Thomas ‘Tom’ Harkin is a former United States senator who served from the state of Iowa from 1985 to 2015. Harkin is also a very successful lawyer and the author of Five Minutes to Midnight: Why the Nuclear Threat Is Growing Faster Than Ever.
Tom was a member of the Democratic Party and had previously served as the US representative for Iowa’s 5th congressional district from 1975 to 1985. He is also the longest-serving senator to spend his whole tenure as a state’s junior senator.
In this post, you can find details like Tom Harkin Net Worth 2023 and other information about the 83-year-old former senator.
Political Journey Timeline
| Office | Tenure | Preceded by | Succeeded by |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa’s 5th district | January 3, 1975 to January 3, 1985 | William J. Scherle | Jim Ross Lightfoot |
| Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee | January 3, 1997 to January 3, 2001 | Patrick Leahy | Richard Lugar |
| January 20, 2001 to June 6, 2001 | Richard Lugar | Richard Lugar | |
| Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee | January 3, 2001 to January 20, 2001 | Richard Lugar | Richard Lugar |
| June 6, 2001 to January 3, 2003 | Richard Lugar | Thad Cochran | |
| January 3, 2007 to September 9, 2009 | Saxby Chambliss | Blanche Lincoln | |
| Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee | September 9, 2009 to January 3, 2015 | Ted Kennedy | Lamar Alexander |
| United States Senator from Iowa | January 3, 1985 to January 3, 2015 | Roger Jepsen | Joni Ernst |
| In 2013, Harkin decided that he would not seek reelection in 2014 and his 30-year term ended in 2015. |
Tom Harkin Personal Biography
| Full name | Thomas Richard Harkin |
| Profession | Politician |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Years active | 1975 – 2015 |
| Age | 83 years |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | November 19, 1939 |
| Place of birth | Cumming, Iowa, US |
| Education | Iowa State University (BA), Catholic University of America (JD) |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Ruth Raduenz (1968 – present) |
| Children | 2 |
| Military rank | Commander |
| Branch | United States Naval Reserve |
| Years of service | 1962 – 1967 (Active), 1967 – 1989 (Reserve) |
| Parents | Patrick Francis Harkin, Franciska Frances Valentine |
Tom Harkin was born on November 19, 1939, in Cumming, Iowa. His father, Patrick Francis Harkin, was a coal miner. His mother, Franciska Frances Valentine, died when Harkin was ten. He has three half-siblings from his mother’s first marriage. Growing up, Tom did not have many facilities and grew up in poverty.
An emotional man, Harkin still maintains his childhood house, where he and his siblings were raised without a furnace or hot running water.
Harkin’s Political Career- A Brief Look
Harkin graduated from law school in 1972 and the same year he returned to Iowa to run against incumbent Republican Congressman, William J. Scherle. Scherle represented the southwestern portion of Iowa, which had not elected a Democrat since the end of the Great Depression.
The election was lost as expected but Harkin was still able to secure a percentage of votes that was higher than any of Scherle’s other opponents.
Harkin appeared for the position of United States Senate from Iowa in 1984 and easily defeated freshman Republican Roger Jepsen. Tom was re-elected in 1990, 1996, 2002, and 2008 and became the longest-serving Senator than any other Democrat in the history of Iowa.
In 1992, Harkin ran for President but lost the primary nomination to Bill Clinton who went on to become the 43rd President of the United States.
Tom Harkin on Social Media
| https://twitter.com/senatorharkin | |
| https://www.instagram.com/sentomharkin/ | |
| https://www.facebook.com/tomharkin/ | |
| YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@SenatorTomHarkin |
Tom Harkin Marriage & Children
Tom Harkin has been married to Ruth Raduenz, an attorney and prosecutor, since 1968. Ruth was one of the first women in the United States to be elected as a prosecutor. she was elected to the office of county attorney of Story County, Iowa in 1972.
Together, Tom and Ruth have two daughters- Amy and Jenny. Amy, a graduate of Princeton University, has appeared on the NBC daytime reality series Starting Over from 2003 to 2004.
Tom Harkin’s Net Worth 2023
Harkin had a long and prosperous political career which spanned almost four decades before he called for retirement. In 2023, Harkin is enjoying a net worth of around $5 million, most of which he owns to his senator’s salary, in addition to some significant assets and investments.
Most of his assets belong to his wife who also had a successful career as a prosecutor. According to a 2013 report, Harkin was among the richest Congressmen in the States and the richest from Iowa.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: What is the total net worth of Tom Harkin in 2023?
Answer: $3 – $5 million (estimated)
Question 2: What is Tom Harkin doing now?
Answer: Harkin currently serves as Chairman of the Advisory Board for the National Committee for Social Security and Medicare.
Question 3: Who is the current United States Senator from Iowa?
Answer: Joni Ernst