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Russell Dana Feingold (born March 2, 1953) has been the U.S. senator from Wisconsin since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was born in Janesville, Wisconsin and graduated from Joseph A. Craig High School. He later graduated from UW-Madison with honors in 1975, went to the University of Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship in 1977, and finished Harvard University Law School in 1979 with honors. He worked as an attorney at law for Foley & Lardner and La Follette & Sinykin from 1979 until 1985. In 1982 he was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate where he served until his election to the United States Senate.

Feingold's senatorial career began in 1992 with a surprising victory over Republican incumbent Robert W. Kasten, Jr.. Feingold won the Democratic Senate primary against two formidable opponents, then produced several offbeat political ads emphasizing Kasten's lack of availability to the people of Wisconsin during the general election. The nation was stunned by Feingold's victory, won on a pittance of campaign money. Kasten was as well; he broke into tears in his concession speech. Feingold, meanwhile, celebrated at a hotel in Middleton, where he lives. Feingold continued to oppose soft money during his 1998 reelection campaign, in spite of his opponent throwing millions of dollars of attack ads against him. In the end Feingold squeaked out a 2% win. In 2004 he accepted a larger amount of money for his reelection campaign.

As the Supreme Court has upheld the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, the Senator has recently turned his attention to fighting against Congressional pay raises. During his tenure in the Senate he has been very vocal about this issue. Since his election into office in 1992, Feingold has returned more than $50,000 of pay raises to the U.S. Treasury. Feingold is one of Congress's least wealthy members, with a net worth of $150,000.

Senator Feingold regularly holds "listening sessions" in all 72 Wisconsin counties to listen to his constituents' concerns, and has held more than 850 since he was elected to office.

There is also talk of Feingold seeking the Democratic Party's Presidential nomination in 2008. In December of 2004 a *Draft Feingold website showed up.

External link

• Senate home page
• Feingold for Senate
• 10/1 Feingold speech on his vote against Patriot Act
• Senator Feingold's recent voting record

• 1953 births
• United States Senators
• U.S. Congressmen from Wisconsin
• Wisconsin State Senators