Biography: Sam Brownback

Sam Brownback was elected to the U.S. Senate from Kansas in 1997 after serving one term in the House of Representatives. He was reelected in 2004, promised to serve two terms, and is now running for President. He is running because he believes his party has lost its way to a certain degree and says that his party's field lacks a full-scale conservative. He would outlaw abortion in nearly all cases, opposes expanding stem cell research, privatizing Social Security, the flat tax, and was a leader in the Republican party in the Terry Schiavo controversy. His far right-wing fiscal and social record is mixed with work on issues like work with prisoners. He supported a more moderate immigration bill than most of the Republican party before changing his position during this campaign. He has a checkered record on ethics, however, and was enmeshed in a 1997 campaign finance scandal, and received funds raised by Jack Abramoff.