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| Biography - Biography |
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 On November 2, 2004, Jim Bunning was elected to serve a second term as U.S. Senator for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Bunning was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998, winning by a mere 6,766 votes. In 2004 he won by a margin almost 3 ½ times larger than his victory in 1998, and he also won 73 of Kentucky's 120 counties and secured 873,507 votes - the most votes ever for a U.S. Senate candidate from Kentucky. People who know Bunning were not surprised by these victories. Competition is a hallmark of Bunning's life, and he is no stranger to winning.
As a youngster in Northern Kentucky, Bunning fell in love with baseball and even then he displayed a competitive spirit and a willingness to work hard. That combination carried him on to a highly successful 17-year career as a Major League Baseball player after his graduation from Xavier University with an Economics degree.
Pitching primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies, Bunning accumulated a record of achievement that eventually won him a seat in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996. He was the second pitcher in history (Cy Young was the first) to record 1,000 strikeouts and 100 wins in both the American and National leagues. When he retired in 1971, Bunning was second on the all time strikeout list - second only to Walter Johnson.
The same commitment that made Jim Bunning a Hall of Famer also serves him well in public office. In 1977, Bunning wanted to give something back to his community and he ran for and won a City Council seat in Fort Thomas, Kentucky. In 1979, he was elected to the Kentucky State Senate and became its Republican Leader. In 1986, Bunning was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the 4th District of Kentucky where he served for 12 years.
As Chairman of the House's Social Security Subcommittee, Bunning established himself as one of Congress's foremost experts and defenders of Social Security, as well as a leading spokesmen for strengthening and protecting Social Security. In Congress, Bunning has been a proponent of walling-off budget surpluses to help ensure the livelihood and commitment of Social Security for our seniors and future generations. Bunning also played a key role in the passage of landmark legislation establishing the Social Security Administration as a standalone and independent agency. He was also the author of the law to raise the unfair "earnings limit" for seniors.
 In the Senate, Bunning's hard work won him the respect of his colleagues and a coveted seat on the influential Finance Committee, making him the first Kentuckian in nearly 40 years to serve on this powerful committee. Service on this committee allows Bunning a direct role as to how nearly two-thirds of all federal dollars are spent on such issues as tax policy, Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security, welfare reform, and trade policy.
Bunning also serves on the Banking Committee where he played a key role in passage of the Corporate Accountability Act and he authored key Flood Insurance legislation which was signed into law. From his seat on the Energy Committee, Bunning is working hard to make America more energy independent with diverse energy sources, especially clean coal, soy-diesel, and ethanol. Bunning also serves on the Budget Committee where he is fighting for fiscally responsible budgets that fund our top priorities, with an emphasis on securing the homeland from terrorist threats.
Although his election in the U.S. Senate and induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame stand out as top moments in his life, the all-time high point in his life was his marriage to Mary Catherine Theis. Together, they raised nine children and have 35 grandchildren. Jim and Mary make their home in Southgate, Kentucky and are active members of the St. Therese Catholic Church in Southgate, Kentucky.
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