Richard Burr

Submitted by ryanteaguebeckwith on March 25, 2007 - 12:20pm.
Tags:

Office District Status
U.S. Senator Statewide Incumbent
Party In Office Since Term Ends
Republican 2004 2010
Date of Birth Birthplace Now Lives In
November 30, 1955 Charlottesville, VA Winston-Salem, NC

Synopsis

The son of a Presbyterian minister, Burr played football at Wake Forest University and became national sales manager for an appliance company. In 1992, he lost his first race for the U.S. House of Representatives, but he was swept in as a member of the Republican Revolution two years later. After easily winning re-election four times, he was recruited to run against Sen. John Edwards in 2004, but ended up facing off against Erskine Bowles. In 2006, he passed legislation creating a new federal agency to oversee vaccine and drug development for terrorist attacks and flu pandemics. He has also sponsored a bill, nicknamed "Bioshield Two," that would give more authority to the agency. He was rumored to be a potential running mate for John McCain in 2008.

Trivia

He drives a gray 1974 Volkswagen Thing.

Endorsements

Biography

Marital Status
Married
Spouse
Brooke
Children
Sons, Tyler and William

Richard Burr is the junior U.S. Senator from North Carolina.

Early Life and Education

Richard Mauze Burr was born Nov. 30, 1955, in Charlottesville, Va. is father was a Presbyterian minister.

He played football at Wake Forest University, receiving a bachelor's degree in communications in 1978. 

Family

Burr's wife, Brooke, is a real estate agent. They have two sons, Tyler and William. 

Professional Career

He worked for Carswell Distributing Inc., a wholesale commercial products company, eventually becoming national sales manager.

Political Career

In 1992, he lost his first race for the U.S. House of Representatives.

In 1994, he ran again, winning as a member of the a member of the Republican Revolution led by Speaker Newt Gingrich. He was re-elected four times.

While serving on a subcommittee debating a bill to mandate low-flow toilets in 1999, he read his remarks from a roll of toilet paper as a gag.

He was recruited to run against Sen. John Edwards in 2004, but ended up facing off against Erskine Bowles. Virginia Sen. George Allen introduced Burr and six other freshmen as "The Magnificent Seven," and gave each a football inscribed with the percentage of their wins.

In 2006, he passed legislation creating a new federal agency to oversee vaccine and drug development for terrorist attacks and flu pandemics. He has also sponsored a bill, nicknamed "Bioshield Two," that would give more authority to the agency.

He was rumored to be a potential running mate for John McCain in 2008.

Occupation

Former sales manager





Community Involvement:
Not specified.

Contact Info

U.S. Senate
217 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510
202-224-3154		 North Carolina Office
2000 West First St., Suite 508, Winston-Salem, NC 27104
800-685-8916

Education



Military

Not specified.

Links

http://burr.senate.gov/

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db=d110&querybd=@FIELD(FLD003+@4((@1(Sen...
http://www.burrforsenate.com/





N&O Profile:
http://opensecrets.org/politicians/allsummary.asp?CID=N00002221
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/b001135/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Burr






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