JOHN BREAUX

'John Berlinger Breaux' (last name pronounced BRO) is a former United States senator from Louisiana who served from 1987 until 2005. He was also a member of the U.S. House from 1972 to 1987. He was considered one of the more conservative national legislators from the Democratic Party. Breaux was a member of the New Democrat Coalition.

Contents

Early life and career

Breaux in Congress

Since the Senate

External links

References

Early life and career

Breaux was born in Crowley, Louisiana, on March 1, 1944. He graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now called the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) in Lafayette in 1964 and from Louisiana State University Law School in Baton Rouge in 1967. After graduation, he practiced law, and then served as an assistant to U.S. Representative Edwin Edwards.

Breaux in Congress

Breaux was elected as a Democrat to the 92nd United States Congress in a special election on September 30, 1972, to fill the vacancy caused by Edwards' resignation. At the age of 28, he was then the youngest member of the United States House of Representatives. Breaux was re-elected to the seven succeeding Congresses and served until January 3, 1987. He was not a candidate for re-election to the House of Representatives in 1986, but was instead elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1986. In the 1986 jungle primary, Breaux finished second (447,328 or 37.3 percent) to Sixth District Republican Congressman W. Henson Moore, III, of Baton Rouge (529,433 or 44.2 percent). State Senator Samuel B. Nunez polled another 73,504 votes (6.7 percent). In the general election, Breaux turned the tables on Moore: 723,586 (52.8 percent) to 646,311 (47.2 percent), a margin of 77,275 ballots. Thereafter, Moore took a sub-Cabinet position with the administration of George Herbert Walker Bush, and Breaux took the Senate seat that he would hold for eighteen years. Breaux was not seriously opposed in the 1992 and 1998 elections.
Breaux was seen as a centrist in a Senate divided along partisan lines, and was frequently sought out by Republican leaders to corral a few Democratic votes when they needed them; conversely he also often served as the Democratic emissary in attempts to gather a few moderate Republicans to win votes on their proposals. He was pro-life and a supporter of Second Amendment rights, though he gradually moderated his position on gun control. He was more conservative on taxes than most in his party and challenged many environmental protections.
In 1993, Breaux was elected by Senate Democrats as Deputy Majority Whip, a position he held until his retirement. He also held a number of key Senate committee positions. A senior member of the Finance Committee, Senator Breaux served as the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Social Security and Family Policy. From his position on the Finance Committee, he helped build the coalition that passed welfare reform and health insurance reform bills in 1996. He also pushed for a reduction in the capital gains tax and for tax relief for college education expenses. In 1998, Breaux was selected by the White House and House and Senate leaders to chair the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare. Also in 1998, Senator Breaux co-chaired the National Commission on Retirement Policy, which produced legislation to help reform Social Security.
Breaux was a founder of the Centrist Coalition of Senate Democrats and Republicans, and served as Chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council.
He announced that he would not run for re-election in 2004. He was succeeded in the Senate by Republican David Vitter of suburban New Orleans. Though Breaux was considered a popular politician in Louisiana, he was unable to dictate his successor in the Senate. He endorsed the losing Democratic candidate, Chris John, retiring congressman from the same Seventh District that Breaux had once represented. In the 2003 Louisiana gubernatorial campaign, after flirting briefly with the possibility of running himself, Breaux campaigned hard for the successful Democratic candidate, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Lafayette.

Since the Senate

In February 2005, Breaux took a position as Distinguished Professor in the Douglas Manship School of Mass Communication at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Since 2005, Breaux has been a lobbyist for Washington, DC, firm Patton Boggs, specializing in issues of health care and energy law.
Since leaving office, Breaux has spearheaded his own national campaign, “Ceasefire on Health Care: Finding Common Ground for the Uninsured.” Breaux coined the campaign name as a play on the CNN TV program ''Crossfire'', which he points out has been canceled. Breaux has hosted multiple events with prominent members of both parties to establish a dialogue that will lead to real healthcare reform. Breaux developed the campaign alongside American University's Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies.
Beginning in February 2007, there was much speculation among Louisiana political commentators as to whether Breaux would announce his candidacy in the 2007 Louisiana governors' race. Breaux, arguably the most popular Democratic politician in Louisiana, was considering entering the race, if Blanco would be willing to step aside for Breaux.^{[1][2][3]
[4]} On March 20, 2007, Blanco announced that she will not run for re-election as governor. On March 29, 2007, John Breaux made his first Louisiana public appearance since speculation began concerning his potential candidacy. Breaux said that he intended to run, and would announce his candidacy as soon as Louisiana Attorney General Charles Foti, a Democrat, gave a formal legal opinion on whether Breaux was eligible to run. It was alleged that he would not meet the residency requirements to run for Governor as he is registered to vote, and has listed his primary address in Maryland since 2005. At issue was the clause in the Louisiana constitution that states that a candidate for governor must be a 'citizen' of the State of Louisiana; what constitutes a citizen is not defined.^[5]
On April 13, 2007, Breaux released a statement that he would not be running for governor. Attorney-General Foti had declined to issue an opinion on Breaux's eligibility, stating it was an issue for the courts to decide. Breaux stated that he did not want the issue of eligibility to overshadow his campaign, as a court challenge would not occur until September.^[6]

External links

★

★ John Breaux For Governor 07

★ Bio from Ceasefire on Health Care website

References

1. Breaux ex Machina Clancy Dubos
2. Breaux to the Rescue? Chris Cillizza
3. Desperate Dems look to Breaux again John Maginnis
4. Breaux may be ineligible to run for governor race Louisiana State University ''The Daily Reveille'' February 27, 2007 Retrieved March 22, 2007
5. Breaux moves forward with campaign Ed Anderson
6. Breaux says he won't run for governor Ed Anderson

United States senators in the 100th Congress
AL: Heflin, Shelby AK: Stevens, Murkowski AZ: DeConcini, McCain AR: Bumpers, Pryor CA: Cranston, Wilson CO: Armstrong, Wirth CT: Weicker, Dodd DE: Roth, Biden FL: Chiles, Graham GA: Nunn, Fowler	HI: Inouye, Matsunaga ID: McClure, Symms IL: Dixon, Simon IN: Lugar, Quayle IA: Grassley, Harkin KS: Dole, Kassebaum KY: Ford, McConnell LA: Johnston, Breaux ME: Cohen, Mitchell MD: Sarbanes, Mikulski	MA: Kennedy, Kerry MI: Riegle, Levin MN: Durenberger, Boschwitz MS: Stennis, Cochran MO: Danforth, Bond MT: Melcher, Baucus NE: Exon, Karnes ★ NV: Hecht, Reid NH: Humphrey, Rudman NJ: Bradley, Lautenberg	NM: Domenici, Bingaman NY: Moynihan, D'Amato NC: Helms, Sanford ND: Burdick, Conrad OH: Metzenbaum, Glenn OK: Boren, Nickles OR: Hatfield, Packwood PA: Heinz, Specter RI: Pell, Chafee SC: Thurmond, Hollings	SD: Pressler, Daschle TN: Sasser, Gore TX: Bentsen, Gramm UT: Garn, Hatch VT: Stafford, Leahy VA: Warner, Trible WA: Evans, Adams WV: Byrd, Rockefeller WI:Proxmire, Kasten WY: Wallop, Simpson
Republican | Democrat | Independent ( ★ ) David Karnes was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Edward Zorinsky.

United States senators in the 101st Congress
AL: Heflin, Shelby AK: Stevens, Murkowski AZ: DeConcini, McCain AR: Bumpers, Pryor CA: Cranston, Wilson CO: Armstrong, Wirth CT: Dodd, Lieberman DE: Roth, Biden FL: Graham, Mack GA: Nunn, Fowler	HI: Inouye, Matsunaga ID: McClure, Symms IL: Dixon, Simon IN: Lugar, Coats IA: Grassley, Harkin KS: Dole, Kassebaum KY: Ford, McConnell LA: Johnston, Breaux ME: Cohen, Mitchell MD: Sarbanes, Mikulski	MA: Kennedy, Kerry MI: Riegle, Levin MN: Durenberger, Boschwitz MS: Cochran, Lott MO: Danforth, Bond MT: Baucus, Burns NE: Exon, Kerrey NV: Reid, Bryan NH: Rudman, Smith ★ NJ: Bradley, Lautenberg	NM: Domenici, Bingaman NY: Moynihan, D'Amato NC: Helms, Sanford ND: Burdick, Conrad OH: Metzenbaum, Glenn OK: Boren, Nickles OR: Hatfield, Packwood PA: Heinz, Specter RI: Pell, Chafee SC: Thurmond, Hollings	SD: Pressler, Daschle TN: Sasser, Gore TX: Bentsen, Gramm UT: Garn, Hatch VT: Leahy, Jeffords VA: Warner, Robb WA: Adams, Gorton WV: Byrd, Rockefeller WI: Kasten, Kohl WY: Wallop, Simpson
Republican | Democrat | Independent ( ★ ) Robert Smith was appointed upon the resignation of Gordon Humphrey

United States senators in the 102nd Congress
AL: Heflin, Shelby AK: Stevens, Murkowski AZ: DeConcini, McCain AR: Bumpers, Pryor CA: Cranston, Seymour ★ CO: Wirth, Brown CT: Dodd, Lieberman DE: Roth, Biden FL: Graham, Mack GA: Nunn, Fowler	HI: Inouye, Akaka ID: Symms, Craig IL: Dixon, Simon IN: Lugar, Coats IA: Grassley, Harkin KS: Dole, Kassebaum KY: Ford, McConnell LA: Johnston, Breaux ME: Cohen, Mitchell MD: Sarbanes, Mikulski	MA: Kennedy, Kerry MI: Riegle, Levin MN: Durenberger, Wellstone MS: Cochran, Lott MO: Danforth, Bond MT: Baucus, Burns NE: Exon, Kerrey NV: Reid, Bryan NH: Rudman, Smith NJ: Bradley, Lautenberg	NM: Domenici, Bingaman NY: Moynihan, D'Amato NC: Helms, Sanford ND: Conrad, Burdick ★ ★ OH: Metzenbaum, Glenn OK: Boren, Nickles OR: Hatfield, Packwood PA: Specter, Wofford ★ ★ ★ RI: Pell, Chafee SC: Thurmond, Hollings	SD: Pressler, Daschle TN: Sasser, Gore TX: Bentsen, Gramm UT: Garn, Hatch VT: Leahy, Jeffords VA: Warner, Robb WA: Adams, Gorton WV: Byrd, Rockefeller WI: Kasten, Kohl WY: Wallop, Simpson
Republican | Democrat | Independent ( ★ ) John Seymour was appointed after the resignation of Pete Wilson who stepped down to become Governor of California. ( ★ ★ ) Jocelyn Burdick was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband Quentin Burdick. ( ★ ★ ★ ) Harris Wofford was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Senator John Heinz.

United States senators in the 103rd Congress
AL: Heflin, Shelby AK: Stevens, Murkowski AZ: DeConcini, McCain AR: Bumpers, Pryor CA: Feinstein, Boxer CO: Brown, Campbell CT: Dodd, Lieberman DE: Roth, Biden FL: Graham, Mack GA: Nunn, Coverdell	HI: Inouye, Akaka ID: Craig, Kempthorne IL: Simon, Moseley Braun IN: Lugar, Coats IA: Grassley, Harkin KS: Dole, Kassebaum KY: Ford, McConnell LA: Johnston, Breaux ME: Cohen, Mitchell MD: Sarbanes, Mikulski	MA: Kennedy, Kerry MI: Riegle, Levin MN: Durenberger, Wellstone MS: Cochran, Lott MO: Danforth, Bond MT: Baucus, Burns NE: Exon, Kerrey NV: Reid, Bryan NH: Smith, Gregg NJ: Bradley, Lautenberg	NM: Domenici, Bingaman NY: Moynihan, D'Amato NC: Helms, Faircloth ND: Conrad, Dorgan OH: Metzenbaum, Glenn OK: Boren, Nickles OR: Hatfield, Packwood PA: Specter, Wofford RI: Pell, Chafee SC: Thurmond, Hollings	SD: Pressler, Daschle TN: Sasser, Mathews TX: Gramm, Hutchison ★ UT: Hatch, Bennett VT: Leahy, Jeffords VA: Warner, Robb WA: Gorton, Murray WV: Byrd, Rockefeller WI: Kohl, Feingold WY: Wallop, Simpson
Republican | Democrat | Independent ( ★ ) Kay Bailey Hutchison was elected to fill the vacant seat left by Lloyd Bentsen

United States senators in the 104th Congress
AL: Heflin, Shelby AK: Stevens, Murkowski AZ: McCain, Kyl AR: Bumpers, Hutchinson CA: Feinstein, Boxer CO: Brown, Campbell CT: Dodd, Lieberman DE: Roth, Biden FL: Graham, Mack GA: Nunn, Coverdell	HI: Inouye, Akaka ID: Craig, Kempthorne IL: Simon, Moseley Braun IN: Lugar, Coats IA: Grassley, Harkin KS: Kassebaum, Frahm ★ KY: Ford, McConnell LA: Johnston, Breaux ME: Cohen , Snowe MD: Sarbanes, Mikulski	MA: Kennedy, Kerry MI: Levin, Abraham MN: Wellstone, Grams MS: Cochran, Lott MO: Bond, Ashcroft MT: Baucus, Burns NE: Exon, Kerrey NV: Reid, Bryan NH: Smith, Gregg NJ: Bradley, Lautenberg	NM: Domenici, Bingaman NY: Moynihan, D'Amato NC: Helms, Faircloth ND: Conrad, Dorgan OH: Glenn, DeWine OK: Nickles, Inhofe OR: Hatfield, Wyden ★ ★ PA: Specter, Santorum RI: Pell, Chafee SC: Thurmond, Hollings	SD: Pressler, Daschle TN: Thompson, Frist TX: Gramm, Hutchison UT: Hatch, Bennett VT: Leahy, Jeffords VA: Warner, Robb WA: Gorton, Murray WV: Byrd, Rockefeller WI: Kohl, Feingold WY: Simpson, Thomas
Republican | Democrat | Independent ( ★ ) Sheila Frahm was appointed following the resignation of Bob Dole. ( ★ ★ ) Ron Wyden was elected following the resignation of Bob Packwood.

United States senators in the 105th Congress
AL: Shelby, Sessions AK: Stevens, Murkowski AZ: McCain, Kyl AR: Bumpers, Hutchinson CA: Feinstein, Boxer CO: Campbell, Allard CT: Dodd, Lieberman DE: Roth, Biden FL: Graham, Mack GA: Coverdell, Cleland	HI: Inouye, Akaka ID: Craig, Kempthorne IL: Moseley Braun, Durbin IN: Lugar, Coats IA: Grassley, Harkin KS: Brownback, Roberts KY: Ford, McConnell LA: Breaux, Landrieu ME: Snowe, Collins MD: Sarbanes, Mikulski	MA: Kennedy, Kerry MI: Levin, Abraham MN: Wellstone, Grams MS: Cochran, Lott MO: Bond, Ashcroft MT: Baucus, Burns NE: Kerrey, Hagel NV: Reid, Bryan NH: Smith, Gregg NJ: Lautenberg, Torricelli	NM: Domenici, Bingaman NY: Moynihan, D'Amato NC: Helms, Faircloth ND: Conrad, Dorgan OH: Glenn, DeWine OK: Nickles, Inhofe OR: Wyden, Smith PA: Specter, Santorum RI: Chafee, Reed SC: Thurmond, Hollings	SD: Daschle, Johnson TN: Thompson, Frist TX: Gramm, Hutchison UT: Hatch, Bennett VT: Leahy, Jeffords VA: Warner, Robb WA: Gorton, Murray WV: Byrd, Rockefeller WI: Kohl, Feingold WY: Thomas, Enzi
Republican | Democrat | Independent

United States senators in the 106th Congress
AL: Shelby, Sessions AK: Stevens, Murkowski AZ: McCain, Kyl AR: Hutchinson, Lincoln CA: Feinstein, Boxer CO: Campbell, Allard CT: Dodd, Lieberman DE: Roth, Biden FL: Graham, Mack GA: Cleland, Miller ★	HI: Inouye, Akaka ID: Craig, Crapo IL: Durbin, Fitzgerald IN: Lugar, Bayh IA: Grassley, Harkin KS: Brownback, Roberts KY: McConnell, Bunning LA: Breaux, Landrieu ME: Snowe, Collins MD: Sarbanes, Mikulski	MA: Kennedy, Kerry MI: Levin, Abraham MN: Wellstone, Grams MS: Cochran, Lott MO: Bond, Ashcroft MT: Baucus, Burns NE: Kerrey, Hagel NV: Reid, Bryan NH: Smith, Gregg NJ: Lautenberg, Torricelli	NM: Domenici, Bingaman NY: Moynihan, Schumer NC: Helms, Edwards ND: Conrad, Dorgan OH: DeWine, Voinovich OK: Nickles, Inhofe OR: Wyden, Smith PA: Specter, Santorum RI: Reed, Chafee ★ ★ SC: Thurmond, Hollings	SD: Daschle, Johnson TN: Thompson, Frist TX: Gramm, Hutchison UT: Hatch, Bennett VT: Leahy, Jeffords VA: Warner, Robb WA: Gorton, Murray WV: Byrd, Rockefeller WI: Kohl, Feingold WY: Thomas, Enzi
Republican | Democrat | Independent ( ★ ) Zell Miller was appointed to the Senate following the death of Paul Coverdell ( ★ ★ ) Lincoln Chafee was appointed to the Senate following the death of his father John Chafee

United States senators in the 107th Congress
AL: Shelby, Sessions AK: Stevens, Murkowski ★ AZ: McCain, Kyl AR: Hutchinson, Lincoln CA: Feinstein, Boxer CO: Campbell, Allard CT: Dodd, Lieberman DE: Biden, Carper FL: Graham, Nelson GA: Cleland, Miller	HI: Inouye, Akaka ID: Craig, Crapo IL: Durbin, Fitzgerald IN: Lugar, Bayh IA: Grassley, Harkin KS: Brownback, Roberts KY: McConnell, Bunning LA: Breaux, Landrieu ME: Snowe, Collins MD: Sarbanes, Mikulski	MA: Kennedy, Kerry MI: Levin, Stabenow MN: Dayton, Barkley ★ ★ MS: Cochran, Lott MO: Bond, Talent ★ ★ ★ MT: Baucus, Burns NE: Hagel, Nelson NV: Reid, Ensign NH: Gregg, Sununu NJ: Torricelli, Corzine	NM: Domenici, Bingaman NY: Schumer, Clinton NC: Helms, Edwards ND: Conrad, Dorgan OH: DeWine, Voinovich OK: Nickles, Inhofe OR: Wyden, Smith PA: Specter, Santorum RI: Reed, Chafee SC: Thurmond, Hollings	SD: Daschle, Johnson TN: Thompson, Frist TX: Gramm, Hutchison UT: Hatch, Bennett VT: Leahy, Jeffords ★ ★ ★ ★ VA: Warner, Allen WA: Murray, Cantwell WV: Byrd, Rockefeller WI: Kohl, Feingold WY: Thomas, Enzi
Republican | Democrat | Independent ( ★ ) Frank Murkowski resigned to become Governor of Alaska. ( ★ ★ ) Dean Barkley was appointed following the death of Paul Wellstone. ( ★ ★ ★ ) James Talent was elected in a special election over previous Senator, Jean Carnahan. ( ★ ★ ★ ★ ) James Jeffords changed from Republican to Independent .

United States senators in the 108th Congress
AL: Shelby, Sessions AK: Stevens, Murkowski AZ: McCain, Kyl AR: Lincoln, Pryor CA: Feinstein, Boxer CO: Campbell, Allard CT: Dodd, Lieberman DE: Biden, Carper FL: Graham, Nelson GA: Miller , Chambliss	HI: Inouye, Akaka ID: Craig, Crapo IL: Durbin, Fitzgerald IN: Lugar, Bayh IA: Grassley, Harkin KS: Brownback, Roberts KY: McConnell, Bunning LA: Breaux, Landrieu ME: Snowe, Collins MD: Sarbanes, Mikulski	MA: Kennedy, Kerry MI: Levin, Stabenow MN: Dayton, Coleman MS: Cochran, Lott MO: Bond, Talent MT: Baucus, Burns NE: Hagel, Nelson NV: Reid, Ensign NH: Gregg, Sununu NJ: Corzine, Lautenberg	NM: Domenici, Bingaman NY: Schumer, Clinton NC: Edwards, Dole ND: Conrad, Dorgan OH: DeWine, Voinovich OK: Nickles, Inhofe OR: Wyden, Smith PA: Specter, Santorum RI: Reed, Chafee SC: Hollings, Graham	SD: Daschle, Johnson TN: Frist, Alexander TX: Hutchison, Cornyn UT: Hatch, Bennett VT: Leahy, Jeffords VA: Warner, Allen WA: Murray, Cantwell WV: Byrd, Rockefeller WI: Kohl, Feingold WY: Thomas, Enzi
Republican | Democratic | Independent