Rick Santorum

Richard John Santorum (born May 10 1958), commonly known as Rick Santorum, is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990 from a suburban Pittsburgh district and to the U.S. Senate in 1994. Santorum is a Republican who currently is chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, the number three job in the party leadership of the Senate. In recent years, Santorum's comments and public statements, especially on social issues such as same-sex marriage, have made him a highly controversial figure. He is running for re-election in the November 2006 elections. He announced in 2005 that he would not run for President in the 2008 election.

Personal background

Santorum was born in Winchester, Virginia. His father was an immigrant from Italy. Santorum received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1980 and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh in 1981. After graduating he became an administrative assistant to pro-choice Republican state Senator J. Doyle Corman (until 1986) and director of the Pennsylvania Senate's local government committee (until 1984, when he became the director of the Pennsylvania Senate's Transportation Committee (1984 – 1986). His wife, Karen Garver Santorum, is the author of a book on etiquette. http://www.booksforcatholics.com/listings/l0109.html

Related Topics:
Winchester - Virginia - Immigrant - Italy - Bachelor of Arts - Degree - Pennsylvania State University - 1980 - Master of Business Administration - University of Pittsburgh - 1981 - 1986 - 1984 - Karen Garver Santorum

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Santorum and his wife have six children: Elizabeth Anne, Richard John ("Johnny"), Jr., Daniel James, Sarah Maria, Peter Kenneth and Patrick Francis. Their son, Gabriel Michael Santorum, was born prematurely in 1996 and lived for only two hours. (A sonogram taken before Gabriel was born had revealed that his posterior urethral valve was closed and that the prognosis for his survival was therefore poor.) Instead of taking the baby to a funeral home, Santorum and his wife brought Gabriel's body home to show to their other children (then ages four, six, and eight), take photos and sing to the newborn. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A61804-2005Apr17?language=printer Karen Santorum wrote a book about the experience, Letters to Gabriel: The True Story of Gabriel Michael Santorum (ISBN 1568145284).

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In 1986 Santorum received a law degree from the Dickinson School of Law, was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar, and began practicing law in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. While working at the law firm of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, Santorum represented the World Wrestling Federation. In that capacity, he argued that professional wrestling should be exempt from federal steroid regulations because it is not a sport.

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Law degree - Dickinson School of Law - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Law firm - Kirkpatrick & Lockhart - World Wrestling Federation - Professional wrestling - Steroid - Sport

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In 1990, at age 32, Santorum was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating a seven-term Democratic incumbent; he served two terms (January 3 1991–January 3 1995). He was then elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994, defeating the incumbent Democrat Harris Wofford, who was 32 years Santorum's senior. Santorum was re-elected in 2000.

Related Topics:
1990 - U.S. House of Representatives - Democratic - January 3 - 1991 - 1995 - 1994 - Harris Wofford - Re-elected - 2000

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Santorum attends a Tridentine Mass Roman Catholic Church, near Washington, D.C. on Sundays with his family. (On weekdays he attends a different church). Other church members include former FBI head Louis Freeh, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, and formerly, Robert Hanssen, the FBI turncoat spy. On November 12, 2004, Santorum and his wife were invested as Knight and Dame, respectively, of Magistral Grace of the Knights of Malta in a ceremony held at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

Related Topics:
Tridentine Mass - Roman Catholic Church - FBI - Louis Freeh - Antonin Scalia - Robert Hanssen - November 12 - 2004 - Knights of Malta - St. Patrick's Cathedral - New York City

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Santorum has been active in welfare reform and government accountability. He is a self-described conservative who favors legislation that would restrict or prohibit abortion. Although he has said he is personally against abortion and has expressed disapproval of the practice of homosexuality, he has also stated the belief that states should decide these questions rather than courts.

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Welfare reform - Conservative - Abortion

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In January 2005, Santorum stated his intention to run for United States Senate Republican Whip in 2006.

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January - 2005 - United States Senate Republican Whip

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Santorum is widely seen as one of the more ideologically conservative members of the Senate and has come under a great deal of criticism regarding many of his views. Consequently, he is considered to be a prime target of Democratic efforts to gain Senate seats in the 2006 elections. He is currently being opposed in that race by Democrat Robert Patrick Casey, Jr., who, like his father, the late Governor of Pennsylvania, and like Senator Santorum, opposes abortion rights.

Related Topics:
2006 - Elections - Robert Patrick Casey, Jr. - Father

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