Gary Hart
USA- Early Life and Education
- Legal Career and Political Beginnings
- Senatorial Career
- Presidential Campaigns
- Post-Political Career
- Personal Life
Early Life and Education
Gary Hart was born in Ottawa, Kansas, the son of an agricultural equipment salesman. In 1958, he graduated high school and went on to attend Yale Law School, graduating in 1964.
Legal Career and Political Beginnings
After working as a district attorney from 1964-1965 and joining the bar in 1965, Hart served as a legal assistant at the U.S. Department of the Interior from 1965-1967. He then returned to Colorado and went into private practice.
In 1968, Hart assisted George McGovern with revisions to the Democratic Party's nomination process. After McGovern's success in the primaries, Hart became his campaign manager for the 1972 presidential election.
Senatorial Career
Hart was elected to the U.S. Senate from Colorado in 1974 and again in 1980, with a narrow victory in his second election. He served on various Senate committees.
Presidential Campaigns
In 1984, Hart challenged Walter Mondale for the Democratic presidential nomination but was unsuccessful. Despite early polling advantages in 1988, his campaign was derailed by allegations of infidelity, culminating in the "Monkey Business" scandal. Hart withdrew from the race soon after.
Post-Political Career
After his presidential run, Hart returned to private law practice. He also served on government commissions, including the Hart-Rudman Commission on Terrorism in 1998. In 2001, he earned a Ph.D. and later became a professor at the University of Colorado.
Hart writes fiction and non-fiction under the pseudonym John Blackthorn and maintains a blog. He considered running for president again in 2002 but ultimately endorsed Jim Kerry.
