NAME: Benjamin Leonard Kalrade
STATE: Ohio
REGION: Ohio Valley // Midwest
PARTY: Democrat
DATE OF BIRTH: October 7, 1945
PLACE OF BIRTH: Indianapolis, Indiana
PLACE OF RESIDENCE: Cincinnati, Ohio
MARITAL STATUS: Wife (Ellen) died, never remarried, two children (Ryan and Andrew)
BIOGRAPHY:
Benjamin "Ben" Leonard Kalrade was born to two very successful local politicians in Indianapolis, Indiana. His father was a strong Republican Senator in the Indiana State Senate and his mother was a City Councilwoman in Indianapolis who eventually succeeded in becoming Mayor of Indianapolis in 1966. During his school years, he was looked upon as very intelligent and a destined leader by his fellow classmates. In his Freshman Year of High School, he was elected onto the Class Council. By his Sophomore Year, he was Class President. He served as Class President through his Junior year and was elected School Student Council President in his Senior Year. Remaining in Indiana after his High School Graduation, he attended Butler University and earned a four year degree in economics, before attending Butler College of Business Administration and earning his MBA. In 1970, he married his high school sweetheart, Ellen, and they bought a house together in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they set up a small marketing firm. In 1972, he ran his first campaign to be elected to the Cincinnati City Council. He lost by a very narrow percentage of 48% to his opponent's 51%. He ran again in 1974 and succeeded winning just over 53% of the vote.
The first half of Ben's first term, he spent time getting used to the political system of the Cincinnati City Government. Working with the three other freshmen councilmen that were also elected, he pushed a moderate agenda that was unlike nothing the Cincinnati City Council had ever seen. From what he had learned from his father about politics and his mother about city management, he assisted in balancing the city's financial budget, pushed for fair pay for city workers including police officers and firefighters, and helped in developing relatively new and undeveloped neighborhoods. He also dedicated a lot of time to the public safety and building up the city's law enforcement tools.
In 1978, Ben was reelected to the City Council with over 63% of the vote. His second term was one of the busiest and most productive. He became good friends with the Police Chief. But during his first year of his second term, Benjamin's wife passed away while giving birth to their second son, Andrew. The loss hit him hard and being stuck in the world, alone, with two children, many came to his aid to help him get back on his feet. By 1981, he had returned to full activeness on the City Council. His motives were to make the city a better place for his children and for all the other children in the city. He worked hard to pass crucial city laws and ordinances to clean up neighborhoods, prevent and crack down on crime, and passed another strong and balanced budget that made the city very successful. In 1982, he ran again for a third term and continued his work. At the end of his third term, he had the support and the assistance of many Councilmen and women.
In November 1986, the Cincinatti City Council elections were changed so that in 1987, the person with the highest amount of votes would become Mayor of Cincinatti. Benjamin won in 1986 with 78%, the highest margin, and became Mayor. Ben fought for a balanced budget that reduced the city's bond debt by a large amount and still funded education, public safety, and transportation around the city. He was reelected in 1990, again receiving the highest percentage of the vote.
In 1992, Kalrade ran for Governor of the Midwest and won with nearly 52% of the vote. After enacting sweeping reforms and dominating regional politics for two years, he ran a practically-unopposed campaign in 1994 to win reelection with 71% of the vote.
In 1996, Kalrade ran for the Republican Presidential Nomination where he dropped out after poor performance after Super Tuesday. Despite releasing his delegates to presumptive nominee John Houston, Kalrade refused to attend the Republican National Convention and later resigned from the Republican Party because he believed the party was being taken over by far-right conservative ideologues. He would resign as Governor of the Midwest after it became clear political retribution was going to place a cloud of partisanship over Springfield. Deciding it would be best for the region if he stepped aside, he resigned and moved back to Cincinnati.
Spending over a year as a private citizen, Kalrade re-registered with the Democratic party, despite not agreeing with all of their positions, and participated in community organizing as well as helping his old colleagues in the Cincinnati City Council. Knowing that an Ohio Valley Senate seat would be up for election in 1998, he was encouraged by his friends and by his community to run with the Midwest Democratic Party's support. While hesitant about the idea, he decided that his personal concerns were no vice given the vast importance strong leadership for the Midwest in the United States Senate was. He graciously accepted the Democratic Nomination, and set off to earn back the respect and the trust of his friends and constituents throughout the Ohio Valley.
A couple weeks before the election, Senator Thor Laurinaitis unexpectedly resigned from the United States Senate. Having never filed to run for office, Ben expected the Republican Party to field another challenger. After racing to meet fundraising goals, the deadline to file with the Federal Election Commission passed without a single Republican candidate filing to run for the seat. On Election Day, Ben swept the vote in all three states and won the election with 67% of the vote, with various third parties and independent candidates claiming the other 33%. Ben will now head to Washington to be sworn in as the Ohio Valley's next United States Senator.
In 1999, Ben was sworn in as Junior Senator of the Ohio Valley as well as Senate Majority Whip. During his first term in office, he fought NAFTA fiercely after House Democrats cut a deal with the White House to pass it. While NAFTA eventually passed, Kalrade had cemented his opposition to it and ensured that the fast-track would be not reauthorized in the Democratic Senate. In 2000, Kalrade was reelected by 55% to a full term representing the Ohio Valley. In 2005, Kalrade suffered a heart attack while engaging in a 13-hour filibuster against a bill authorizing the creation of school vouchers. He was in the hospital for a week, and underwent rehab for several months following. Shortly thereafter, he announced he would not seek a second full term in 2006 and would retire from public office at the age of 61.
In 2009, Ben suffered another heart attack - this one less serious. Despite this, Ben continues to participate in the Democratic party and serves as a father figure for many young candidates seeking office in the Midwest. Despite this, he was at significant odds with Democratic Governor James Ferrer throughout his two terms in office and participated in lengthy arguments over the phone with the Governor. In late 2010, at the age of 65, Ben was enjoying retirement at his home in Cincinnati with his new significant other, Valerie Kincaid, who was his long-time press secretary throughout his time as Governor, Presidential Candidate, and Senator. His older son, Ryan, was elected to Congress in 2008 and younger son, Andrew, served as a regional legislator and Leader of the Midwest Democratic Caucus in the Legislature.
ELECTORAL HISTORY:
Cincinnati City Council (1972)
- Patty Swanson (D) (i) - 51%
- Benjamin Kalrade (R) - 48%
Cincinnati City Council (1974)
- Dick Majors (D) - 47%
- Benjamin Kalrade (R) - 53%
Cincinnati City Council (1978)
- Barbara Nichols (D) - 36%
- Benjamin Kalrade (R) (i) - 63%
Cincinnati City Council (1982)
- None (D)
- Benjamin Kalrade (R) (i) - 94%
- Write-Ins - 6%
Cincinnati City Council (1986)
- Harold Whitehouse (D) - 21%
- Benjamin Kalrade (R) (i) - 78%
Kalrade wins highest percentage in election, becomes Mayor of Cincinnati.
Cincinnati City Council (1990)
- Jenny Rousa (D) - 16%
- Benjamin Kalrade (R) (i) - 84%
Kalrade wins highest percentage in election, continues as Mayor of Cincinnati.
Midwest Governor (1992)
- Justin Casanova-Davis (D-IL) - 47.49%
- Benjamin Kalrade (R-OH) - 51.97%
Midwest Governor (1994)
- Gov. Benjamin Kalrade (R-OH) (i) - 71%
- Write-In: Adlai E. Stevenson (D-IL) - 11%
- Write-In: Alex Merrilin (D-MI) - 7%
- Write-In: Michael Jordan (I-IL) - 5%
- Write-In: Lamar Johnson (D-MI) - 3%
Ohio Valley Senate (1998 Special)
- Benjamin Kalrade (Democratic-OH) - 67%
- Write-In: Heather Milford (Constitution-KY) - 13%
- Write-In: Gordon Samerson (Libertarian-IN) - 8%
- Write-In: Florence Bailey (Green-OH) - 5%
- Write-In: Vern Johnson (Independent-IN) - 4%
- Write-In: Edward Blaine (Independent-OH) - 2%
- Other Write-Ins: 1%
Ohio Valley Senate (2000)
- Benjamin Kalrade (Democratic-OH) - 55%
- Heather Milford (R-KY) - 45%
