Jim Slattery
Encyclopedia
James Charles Slattery is an American
politician
and was the Democratic
candidate for U.S. Senator from Kansas
.
Slattery earned a Juris Doctor
(J.D.) from Washburn University School of Law
in 1974. While at Washburn, he was a member of the Kansas Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta
. In 1982, Slattery was inducted into Washburn's prestigious Sagamore Society
.
Prior to his election to the Congress, Slattery served in the Kansas House of Representatives
, as a reserve Army officer and founded a successful real estate company.
from 1983 to 1995 in the Kansas
delegation. Slattery served on the Energy & Commerce, Veterans' Affairs, Budget, and Banking Committees. He was a central player on many key issues, including environmental protection, health care, telecommunications, and budget cutting efforts. He worked to limit production of the B-2 bomber, and was the chief sponsor of the successful amendment to terminate spending on the Superconducting Super Collider
in 1993.
Slattery gained success as a Democrat in a relatively conservative congressional district, Kansas's 2nd congressional district
. He considered running for governor in 1990 against incumbent Gov. Mike Hayden
, an unpopular governor following changes in property tax law. Slattery decided not to run in 1990, however, and Joan Finney
became the first female governor of Kansas.
Bill Graves
. Slattery lost that race, a victim of the Republican landslide of 1994.
and was partner in a Washington, D.C.
law firm, Wiley Rein LLP after his defeat. His youngest son, Mike, lives in Mission, Kansas. Mike was elected to the Kansas State House in 2008, defeating his Republican opponent Ronnie Metzker. Mike edged out fellow Democrat Andy Sandler by three votes in a hotly contested primary.
, and officially announced his run in a statewide tour on April 29.
Slattery was defeated by Roberts. The loss was the 25th consecutive setback for Democrats running for U.S. Senate seats from Kansas (24 regular elections plus a 1996 special election following the resignation of Bob Dole
). The state last elected a Democrat in 1932, George McGill
, who lost his re-election bid in 1938.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and was the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate for U.S. Senator from Kansas
United States Senate election in Kansas, 2008
The 2008 United States Senate election in Kansas was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Pat Roberts won re-election to a third term.-Background:The state of Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1932...
.
Early life and career
After serving in the ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Slattery earned a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.) from Washburn University School of Law
Washburn University School of Law
The Washburn University School of Law, commonly referred to as Washburn Law, is a public law school located on the main campus of Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Washburn Law was founded in 1903. The school has 79 faculty members and 445 students...
in 1974. While at Washburn, he was a member of the Kansas Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
. In 1982, Slattery was inducted into Washburn's prestigious Sagamore Society
Sagamore Honor Society
The Sagamore Society is the most exclusive honor society for men at Washburn University. Sagamore is not as controversial or as secretive as Yale's Skull and Bones but its members are known to include a governor, a member of Congress, two Army generals, and several judges, doctors and corporate...
.
Prior to his election to the Congress, Slattery served in the Kansas House of Representatives
Kansas House of Representatives
The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kansas Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. State of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for crafting and voting on...
, as a reserve Army officer and founded a successful real estate company.
U.S. House
Slattery served in the U.S. House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1983 to 1995 in the Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
delegation. Slattery served on the Energy & Commerce, Veterans' Affairs, Budget, and Banking Committees. He was a central player on many key issues, including environmental protection, health care, telecommunications, and budget cutting efforts. He worked to limit production of the B-2 bomber, and was the chief sponsor of the successful amendment to terminate spending on the Superconducting Super Collider
Superconducting Super Collider
The Superconducting Super Collider was a particle accelerator complex under construction in the vicinity of Waxahachie, Texas that was set to be world's largest and most energetic, surpassing the current record held by the Large Hadron Collider. Its planned ring circumference was with an energy...
in 1993.
Slattery gained success as a Democrat in a relatively conservative congressional district, Kansas's 2nd congressional district
Kansas's 2nd congressional district
Kansas's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kansas covering most of the eastern part of the state, except for the core of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The district encompasses less than a quarter of the state...
. He considered running for governor in 1990 against incumbent Gov. Mike Hayden
Mike Hayden
John Michael Hayden, was the 41st Governor of Kansas. He subsequently served as Secretary of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Department under governors Kathleen Sebelius and Mark Parkinson.-Early life:...
, an unpopular governor following changes in property tax law. Slattery decided not to run in 1990, however, and Joan Finney
Joan Finney
Joan Finney , served as the 42nd Governor of Kansas from 1991 to 1995.She was born Joan Marie McInroy in Topeka, Kansas, the daughter of Leonard and Mary Sands McInroy. She graduated from high school in Manhattan, Kansas in 1942. In 1957, she married Spencer Finney, Jr...
became the first female governor of Kansas.
1994 Gubernatorial election
Finney served one term as governor and Slattery decided to run for the open governorship in 1994, stepping down from Congress. However, he faced RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Bill Graves
Bill Graves
William Preston "Bill" Graves , was the 43rd Governor of Kansas from 1995 until 2003.Graves was born in Salina, Kansas in 1953 to parents who owned a trucking firm...
. Slattery lost that race, a victim of the Republican landslide of 1994.
State House
Slattery lived in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and was partner in a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
law firm, Wiley Rein LLP after his defeat. His youngest son, Mike, lives in Mission, Kansas. Mike was elected to the Kansas State House in 2008, defeating his Republican opponent Ronnie Metzker. Mike edged out fellow Democrat Andy Sandler by three votes in a hotly contested primary.
2008 U.S. Senate campaign
Slattery declared his intention to run for the United States Senate in March 2008 against incumbent Pat RobertsPat Roberts
Charles Patrick "Pat" Roberts is the senior United States Senator from Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, he has served since 1997...
, and officially announced his run in a statewide tour on April 29.
Slattery was defeated by Roberts. The loss was the 25th consecutive setback for Democrats running for U.S. Senate seats from Kansas (24 regular elections plus a 1996 special election following the resignation of Bob Dole
Bob Dole
Robert Joseph "Bob" Dole is an American attorney and politician. Dole represented Kansas in the United States Senate from 1969 to 1996, was Gerald Ford's Vice Presidential running mate in the 1976 presidential election, and was Senate Majority Leader from 1985 to 1987 and in 1995 and 1996...
). The state last elected a Democrat in 1932, George McGill
George McGill
George S. McGill was an American politician from Kansas.Born in Lucas County, Iowa, he moved with his parents to Kansas when he was 5. He graduated from Central Normal College in Great Bend, Kansas at the turn of the century and was admitted to the state bar two years later...
, who lost his re-election bid in 1938.
External links
- Jim Slattery for U.S. Senate official campaign website
- Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org