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Sam Brownback

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Article Genealogy
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Sam Brownback
NameSam Brownback
CaptionOfficial portrait, 2018
OfficeUnited States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
PresidentDonald Trump
Term startFebruary 22, 2018
Term endJanuary 20, 2021
PredecessorDavid Saperstein
SuccessorRashad Hussain
Office146th Governor of Kansas
Lieutenant1Jeff Colyer
Term start1January 10, 2011
Term end1January 31, 2018
Predecessor1Mark Parkinson
Successor1Jeff Colyer
Jr/sr2United States Senator
State2Kansas
Term start2November 7, 1996
Term end2January 3, 2011
Predecessor2Sheila Frahm
Successor2Jerry Moran
State3Kansas's 2nd congressional district
Term start3January 3, 1995
Term end3November 7, 1996
Predecessor3Jim Slattery
Successor3Jim Ryun
PartyRepublican
SpouseMary Stauffer, 1982
EducationKansas State University (BS), University of Kansas (JD)

Sam Brownback is an American politician, diplomat, and lawyer who served as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom from 2018 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 46th Governor of Kansas from 2011 until his resignation in 2018, and represented Kansas in the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. His political career has been defined by a strong commitment to social conservatism in the United States, evangelical Christian values, and significant economic policy experiments during his tenure in Topeka, Kansas.

Early life and education

He was born on September 12, 1956, in Garnett, Kansas, and was raised on his family's farm near Parker, Kansas. He attended Prairie View High School and subsequently earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics from Kansas State University in 1978. He then received his Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law in 1982, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the Kansas Law Review. Before entering politics, he worked as an attorney in Manhattan, Kansas, and served as a White House Fellow in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1990 to 1991.

Political career

His political career began with his election to the United States House of Representatives in 1994, representing Kansas's 2nd congressional district during the Republican Revolution. In 1996, he was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy left by Bob Dole, defeating interim appointee Sheila Frahm in a primary. He was subsequently elected to a full term in 1998 and re-elected in 2004. In the Senate, he served on influential committees including the Appropriations Committee and the Judiciary Committee. He briefly sought the 2008 Republican presidential nomination before withdrawing and endorsing John McCain.

Governor of Kansas

He was elected Governor of Kansas in 2010 and took office in January 2011. His administration was dominated by the implementation of a major experiment in supply-side economics, often called the "Kansas experiment," which involved deep cuts to state income taxes. These policies, championed by economist Arthur Laffer, were intended to stimulate growth but were associated with persistent budget shortfalls and underfunding of services like public education. His tenure also featured significant social policy actions, including signing one of the nation's most restrictive abortion laws and executive orders protecting religious liberty for state employees. Facing declining approval ratings, he resigned in January 2018 after being confirmed to a federal diplomatic post.

Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom

In 2018, he was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. Serving within the United States Department of State, he advocated globally for religious minorities, emphasizing issues such as the persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and Christians in regions like the Middle East. He played a key role in the administration's Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom and in implementing policies like the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. His term concluded with the end of the Trump administration in January 2021.

Political positions and ideology

He is a prominent figure in the Christian right and social conservatism in the United States, with a long-recorded focus on pro-life advocacy, traditional marriage, and religious liberty legislation. His economic philosophy was heavily influenced by Reaganomics and Arthur Laffer, leading to his pursuit of tax cuts in Kansas. In foreign policy, he has been a vocal advocate for human rights, particularly concerning North Korea and Sudan, and was a leading sponsor of the Sudan Peace Act. His ideological evolution included a noted shift from a mainstream conservative to a more populist stance aligned with the Tea Party movement.

Personal life

He married Mary Stauffer in 1982, and they have five children. A devout Catholic, he converted from Methodism in 2002. He has authored several books, including *"From Power to Purpose"* and *"Fighting for the Soul of America."* In 2015, he was diagnosed with and successfully treated for melanoma. He resides in Topeka, Kansas, and remains active in speaking engagements and advocacy work related to religious freedom and conservative causes.

Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:American politicians Category:Governors of Kansas Category:United States ambassadors