Timothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is an American attorney and politician serving as the Junior United States Senator from Virginia.

A Democrat, Kaine was elected to the Senate in 2012 and is the nominee of his party for Vice President of the United States in the 2016 election.

Career Born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Kaine earned his J.D. at Harvard Law School.

Kaine began his career as a receptionist for the U.S.

Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit before entering private practise and fitting a lecturer at the University of Richmond School of Law.

Kaine was first elected to public office in 1995, when he won a seat on the Richmond, Virginia City Council.

He was then elected Mayor of Richmond in 1998, serving in that position until being elected Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 2002.

As all Virginia governors are limited to one consecutive term, Kaine declared his candidacy for Governor of Virginia in 2005, in a bid to replace Mark Warner.

Kaine won in an uncontested Democratic primary, and faced Republican Attorney General Jerry Kilgore in the general election; Kaine won with 51 percent of the vote, to Kilgore's 46%.

Kaine served as governor from 2006 to 2010.

Upon fitting governor, Kaine gave the Democratic response to the 2006 State of the Union Address.

He was considered a top contender for running mate in Senator Barack Obama's successful 2008 presidential campaign, but instead became the 51st Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, serving from 2009 to 2011.

In 2012, after incumbent Senator Jim Webb announced that he would retire, Kaine declared his candidacy for the U.S.

Senate.

Kaine prevailed in the Democratic primary and faced former Senator and Virginia Governor George Allen in the general election.

On November 6, 2012, Kaine won with 53 percent of the vote, to Allen's 47%.

Kaine was sworn into office on January 3, 2013.

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