Bob Kasten
Encyclopedia
Robert Walter "Bob" Kasten, Jr. (born June 19, 1942), is a Republican
politician from the state
of Wisconsin
who served as a U.S. Representative
from 1975 to 1979 and as a U.S. Senator
from 1981 to 1993.
. He graduated in 1960 from The Choate School
(now Choate Rosemary Hall) in Wallingford, Connecticut
, in 1964 from the University of Arizona
in Tucson
, and received his M.B.A. from the Columbia Business School
in 1966. He served in the Wisconsin Air National Guard
from 1966 to 1972.
in 1972. In 1974, he was elected to the House of Representatives
as a Republican
. He was reelected in 1976. He ran for Governor of Wisconsin
in 1978, but lost the Republican nomination to Lee S. Dreyfus
. Kasten ran for the United States Senate
in 1980 and defeated liberal
Democrat
and environmentalist
incumbent
Senator Gaylord Nelson
. Kasten's victory was propelled in part by the popularity of Ronald Reagan
at the top of the Republican ticket. In the Senate, Kasten was an outspoken conservative
. He was the first Republican to represent Wisconsin in the Senate since Alexander Wiley
left office in 1963.
In 1985 Kasten was arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence
after a District of Columbia police officer observed him running a red light and driving on the wrong side of the road. The charges were later dropped.
In 1986, Kasten narrowly defeated Democrat Ed Garvey
to win re-election, earning the ironic nickname "Landslide Bob" for the narrowness of each of his two Senate elections. Kasten was defeated by Democrat Russ Feingold
in 1992.
In July 2007, it was announced that Kasten was joining the presidential campaign of Republican Rudy Giuliani
as a foreign policy adviser.; in August, it was announced that Kasten would also be chairing Giuliani's Wisconsin campaign, along with former U.S. Representative Scott Klug and former State Senator Cathy Stepp
(R-Yorkville).
named a recurring character in his Wisconsin-based comic book
Badger
after Kasten, then Wisconsin's junior senator. The character, a peg-legged
, vampire
-hunting pig
named "Senator Bob Kasten", made several appearances in the series. A student political party on the University of Wisconsin Madison campus satirically named themselves the "Bob Kasten School of Driving" (a reference to his DUI arrest) won the campus-wide elections in 1986 and 1987.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician from the state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
who served as a U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1975 to 1979 and as a U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from 1981 to 1993.
Background
Kasten was born in MilwaukeeMilwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. He graduated in 1960 from The Choate School
Choate Rosemary Hall
Choate Rosemary Hall is a private, college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school located in Wallingford, Connecticut...
(now Choate Rosemary Hall) in Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford, Connecticut
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 43,026 at the 2000 census.- History :Wallingford was established on October 10, 1667, when the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the "making of a village on the east river" to 38 planters and freemen...
, in 1964 from the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
in Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
, and received his M.B.A. from the Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School is the business school of Columbia University in Manhattan, New York City. It was established in 1916 to provide business training and professional preparation for undergraduate and graduate Columbia University students...
in 1966. He served in the Wisconsin Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
from 1966 to 1972.
Elected office
Kasten was elected to the Wisconsin State SenateWisconsin State Senate
The Wisconsin Senate, the powers of which are modeled after those of the U.S. Senate, is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature, smaller than the Wisconsin State Assembly...
in 1972. In 1974, he was elected to the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He was reelected in 1976. He ran for Governor of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
in 1978, but lost the Republican nomination to Lee S. Dreyfus
Lee S. Dreyfus
Lee Sherman Dreyfus was an American politician and member of the Republican Party who served as the 40th Governor of Wisconsin from January 4, 1979 to January 3, 1983....
. Kasten ran for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1980 and defeated liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
and environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Senator Gaylord Nelson
Gaylord Nelson
Gaylord Anton Nelson was an American politician from Wisconsin who served as a United States Senator and governor. A Democrat, he was the principal founder of Earth Day.-Public service and leadership:...
. Kasten's victory was propelled in part by the popularity of Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
at the top of the Republican ticket. In the Senate, Kasten was an outspoken conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
. He was the first Republican to represent Wisconsin in the Senate since Alexander Wiley
Alexander Wiley
Alexander Wiley was a member of the Republican Party who served four terms in the United States Senate for the state of Wisconsin from 1939 to 1963. When he left the Senate, he was its most senior Republican member.-Biography:...
left office in 1963.
In 1985 Kasten was arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence
Driving under the influence
Driving under the influence is the act of driving a motor vehicle with blood levels of alcohol in excess of a legal limit...
after a District of Columbia police officer observed him running a red light and driving on the wrong side of the road. The charges were later dropped.
In 1986, Kasten narrowly defeated Democrat Ed Garvey
Ed Garvey
- Background :Edward Garvey graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and spent two years in the U.S. Army; he then returned to the University of Wisconsin Law School and earned a law degree.- Law and union work :...
to win re-election, earning the ironic nickname "Landslide Bob" for the narrowness of each of his two Senate elections. Kasten was defeated by Democrat Russ Feingold
Russ Feingold
Russell Dana "Russ" Feingold is an American politician from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. He served as a Democratic party member of the U.S. Senate from 1993 to 2011. From 1983 to 1993, Feingold was a Wisconsin State Senator representing the 27th District.He is a recipient of the John F...
in 1992.
After the Senate
Since 1993, he has been President of Kasten & Company, a consulting firm.In July 2007, it was announced that Kasten was joining the presidential campaign of Republican Rudy Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani
Rudolph William Louis "Rudy" Giuliani KBE is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001....
as a foreign policy adviser.; in August, it was announced that Kasten would also be chairing Giuliani's Wisconsin campaign, along with former U.S. Representative Scott Klug and former State Senator Cathy Stepp
Cathy Stepp
Cathy Stepp is a Wisconsin politician and business owner.Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Stepp and her husband own a construction business. From 2003 until 2007, Stepp served as a Republican in the Wisconsin State Senate. In January 2011, Governor Scott Walker appointed Stepp Secretary of the...
(R-Yorkville).
Electoral history
Cultural references
Writer Mike BaronMike Baron
Mike Baron is the creator of comic books Badger and Nexus. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.-Biography:Mike Baron broke into comics with an illustrated text piece in the 1974 debut issue of Marvel Comics's Comix Book...
named a recurring character in his Wisconsin-based comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
Badger
Badger (comics)
The Badger is a comic book character and series created by writer Mike Baron in 1983. The series began publication with the short-lived Capital Comics company before First Comics acquired the title and continued publshing it through the 1980s and early 1990s. The series ended when First Comics also...
after Kasten, then Wisconsin's junior senator. The character, a peg-legged
Pegleg
A pegleg is a prosthesis, more specifically an artificial limb of carved wood fitted to the remaining stump of a human leg, as often seen in pirate movies...
, vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
-hunting pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
named "Senator Bob Kasten", made several appearances in the series. A student political party on the University of Wisconsin Madison campus satirically named themselves the "Bob Kasten School of Driving" (a reference to his DUI arrest) won the campus-wide elections in 1986 and 1987.