Biography:

Ron L. Wyden was born in Wichita, Kan., and lives in Portland, Ore. After attending the University of California at Santa Barbara in the late 1960s, Wyden earned a bachelor's degree in political science in 1971 from Stanford University and a law degree in 1974 from the University of Oregon.

He was co-founder and co-director of the Oregon Gray Panthers, a senior citizen activist group, from 1974 to 1980, and director of Oregon Legal Services for the Elderly from 1977 to 1979.

Wyden was first elected to the U.S. House in 1980 and served eight consecutive terms there. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, replacing Republican Bob Packwood who resigned. Wyden was elected to a full term in 1998.

He is divorced and has two children.

Past Campaigns:

Ron Wyden was elected to the U.S. Senate in a special election held in January 1996 to fill the seat opened by the resignation of Republican Sen. Bob Packwood. He won 48 percent of the vote, defeating now-Sen. Gordon Smith, who had 47 percent.

Wyden was elected to a full term in 1998 with 61 percent of the vote. Wyden was first elected to the U.S. House in 1980 at age 31 _ ousting incumbent Democratic Rep. Robert Duncan in a primary_ and re-elected 1982 through 1994.

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