Paul Tsongas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Tsongas
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Official portrait, c. 1979
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| United States Senator from Massachusetts |
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| In office January 3, 1979 – January 2, 1985 |
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| Preceded by | Edward Brooke |
| Succeeded by | John Kerry |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 5th district |
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| In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1979 |
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| Preceded by | Paul W. Cronin |
| Succeeded by | James Shannon |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Paul Efthemios Tsongas
February 14, 1941 Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | January 18, 1997 (aged 55) Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Resting place | Lowell Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Niki Sauvage
(m. 1969) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Dartmouth College (AB) Yale University (JD) Harvard University (MPP) |
Paul Efthemios Tsongas (February 14, 1941 – January 18, 1997) was an American politician. He represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate from 1979 to 1985. Before that, he served in the United States House of Representatives from 1975 to 1979.
A member of the Democratic Party, Tsongas ran for president in 1992. He won several early contests but lost the nomination to Bill Clinton. Born in Lowell, Massachusetts, Tsongas went to Dartmouth College, Yale Law School, and the Kennedy School of Government. He worked for the Peace Corps before starting his political career. He was a city councilor and county commissioner.
In 1974, he was elected to the House of Representatives. In 1978, he won a seat in the Senate. In Congress, Tsongas was known for being socially liberal and fiscally conservative. He was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 1983 and decided not to run for re-election in 1984. After a successful bone marrow transplant, he returned to politics. He had early success in the 1992 Democratic presidential primaries, winning in New Hampshire. He later left the race and supported Bill Clinton. Tsongas was against deficit spending and helped start the Concord Coalition. He passed away in 1997 due to complications from pneumonia and his earlier illness.
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Early Life and Education
Paul Tsongas was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, on February 14, 1941. He had a twin sister named Thaleia. His family owned a successful dry cleaning business. His father was a Greek immigrant, and his mother was also of Greek descent.
After finishing Lowell High School in 1958, Tsongas attended Dartmouth College. He graduated in 1962 with a degree in economics. He then studied at Yale Law School and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. While at Dartmouth, he was part of the men's swimming team. He later took up swimming again to help his recovery from lymphoma.
Tsongas served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia from 1962 to 1964. He also worked as a Peace Corps Country Director in the West Indies from 1967 to 1968.
In 1967, Tsongas met Niki Sauvage while working as an aide to Congressman F. Bradford Morse. They got married in 1969 and had three daughters: Ashley, Katina, and Molly. Niki Tsongas later became a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. When Paul Tsongas ran for office, his campaign used bumper stickers that said "Tsenator Tsongas" to help people pronounce his last name correctly.
Political Career
Tsongas began his political journey as a city councilor in Lowell in 1969. He served two terms there. After that, he became a county commissioner for Middlesex County.
In 1974, he ran for the United States House of Representatives. He won against the Republican Paul W. Cronin. This was a big win because his district had been mostly Republican for a long time. He was reelected in 1976. In 1978, he ran for the United States Senate and won, defeating the Republican Edward Brooke.
In 1983, Tsongas was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He announced his retirement from the Senate in 1984. His Senate seat was then won by John Kerry. After a successful bone marrow transplant in 1986, doctors said he was cancer-free in 1991. He then decided to return to politics and run for President in 1992. Before this campaign, Tsongas had never lost an election. He was also the first former Peace Corps volunteer to be elected to the U.S. Senate.
In the Senate, Tsongas played a role in important decisions. For example, in 1979, he helped strengthen a bill about Alaska's public lands. In 1982, he was one of a few senators who voted against a large military spending bill.
Political Beliefs
Tsongas was generally seen as socially liberal and fiscally conservative. This means he believed in protecting individual rights and freedoms, but also in careful government spending. He was known for supporting historic preservation and environmental conservation. At the same time, he also supported policies that helped businesses.
While in the House, he helped create the Lowell National Historical Park. He also helped establish or expand other areas in the National Park System.
Later, in the Senate, he worked to pass the important Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980. This law protected a lot of land in Alaska.
Regarding money and business, Tsongas focused on the federal budget deficit. This is when the government spends more money than it takes in. He continued to work on this issue even after his presidential campaign by helping to start the Concord Coalition.
Some people criticized Tsongas, saying his ideas were too similar to Republicans. He once joked, "If anyone thinks the words 'government' and 'efficiency' belong in the same sentence, we have counselling available."
Presidential Campaign
Paul Tsongas was the first Democrat to announce he was running for president in the 1992 election. He announced his campaign on April 30, 1991, in his hometown of Lowell. His campaign hoped to do well early on in New Hampshire. Tsongas focused on his plan for the economy, which he explained in a book called A Call to Economic Arms. When asked why he didn't have a tax cut plan like other candidates, he famously said, "I'm not trying to play Santa Claus."
New Hampshire Primary
In early 1992, things looked good for Tsongas. Another main candidate, Bill Clinton, faced some challenges. Tsongas won the New Hampshire primary with 33.2% of the votes. Clinton came in second. Even though Tsongas won, Clinton's team called him "the Comeback Kid," which made it seem like Clinton had done better than expected.
After New Hampshire
After New Hampshire, Tsongas found it hard to raise as much money as Clinton. Clinton went on to win most of the later primary contests. Tsongas did win primaries in states like Delaware, Maryland, Arizona, Washington, Utah, and Massachusetts. However, his campaign never fully recovered from Clinton's strong comeback.
Democratic Convention
Tsongas left the race on March 19, 1992, and supported Clinton. However, some of his supporters still voted for him at the Democratic National Convention. Tsongas received 289 votes, placing him third behind Clinton and Jerry Brown.
Later Life and Legacy
In late 1994, Tsongas briefly tried to create a new political party. He suggested that General Colin Powell could lead it. At that time, Tsongas was considered a very popular political figure in Massachusetts.
Paul Tsongas passed away on January 18, 1997, at age 55. He died from complications related to pneumonia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He had been hospitalized for a liver problem connected to his cancer treatments. In May 1996, he had another bone marrow transplant from his twin sister, Thaleia.
On January 27, 1998, the Tsongas Center in Lowell was named in his honor. In 2007, his wife, Niki, won the Congressional seat that Paul Tsongas once held.
Preservation Massachusetts, a group that works to save Massachusetts history, gives out an annual Paul Tsongas Award. This award honors people who work to restore historic places in the state.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, circa 1979
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The Boott Cotton Mill in Lowell, Massachusetts.
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Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
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A bumper sticker from Tsongas's presidential campaign.
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New Hampshire delegates supporting Tsongas at the Democratic National Convention.
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Madison Square Garden, site of the 1992 Democratic National Convention.
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The Tsongas Center in Lowell, Massachusetts.
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Paul Tsongas's gravestone in Lowell Cemetery.
