Dan Burton

Dan Burton, born in 1938, Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana (1983- ). Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Burton was on active duty in the United States Army from 1956 to 1957 and stayed in the army reserves until 1962. He was educated at Indiana University from 1958 to 1959 and Cincinnati Bible College from 1959 to 1960. He was working as a real estate and insurance agent when his political career began. In 1966 he was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives, where he served two years. He then moved to the Indiana State Senate and served another two years. After unsuccessful bids for U.S. House seats in 1970 and 1972, he served again in the Indiana House from 1977 to 1981 and in the Indiana Senate from 1981 to 1983. Burton finally won a U.S. House seat in 1982 after redistricting created Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District. He was returned to office in subsequent elections.

The Sixth District covers the generally affluent suburbs that are north, east, and south of downtown Indianapolis. About one-fourth of the district is still farmland, but suburban growth has been the dominant feature in recent years. The Sixth District takes in the city of Speedway, site of the Indianapolis 500 auto race. About 98 percent of voters are white, and they favor conservative Republican candidates.