Sam Brownback
Samuel Dale "Sam" Brownback (born September 12, 1956) is an American politician currently serving as Governor of Kansas. A member of the Republican Party, Brownback was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives during the Republican Revolution of 1994, representing Kansas's 2nd congressional district for a single term, before running in a 1996 special election for the Senate seat previously held by Bob Dole. He won that election, and two regular elections following, serving till 2011. He ran for president in 2008, but withdrew before the primaries began and endorsed eventual Republican nominee John McCain. He was elected Governor of Kansas in 2010 and took office in January 2011. Brownback supported the 2007 Iraq War troop surge and has also voiced his support for Israel. He opposes same-sex marriage and has described himself as pro-life. As Governor, Brownback signed into law one of the largest income tax cuts in Kansas' history. Brownback turned down a $31.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to set up an insurance exchange as part of the federal health care reform law, signed a bill that blocked tax breaks for abortion providers, banned sex-selection abortions, and declared that life begins at fertilization. Brownback signed into law one of the largest income tax cuts in Kansas' history, generating a substantial budget deficit, and leading some former and current Republican officials to criticize his leadership in the run-up to the 2014 gubernatorial election by endorsing his opponent, Paul Davis. However, Brownback was reelected in a close race with Davis.