Jane Harman

Jane Harman was born the daughter of immigrants who escaped World War II- her father from Poland and her mother from Russia. She grew up in post-war Los Angeles, where her father was a physician, and became enamored with President John F. Kennedy, which inspired her to become politically active in her adulthood. Her parents placed a high priority on education, and after finishing high school, she graduated from Harvard Law School and married her first husband. After practicing law, she became an aide in the United States Senate in 1972. After Jimmy Carter was elected President, she took a position in The White House. In 1978, she left politics so she could spend more time with her children, a decision which drew some national publicity. However, her marriage fell apart later that year, and in 1979, she took a job at The Pentagon, working as a lawyer. The following year, she met her next husband, who was the wealthy and powerful CEO of Harman International Industries, a manufacturer of high-end audio, video and electronic systems. She also remained highly active in Democratic politics. In 1992, a Congressional district including a the San Pedro section of Los Angeles and several affluent suburbs came open and Harman moved there to run. It was expected that her Republican opponent would be Maureen Reagan, a moderate and daughter of former President Ronald Reagan. But Reagan lost the primary to conservative Los Angeles City Councilwoman Joan Flores. Helped by the unpopularity of then-President George Bush and very large campaign treasury, Harmon won the election. In Congress, she compiled a moderate to liberal record, usually supporting President Bill Clinton, but not uncritically. In the Republican landslide of 1994, she was reelected by 812 votes and increased her margin in 1996. In 1998, she ran for Governor of California. She spent an estimated $30 million, much of it her husband's, but finished third in the Democratic primary, which was won by Lieutenant Governor Gray Davis. In 2000, she ran for Congress against the Republican who had succeed her, Steven Kuykendall, and won a narrow victory. Back in Congress, she focused on defense and intelligence issues. In 2001, redistricting made her district solidly Democratic. That same year, she became the top ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. After terrorists bombed the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001, her position brought her to some national prominence. She annoyed party liberals by supporting the Iraq War and some foreign policies of President George W. Bush, though she opposes him on most domestic policies.