Harold Harvard, Senior

Harold Harvard is an American politician, lawyer and military officer who served as the junior Senator from Wisconsin, first elected in 1992, A member of the Democratic party, he also served as Senate minority leader from 2003 to 2005. He previously served in the US House of Representatives from 1983 to 1993, representing Wisconsin's 4th Congressional District. He has served as both the Deputy Majority and Deputy Minority Whip at various points in his career. He is the current Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus. Considered progressive, Harold Harvard announced his campaign for the presidency on June 1, 2003, challenging current President George Dixon. He suspended his campaign on July, 25, 2004 and endorsed the presumptive nominee Norman Broadwell. He missed the deadline for the 2004 Wisconsin Senate Democratic Primary, meaning his term came to a end on January 3, 2005.

Early Life and Education and Military Service
Harold was born in 1955 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to parents Henry and Esmeralda (nee Castro). Henry was disabled in World War Two, with his plane shot down by Japanese Imperial Air Forces, and was disabled as a result. Esmeralda became a middle school teacher, and her parents were Costa Rican. His family are Roman Catholic. Harold himself was a big reader as a child, reading books from philosophy to history, and exceeding in school. He was accepted into the University of Pennsylvania's law school at 17, with his education put on hold while he served in the Vietnam War briefly. Harvard participated in little combat, but witnessed several battles. After Vietnam he continued his studies and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in Constitutional and Civil rights law.

U.S. Congress
Harold Harvard was elected in 1982 to Wisconsin's 4th Congressional District. He was more moderate early on in his career, but has progressed further left. He voted for the Authorization into the Gulf War, he has since then regarded the vote as a mistake. Harvard entered the US Senate in 1992 and joined the Congressional Progressive Caucus. His notable votes has included "Nay" on the Act implementing NAFTA, "Nay" on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1994(which included the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy), "Yea" on the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, "Nay" on the Defense of Marriage Act, "Not Guilty" on both charges concerning the Impeachment of Bill Clinton, "Nay" on the No Child Left Behind Act, "Nay" on the Homeland Security Act, "Nay" on the PATRIOT Act, "Nay" on the Authorization of Military Force against Iraq.

Personal Life
Harold Harvard married artist Angelica Harvard (nee Mayfield) in 1978. They have three children, James (born 1984), Emily (born 1980) and Carmen (born 1979), Mayor of Appleton, Wisconsin, challenging Republican incumbent House Majority Whip Nabe Jones in Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District. Harvard's family owns homes in Washington, DC and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Harvard is a baptized Roman Catholic but does not frequently attend church. He is of Caribbean and English descent.

2004 Presidential Campaign
Harold Harvard was the nationwide front runner for the majority of the 2004 Democratic primaries holding a narrow delegate lead, running on a progressive platform of decriminalizing marijuana, criminal justice reform, reducing the amount of active troops in Iraq, action on climate change, a public option for health insurance, infrastructure investment, providing free community college, and reducing poverty. By the end of the primaries, he won 17 contests, the most out of all the candidates. Before the04 Democratic Convention, he held 696 pledged delegates, just 1 delegate behind Former President Al Gore, who promptly ended his campaign and endorsed Norman Broadwell, followed by John Matthews. Harvard would later suspend his campaign and endorse Norman Broadwell.

2008 Presidential Campaign
Harold Harvard began his second Presidential Campaign on April 20, 2007 in front of the Wisconsin State Capitol, facing off George Smith, Norman Broadwell and John Matthews, Sr. He began laying out his three priorities of healthcare, partial withdrawal from the Middle East and education.