Tom Harkin
Democratic incumbent

Residing city: Cumming, Iowa
Age: 68
Family: Ruth (wife); Amy, Jenny (children)
Education: J.D., Catholic University of America Law School; B.S., government/economics, Iowa State University
Political experience: U.S. Senator, 1985-present; sought Democratic nomination for president, 1992; representative, U.S. House of Representatives, 1975-1984; Democratic nominee for U.S. House of Representatives, 1972

Economy: Harkin “reluctantly” voted for the September economic-bailout bill, which, he said must be modified soon. He stresses the need for efficiency-oriented regulation and on taxes, he has received unfavorable ratings from conservative interest groups.

Education: Harkin voted for a law last year that increases Pell Grant amounts and cuts the interest rates on Federal Subsidized Student Loans and Federal Direct Stafford Loans.

Energy: Harkin is a staunch proponent of ethanol — both corn and other sources — and pushes for the need to use Midwest resources rather than those of the Middle East. He has consistently voted for alternative-energy tax credits. He also voted for a cap-and-trade system of reducing carbon emissions.

Health care: Harkin advocates a “rapid” change to the health-care system. Instead of waiting for people to get sick, the junior senator wants to provide incentives for preventing illnesses. He also supports mandating coverage for children and a national health-care system that he says would curtail costs and improve access.

War on terrorism/veterans’ issues: An opponent of the surge, Harkin calls the war in Iraq the “worst foreign-policy blunder in our nation’s history.” He supports a timetable for withdrawal. Harkin, who supported this year’s GI Bill, received an A-plus from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.

Christopher Reed
Republican challenger

Residing city: Marion, Iowa
Age: 36
Family: wife, three daughters
Education: Solon High School
Professional experience: Small-business owner, U.S. Navy

Economy: Reed is a strong opponent of September’s economic-bailout package. He argues it “rewarded bad behavior,” deemed it socialistic, and said it aided Wall Street, rather than ordinary people. He also favors deregulation and cutting taxes.

Education: Reed doesn’t support No Child Left Behind or federal education regulations. He favors local control on education-related issues.

Energy: The Republican challenger stresses domestic drilling as essential to energy independence, in addition to alternative energy sources. He blames “radical” environmentalists for high fuel costs, saying they protest building new refineries.

Health care: Reed favors a free-market approach to health-care concerns. He blames the government for the Social Security problems and does not support universal health care.

War on terrorism/veterans’ issues: Reed favors letting generals on the ground determine withdrawal timing, and he opposes timetables. The veteran accused Harkin, a drawdown proponent, of “providing aid and comfort to the enemy” in Iraq in a recent debate. He also characterized Harkin the “Tokyo Rose of Al Qaeda and Middle East terrorism.”