Mike Gravel - Campaign for President

Former Senator from Alaska, Mike Gravel was the first Democrat to announce that he is seeking the nomination to be President of the United States.

Gravel made his mark as a Member of Alaska's House of Representatives in the 1960's, rising to the position as Speaker, followed by a 12 year stint in the United States Senate. He was instrumental in putting on the public record 4000 pages of documents known as the Pentagon Papers, detailing historical US involvement in Vietnam. Gravel also successfully utilized the filibuster to advocate for the end of The Draft.

Mike Gravel is running his campaign for President on renewal. He is and has been a vocal opponent to the war in Iraq, and has called for an urgent withdrawal of US troops. Gravel is an advocate for a Universal Single Health Care Plan and has proposed a "National Initiative for Democracy", which would put some forms of lawmaking in the hands of all voters.

Gravel has been campaigning heavily in New Hampshire since announcing his Presidential bid in April 2006. He considers that state “The most important…in this campaign…” Gravel has won the support of New Hampshire’s Doris “Granny D” Haddock, a well known and respected campaign reform activist.

If Gravel was to win the Presidency, he would be 78 at the time of Inauguration in January, 2009.