a Republican opponent buoyed by Ronald Reagan's reelection coattails. Like his predecessor, Paul Tsongas, Kerry came to the Senate with a reputation for independence -- and reinforced it by making tough choices on difficult issues: breaking with many in his own Party to support Gramm-Rudman Deficit Reduction; taking on corporate welfare and government waste; pushing for campaign finance reform; holding Oliver North accountable and exposing the fraud and abuse at the heart of the BCCI scandal; working with John McCain in the search for the truth about Vietnam veterans declared POW/MIA; and insisting on accountability, investment, and excellence in public education. Sen. Kerry was re-elected in 1990, again in 1996, defeating the popular Republican Governor William Weld in the most closely watched Senate race in the country, and in 2002. Now serving his fourth term, Kerry has worked to reform public education, address children's issues, strengthen the economy and encourage the growth of the high tech New Economy, protect the environment, and advance America's foreign policy interests around the globe.
             John Kerry is married to Teresa Heinz Kerry. He has two daughters, Alexandra and Vanessa. Teresa has three sons, John, Andre, and Christopher. Senator Kerry lives in Boston.
             John Kerry believes that your family's health is just as important as any politician's in Washington. That's why he will give every American access to the health care plan that the President and Members of Congress already have. John Kerry has the courage to take on special interests to get health care costs under control. He will stand up to big insurance and drug companies that impede progress. And John Kerry's health care plan takes care of our most vulnerable citizens by covering every child and preserving and strengthening Medicare.
             George Bush has chosen to lavish tax cuts upon the wealthiest among us while working Americans struggl...