Tim Kaine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tim Kaine
Official portrait, 2019
United States Senator from Virginia
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2013 Serving with Mark Warner
Preceded by	Jim Webb
Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office January 21, 2009 – April 5, 2011
Preceded by	Howard Dean
Succeeded by	Debbie Wasserman Schultz
70th Governor of Virginia
In office January 14, 2006 – January 16, 2010
Lieutenant	Bill Bolling
Preceded by	Mark Warner
Succeeded by	Bob McDonnell
38th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
In office January 12, 2002 – January 14, 2006
Governor	Mark Warner
Preceded by	John H. Hager
Succeeded by	Bill Bolling
76th Mayor of Richmond
In office July 1, 1998 – September 10, 2001
Preceded by	Larry Chavis
Succeeded by	Rudy McCollum
Member of the Richmond City Council from the 2nd district
In office July 1, 1994 – September 10, 2001
Preceded by	Benjamin P.A. Warthen
Succeeded by	William J. Pantele
Personal details
Born	Timothy Michael Kaine (1958-02-26) February 26, 1958 (age 67) Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Anne Holton ​ (m. 1984)​
Children	3
Education	University of Missouri (BA) Harvard University (JD)
Signature

Timothy Michael Kaine (born February 26, 1958) is an American lawyer and politician. He is currently a United States senator for Virginia, a position he has held since 2013. He is a member of the Democratic Party.

Before becoming a senator, Kaine served as the 70th governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010. He was also the 38th lieutenant governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006. In the 2016 election, Kaine was the Democratic candidate for vice president of the United States. He ran alongside Hillary Clinton.

Kaine was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and grew up in Overland Park, Kansas. He studied at the University of Missouri and later earned a law degree from Harvard Law School. After law school, he worked as a lawyer and taught at the University of Richmond School of Law.

His first public office was in 1994, when he was elected to the Richmond city council. He became mayor of Richmond in 1998. In 2001, he was elected lieutenant governor of Virginia. Kaine then became governor of Virginia in 2005. He also led the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011. In 2012, Kaine was elected to the U.S. Senate. He won against former Virginia governor George Allen.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton chose Kaine as her vice-presidential running mate. They were nominated at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Even though they won more national votes, they lost the election to Donald Trump and Mike Pence. Kaine was reelected to the Senate in 2018 and again in 2024.

Early Life and Education

Tim Kaine was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. He is the oldest of three sons. His mother, Mary Kathleen, was a home economics teacher. His father, Albert Alexander Kaine Jr., owned a small iron-working shop. Kaine was raised Catholic. His family moved to Overland Park, Kansas, when he was two years old.

In 1976, he graduated from Rockhurst High School. This was a Jesuit (Catholic) preparatory school for boys in Kansas City, Missouri. At Rockhurst, Kaine was part of the debate team. He was also elected student body president.

Kaine earned his degree in economics from the University of Missouri in 1979. He finished his degree in three years. He graduated with high honors. In 1979, he started at Harvard Law School. After his first year, he paused his studies. He spent nine months in Honduras from 1980 to 1981. There, he helped Jesuit missionaries who ran a Catholic school. He worked at a center that taught carpentry and welding. He also helped more local villagers join the school. Because of his time in Honduras, Kaine speaks fluent Spanish.

After returning from Honduras, Kaine met his future wife, Anne Holton. She was also a law student at Harvard. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1983. Kaine and Holton moved to Richmond, Virginia, where Holton grew up. Kaine became a lawyer in Virginia in 1984.

Legal Career and City Council

After law school, Kaine worked for a judge in Georgia. Then, he joined a law firm in Richmond. He practiced law for 17 years. He focused on fair housing law. This meant he helped people who faced unfair treatment based on their race or disability.

He also did a lot of pro bono work. This means he worked for free to help people. In 1988, he started teaching law ethics at the University of Richmond School of Law. He taught there for six years.

Kaine became interested in politics partly because of his wife's family. He also attended meetings of the Richmond city council. In 1994, he was elected to the Richmond city council. He won by a very small number of votes. He served on the city council for four terms. During his last two terms, he was the mayor of Richmond.

Mayor of Richmond (1998–2001)

On July 1, 1998, Kaine became the mayor of Richmond. He was chosen by the city council. He was the first white mayor in Richmond in over ten years. Past mayors had seen the job as mostly ceremonial. But Kaine treated it as a full-time job. He took a more active role in running the city.

As mayor, Kaine helped renovate the historic Maggie L. Walker High School. It reopened in 2000 as a special magnet school. Three elementary schools and one middle school were also built in Richmond during his time. Kaine supported "Project Exile." This program moved gun crimes to federal court, where sentences were tougher. This effort helped reduce the city's homicide rate by 55%.

Kaine often voted against tax increases. He supported a program that lowered taxes for renovated buildings. This helped a lot of housing renovations happen in the city. Forbes magazine even named Richmond one of the "10 best cities in America to do business" during his term.

Many people said Mayor Kaine was energetic and friendly. He spoke openly about bringing people together in Richmond. He issued an apology for the city's past role in slavery. This apology was well received.

Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (2002–2006)

Kaine ran for lieutenant governor of Virginia in 2001. He won the Democratic nomination. In the general election, Kaine won with 50.35% of the votes. He beat his Republican opponent, Jay Katzen.

Kaine was sworn into office on January 12, 2002. His wife, Anne Holton, who was a state judge, swore him in.

Governor of Virginia (2006–2010)

Kaine became governor on January 14, 2006. He was sworn in at the old colonial Capitol in Williamsburg. He was the first governor since Thomas Jefferson to be sworn in there. From 2008 to 2009, Kaine was the chairman of the Southern Governors' Association.

Protecting Land and the Environment

As governor, Kaine kept a promise he made in 2005. He protected about 400,000 acres (1,600 km2) of Virginia land from being developed. He focused on conservation easements. These are agreements that protect land from development while keeping it privately owned. Virginia also had a tax credit that encouraged these easements.

Kaine also created the Climate Change Commission. This group studied issues related to climate change.

Health and Public Safety

In October 2006, Kaine signed an order to ban smoking. This ban applied to all government buildings and state-owned cars. In March 2009, he signed a law that banned smoking in most restaurants and bars. Virginia was the first Southern state to do this.

In 2007, Kaine helped increase state funding for nursing. He announced a 10% salary raise for nursing teachers. He also provided more money for nursing scholarships. These efforts aimed to help with the shortage of nurses.

Virginia Tech Shooting Response

After the terrible 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, Kaine set up a special panel. This panel looked into the event. The panel included experts in psychology, law, and education. Based on their ideas, Kaine suggested investing $42 million in mental health programs. He also signed an order to make it harder for people with mental health issues to buy guns. Kaine was praised for how he handled this difficult situation.

Budget and Economy

One of Kaine's biggest challenges was the economic crisis of 2008–09. Even during this tough time, unemployment in Virginia stayed lower than the national average.

As governor, Kaine approved about $3.31 billion in spending cuts. He had to make unpopular cuts because he couldn't raise taxes. Virginia was one of only three states to get the highest grade for its financial management. Also, Forbes magazine named Virginia the "Best State For Business" every year from 2006 to 2009.

Transportation and Roads

In 2006, Kaine tried to get lawmakers to support a plan to fix traffic problems. The plan would have spent about $1 billion each year on highways, roads, and public transport. This money would have come from higher taxes and fees. The plan did not pass because some lawmakers did not want to approve the new taxes.

In 2007, a different transportation plan was passed. It borrowed money and increased fees on things like rental cars. Kaine signed this bill, but he also made some changes to it.

Education Initiatives

Under Kaine, more children joined early childhood education programs. This was because he expanded the Virginia Preschool Initiative. This program helps four-year-olds from lower-income families go to pre-kindergarten. Virginia was rated the best state to raise a child in a 2007 report.

Democratic National Committee Chair (2009–2011)

In January 2009, Kaine became the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He took the job at President Obama's request. He did this part-time while still serving as governor of Virginia.

His main goals were to protect the Democratic Party's seats in Congress. He also wanted to connect the president's campaign efforts with the party. In the 2010 elections, Democrats lost control of the House of Representatives. However, Kaine was generally not blamed for these losses.

After his term as governor ended in January 2010, Kaine taught part-time at the University of Richmond. He taught courses in leadership and law.

U.S. Senate

Senate Elections

2012 Election

In 2011, Senator Jim Webb decided not to run for reelection. Kaine then announced he would run for Webb's seat. Other Virginia Democrats thought Kaine was the strongest candidate. They convinced him to run. Kaine won the election against former senator and governor George Allen.

2018 Election

After the 2016 election, Kaine said he would run for reelection to the Senate in 2018. He said he wanted to serve for a long time, like former Senator John Warner. He also said he would not run for president or vice president again. Kaine won his reelection campaign by a large margin.

2024 Election

On January 20, 2023, Kaine announced he would run for reelection in 2024. This news was welcomed by many Democrats. They believed his retirement would make the race much harder for their party. Kaine will face Republican Hung Cao in the general election.

Serving in the Senate

Kaine was sworn into the Senate on January 3, 2013. This reunited him with Mark Warner, the senior senator from Virginia. Kaine had been lieutenant governor when Warner was governor.

On June 11, 2013, Kaine gave a speech on the Senate floor. He spoke in support of a bill about immigration. The entire speech was in Spanish. This was the first time a senator had given a full speech on the Senate floor in a language other than English.

As a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Kaine pushed for Congress to approve military actions. He supported the international nuclear agreement with Iran. Kaine has traveled to the Middle East to meet with leaders there.

Kaine has continued to teach part-time at the University of Richmond. He earns a salary of $16,000 per year for this. Kaine often votes with his party. He is known for having good relationships with senators from both parties.

Kaine has often criticized Donald Trump. He said Trump's actions as president showed "authoritarian tendencies." He pointed to Trump's attacks on the media and judges.

In February 2017, Kaine met with Pope Francis at the Vatican. He also met with groups helping refugees.

Senate Committees

Kaine serves on several important Senate committees:

• Committee on Armed Services
• Committee on Foreign Relations
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
• Committee on the Budget

Caucuses and Education Initiatives

In 2014, Kaine and Senator Rob Portman started the bipartisan Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus. This group focuses on vocational education and technical education. Kaine and Portman lead this caucus. They have introduced bills to provide federal funding for these programs. These bills aim to help high schools improve their career and technical education. They also promote apprenticeships.

Vice Presidential Candidacy

2008 Speculation

Kaine supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2007. Because Kaine was a popular governor, some thought he might be chosen as vice president. Obama had supported Kaine in his governor's race.

Obama considered Kaine for the vice president role. However, he ultimately chose Joe Biden. Obama later said that Kaine was "the pick of my heart." But Biden's age and experience were seen as a strength.

2016 Campaign

Kaine supported Hillary Clinton for president in 2016. He campaigned for her in many states. News reports suggested he was a top choice for her running mate. On July 22, 2016, Clinton announced Kaine would be her vice-presidential candidate. They appeared together at a rally in Miami.

Kaine was the first person from Virginia since 1840 to run for vice president on a major party ticket. He publicly released his tax returns and medical records. In September, he co-authored a campaign book with Clinton called Stronger Together.

During the vice-presidential debate in October 2016, Kaine debated Republican candidate Mike Pence. Kaine was criticized for interrupting too much during the debate.

The Clinton-Kaine ticket lost the election to the Trump-Pence ticket on November 8, 2016. This was the only election Kaine has ever lost. However, Clinton and Kaine narrowly won Virginia. This victory was partly credited to Kaine.

Political Positions

Tim Kaine is generally seen as a "mainstream Democrat." He has good relationships with senators from both parties. The New York Times described him as an "old-fashioned liberal" guided by his Christian faith.

Campaign Finance

Kaine believes that the Citizens United v. FEC (2010) Supreme Court ruling was wrong. This ruling allowed more money in politics. He wants more transparency in political spending.

Capital Punishment

Kaine personally opposes the death penalty. However, he oversaw 11 executions while he was governor. He said he had to uphold the law as governor. He did commute one death sentence due to the person's mental state. He has also vetoed bills that would expand the death penalty. In 2019, Kaine supported a bill to ban the death penalty.

Environment and Climate Change

Kaine agrees with the scientific consensus on climate change. He has criticized those who deny climate change. He is concerned about sea level rise in coastal Virginia.

Kaine supports making coal energy cleaner. He believes that protecting the environment is good for the economy. He voted against the Keystone XL pipeline. Kaine supports hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for natural gas. He believes it can reduce carbon pollution.

He also supports developing solar energy and offshore wind turbines. The League of Conservation Voters has given Kaine high scores for his environmental votes.

Financial Regulation

Kaine strongly supports financial regulation. He supports the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. This law aims to prevent another financial crisis. He believes that rules should be fair for all financial institutions.

Foreign Policy

In the Senate, Kaine has supported improving relations with Cuba. He also supported the nuclear agreement with Iran.

Kaine supports Israel's right to defend itself. He has also expressed concerns about the Saudi-led actions in Yemen. He criticized the Trump administration for approving nuclear technology transfer to Saudi Arabia.

In 2017, Kaine voted for a law that placed sanctions on Iran, Russia, and North Korea. He has also urged the Trump administration to reconsider cuts to foreign aid to Central American countries.

War Powers

Kaine is an expert on the constitutional powers of the presidency. He believes that only Congress has the power to declare war. He has said that presidents sometimes overreach their power. He and Senator John McCain introduced a bill to update the War Powers Act of 1973. This bill would bring Congress back into decisions about sending U.S. military forces.

Kaine has criticized military actions taken without congressional approval. This includes U.S. missile strikes in Syria. In 2020, Kaine introduced a resolution to limit the president's ability to start hostilities with Iran. The Senate passed it, but President Trump vetoed it.

Firearms

Kaine owns firearms. He supports expanded background checks for gun purchases. He also supports limits on the sale of combat-style weapons and high-capacity magazines. As governor, he closed loopholes in Virginia law that allowed some people to buy guns without proper checks.

In the Senate, he supports requiring background checks for guns sold at gun shows and online. He also supports banning gun sales to suspected terrorists. Kaine has a 100% rating from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Health Care

Kaine supports the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). He believes it helps people get health insurance. In 2018, Kaine suggested creating "Medicare X." This would be a public health insurance option. It would be similar to Medicare and available on health insurance marketplaces. This is a more gradual approach than "Medicare for All" (single-payer health care).

He has also worked to lower the cost of prescription drugs. He signed letters to insulin manufacturers about increased insulin prices. He also requested data on the effects of overturning the Affordable Care Act.

Immigration

Kaine supports the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program allows some undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children to stay and work legally. He also supports comprehensive immigration reform. This would allow people living illegally in the U.S. to earn legal status.

He has signed letters to protect military families from deportation. He also supports a bill to require ICE agents to get approval before immigration raids at "sensitive locations" like schools or hospitals.

LGBT Rights

In 2006, Kaine opposed a Virginia law to ban same-sex marriage. In 2013, he announced his support for same-sex marriage.

In the Senate, Kaine supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. This bill would prevent job discrimination based on sexual orientation. He has also signed letters urging the State Department to support LGBTQ diplomats and commemorate Pride Month.

Taxes

Kaine supports letting the Bush tax cuts expire for very high-income earners. He also supports raising the cap on income subject to the Social Security payroll tax. This would help the Social Security program stay strong.

He supports the Marketplace Fairness Act. This would allow states to require online retailers to collect sales taxes, just like regular stores.

Trade

Kaine supported giving President Obama "fast track" authority to negotiate free trade agreements. He believes these deals should protect workers' rights and the environment.

In 2016, Kaine said he could not support the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement in its current form. He has also been a supporter of NAFTA.

Workers' Rights and Gender Equality

Kaine generally supports labor unions. He has received a high rating from the AFL–CIO. However, he supports Virginia's "right-to-work" law. This law means union non-members don't have to pay fees to a union.

Kaine supports the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. This law helps workers sue against gender pay discrimination. He also favors increasing the minimum wage.

Personal Life

In November 1984, Kaine married Anne Bright Holton. She is the daughter of A. Linwood Holton Jr., a former governor of Virginia. They met while studying at Harvard Law School. Anne Holton has been a judge and served as Virginia's secretary of education. The couple has three children, one of whom is a U.S. Marine. Kaine and his wife have been members of St. Elizabeth Catholic Church in Richmond for 30 years.

Kaine plays the harmonica and often carries several with him. He is fluent in Spanish because of his time in Honduras. During the 2016 campaign, he was the first person on a presidential ticket to give a speech in Spanish.

In May 2020, Kaine announced that he and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. In March 2022, it was reported that he has long COVID symptoms.

In April 2024, Kaine's book, Walk Ride Paddle: A Life Outside, was published. In it, he writes about hiking the Appalachian Trail in Virginia, biking the Blue Ridge Parkway, and kayaking the James River.

Personality and Leadership Style

Emails from Kaine's time as governor show he is very detail-oriented. He is also described as a "policy wonk," meaning he loves to study and understand policies.

The New York Times describes Kaine as a likable person. He is guided by his strong Christian faith. Kaine himself has joked that he is "boring."

Awards and Honors

Kaine has received many awards for his public service. These include the Humanitarian Award (2000), the Faith in Action Award (2009), and the Award for Public Service in the Americas (2014). He was also made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic in 2017. In 2024, he received the Shipbuilders Council of America (SCA) Maritime Leadership Award.

Electoral History

2001 lieutenant gubernatorial election

Virginia Lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary, 2001

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tim Kaine	64,008	39.66
	Democratic	Alan Diamonstein	50,753	31.45
	Democratic	J. C. Jones	46,640	28.90
Majority			13,255	8.21
Total votes			161,401

Virginia Lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2001
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Tim Kaine	925,974	50.35	+5.30%
	Republican	Jay K. Katzen	883,886	48.06	-2.10%
	Libertarian	G. A. Reams	28,783	1.57	N/A
	Write-in	Others	490	0.03	N/A
Majority			42,088	2.29	-2.29%
Total votes			1,839,133
	Swing to Democratic from Republican		Swing	5.30

2005 gubernatorial election

Virginia gubernatorial election, 2005
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Tim Kaine	1,025,942	51.72%	-0.44%
	Republican	Jerry Kilgore	912,327	45.99%	-1.04%
	Independent	Russ Potts	43,953	2.22%
	None	Write-Ins	1,556	0.08%
Majority			113,615	5.73%	+0.60%
Turnout			1,983,778	44.96%	-1.4%
	Democrat hold		Swing

2012 U.S. Senate election

United States Senate election in Virginia, 2012
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Tim Kaine	2,010,067	52.83%	+3.24%
	Republican	George Allen	1,785,542	46.92%	-2.28%
	Write-in		9,410	0.25%	+0.15%
Total votes			3,805,019	100.0%	N/A
	Democrat hold

2016 vice presidential election

United States vice presidential election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mike Pence	62,984,828 (popular votes) 305 electors (30 states + ME-02)	46.1% (popular vote) 56.7% (electoral vote)
	Democratic	Tim Kaine	65,853,514 (popular votes) 227 electors (20 states + DC)	48.2% (popular vote) 42.2% (electoral vote)

2018 U.S. Senate election

United States Senate election in Virginia, 2018
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Tim Kaine (incumbent)	1,910,370	57.00%	+4.17%
	Republican	Corey Stewart	1,374,313	41.01%	-5.91%
	Libertarian	Matt Waters	61,565	1.84%	+1.84%
	Write-in		5,125	0.15%	-0.10%
Total votes			3,351,373	100.0%	N/A
	Democrat hold

2024 U.S. Senate election

United States Senate election in Virginia, 2024
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Tim Kaine (incumbent)	2,417,115	54.37%	-2.63%
	Republican	Hung Cao	2,019,911	45.44%	+4.43%
	Write-in		8,509	0.19%	+0.04%
Total votes			4,445,535	100.0%	N/A
	Democrat hold

See also

In Spanish: Tim Kaine para niños