Position: Attorney General

Type of Appointment/Position: Presidential with Senate confirmation    

Senator Russell Feingold

Current Rating:

Russell Feingold, Democrat, of Middleton, WI; born on March 2, 1953, in Janesville, WI; graduated from Craig High School, Janesville, WI, 1971; B.A., University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1975; Rhodes Scholar, Oxford University, 1977; J.D., Harvard Law School, 1979; practicing attorney with Foley and Lardner, and with LaFollette and Sinykin, both in Madison, WI, 1979-85; Wisconsin State Senate, January 1983 to January 1993; married to Mary Feingold; four children: daughters Jessica and Ellen, and stepsons Sam Speerschneider and Ted Speerschneider; committees: Budget; Foreign Relations; Judiciary; Special Committee on Aging; elected to the U.S. Senate on November 3, 1992; reelected to each succeeding Senate term.

Extended biography: Wisconsin traditions have always been central to Russ Feingold's life. In 1917, his family settled in Janesville, Wisconsin, where Feingold was born to parents Leon and Sylvia on March 2, 1953. Growing up in Janesville, Feingold's political views were shaped by discussions at the family dinner table and his father's early involvement in the Progressive Movement. In Janesville's public schools, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and later practicing law in Madison and serving in the Wisconsin State Senate, Feingold has built his life in Wisconsin.

In his first try for an elective position at age 29, Feingold defeated a longtime incumbent to take the seat in the Wisconsin State Senate for the 27th District. Feingold was re-elected in 1986, and in 1990 faced no opponent for reelection to a four-year term.

When Feingold first ran for the U.S. Senate in 1992, he won a tough three-way primary with 70 percent of the vote, and went on to defeat two-term incumbent Robert Kasten. In 1998, after keeping his historic pledge to limit his campaign spending, and disallowing party soft money from being spent on his behalf, Feingold defeated Congressman Mark Neumann to win a second term.

Feingold stays in touch with Wisconsin's communities, visiting each of Wisconsin's 72 counties every year to hold his Listening Sessions. Feingold's top priority in the U.S. Senate is combating terrorism, including giving strong support to local first responders, while still ensuring the civil rights and civil liberties of every American.

Feingold has been recognized repeatedly by both the Concord Coalition and Taxpayers for Common Sense for his efforts to cut wasteful spending. His campaign to rein in government waste goes hand-in-hand with his work to clean up our federal campaign finance system, a bipartisan effort he leads with Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona. McCain's and Feingold's bill to ban unlimited soft money contributions was signed into law in 2002.

Feingold also works to carry forward the legacy of great Wisconsin leaders like Bob La Follette and Gaylord Nelson by supporting Wisconsin's families  fighting to lower health care costs, including getting Wisconsin its fair share of Medicare dollars, supporting Wisconsin's farmers, safeguarding the environment, and striving for the best in public education.

Feingold has two daughters, Jessica and Ellen, and his wife, Mary Feingold, has two sons, Sam and Ted Speerschneider. The Feingolds live in Middleton, Wisconsin.

Nominating Speech:
As the only Senator with the backbone to vote against the Patriot Act, Feingold can be trusted to protect our civil rights and liberties. Furthermore, as a Judiciary Committee member he has consistently voted to block the extremist nominees that would roll back women's rights, civil rights, and constitutional protections.

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