmond City Council, including two terms as Mayor, and he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 2001.

Kaine grew up in Kansas City and attended the University of Missouri and Harvard Law School. He began his public service career when he took a year off from law school in 1980 to volunteer with Jesuit missionaries in Honduras. There, he served as the principal of a technical school that taught teenagers basic carpentry and welding skills. He then practiced law in Richmond for 17 years, representing people who had been denied housing opportunities because of their race or disability.

Kaine is married to Anne Holton, a foster care reform advocate who worked previously as a legal aid lawyer and juvenile court judge. They live in Richmond and have three children. Kaine also serves as a Distinguished Lecturer in Law and Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond.

http://www.democrats.org/a/party/chairman/aboutthechairman.html