Senator Mike Gravel

Mike Gravel was born in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1930. Gravel enlisted in the United States Army in 1951 and served in the Counter Intelligence Corps until 1954. He went on to receive his undergraduate degree from Columbia University. Gravel served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1963-66, and as Speaker from 1965-66. He then represented Alaska in the U.S. Senate from 1969-81. He served on the Finance, Interior, and Environmental and Public Works committees, chairing the Energy, Water Resources, Buildings and Grounds, and Environmental Pollution subcommittees. On April 17, 2006, Gravel became a declared candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election, announcing his run in a speech to the National Press Club.