Dick Gephardt has been one of the nation’s most respected politicians throughout the last two decades.  Born in 1941 in the same South St. Louis neighborhood that he represented in Congress, Gephardt began his career in public service as a precinct captain in St. Louis's 14th Ward.  After graduation from Northwestern University and the University of Michigan Law School, he was twice elected Alderman.

Gephardt was first elected to represent Missouri's Third Congressional District in 1976. He served on both the Ways and Means and Budget Committees, where he became a national leader on health care, trade and tax fairness.

In 1984, Gephardt was elected Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. In 1987, he became the first Democratic candidate to enter the 1988 presidential race and helped frame the economic issues that dominated the election. In 1989, his colleagues elected him to serve as Majority Leader and floor leader of the House Democrats.  Then in 2003, Gephardt resigned from the leadership to pursue another bid for the presidency where he again helped define the issues of the election.