Tim Kaine

In choosing Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia as her running mate, Hillary Clinton selected a swing-state tested politician widely regarded as a centrist Democrat. Kaine, 58, rose the political ranks from Richmond City councilman, to governor of Virginia, to chairman of the Democratic National Committee, all while billing himself as “boring” and affable in interviews. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and raised in the Kansas suburb of Overland Park, Kaine graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Missouri in 1979, and received his law degree from Harvard Law School in 1983. A devout Catholic, Kaine often notes that his political views were largely shaped by his missionary work in the impoverished country of Honduras. At the age of 22, he took a year off from law school to volunteer with Jesuit missionaries in the impoverished nation, teaching carpentry and welding to teenagers. On the stump, Kaine often speaks Spanish to audiences, and like Clinton, has called for “comprehensive immigration reform” that would allow undocumented immigrants to gain legal residency if they pay taxes and a fine. Kaine worked as an attorney for 17 years before launching his political career. He specialized in housing discrimination cases, before winning a seat on the Richmond City Council in 1994. He was elected the city’s mayor four years later. In 2001, Kaine was elected lieutenant governor of Virginia, and elected governor in 2006. He served as governor during the 2007 gun massacre at Virginia Tech, spurring him to call for stricter gun-control regulations. While serving as governor, Kaine also was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011, at the request of President Barack Obama. In 2012, he was elected to the Senate, where he sits on the armed services, budget, and foreign relations committees. Kaine’s religious views often conflict with his political views -- he has said he personally opposes abortion, but said it’s a moral decision for individuals to make on their own. He has said he opposes capital punishment, but as governor presided over several executions. Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton tapped Kaine to serve as her running mate in July, describing him as “a man who’s devoted his life to fighting for others.” Kaine is married to Anne Holton, his wife of more than 30 years, who serves as Virginia secretary of education. They have two sons and a daughter.