Dick Gephardt

Dick Gephardt, born in 1941, Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri from 1977 to 2005 and a congressional leader from 1989 to 2003. Gephardt sought the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination twice during his career—in 1988 and 2004—but failed both times.

Richard Andrew Gephardt was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He received a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in 1962 and a law degree from the University of Michigan School of Law in 1965. After graduation, Gephardt returned to St. Louis to work as an attorney. He also served in the Air National Guard from 1965 to 1971. He won election in 1971 to the St. Louis Board of Aldermen. In 1976 Gephardt joined the race to become the representative from Missouri’s Third Congressional District. Gephardt won the election handily and was reelected by wide margins in subsequent elections.

In the House, Gephardt was viewed as a moderate who supported labor unions and workers’ rights. He also played an important role in the Democratic leadership of the House, serving as majority leader from 1989 to 1994 and minority leader from 1995 to 2003. In this capacity, Gephardt was noted for his ability to negotiate compromises and reach consensus among party members.

Gephardt was a candidate in the Democratic presidential primaries in 1988. He ran for the Democratic nomination once again in 2004 but withdrew after finishing fourth in the first caucus vote in Iowa that January. Gephardt announced in 2004 that he would not seek reelection to the House. He retired from office and returned to private life in January 2005.