Richard Shelby

United States Senator from Alabama

Richard Craig Shelbyis an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Alabama from 1987 to 2023. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 as a Democrat who later switched to the Republican Party in 1994, he chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee from 2018 to 2021.

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About the Richard Shelby

Richard Craig Shelbyis an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Alabama from 1987 to 2023. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 as a Democrat who later switched to the Republican Party in 1994, he chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee from 2018 to 2021. He previously chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Banking Committee, and the Senate Rules Committee. He was the longest-serving U.S. senator from Alabama, surpassing John Sparkman’s record in March 2019.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Shelby earned a law degree from the Birmingham School of Law in 1961. He went on to serve as city prosecutor from 1963 to 1971. During this period he earned an LL.B. from the University of Alabama School of Lawand Special Assistant Attorney General of Alabama (1969-1971). He won a seat in the Alabama Senate in 1970. In 1978, he was elected from the 7th district to the United States House of Representatives, where he was among a group of conservative Democrats known as the boll weevils.

In 1986, Shelby won a tight race as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate. In 1994, the day after the Republican Revolution in which the GOP gained the majority in Congress midway through President Bill Clinton’s first term, Shelby switched parties and became a Republican. He was reelected by a large margin in 1998, facing no significant electoral opposition thereafter. Apart from his narrow win as a Democrat in 1986, Shelby always won his Senate seat with more than 60% of the vote.

In February 2021, Shelby announced that he would not seek reelection in 2022. Katie Britt, his former chief of staff, won the election to succeed him. At the time of his retirement, he was the dean of Alabama’s congressional delegation. Due to his party switch, Shelby is the last Democrat to have held or won election to Alabama’s Class 3 Senate seat.

9 Quotes by Richard Shelby

  1. 1.

    We cannot cut and run. If we are to ensure freedom and democracy, it is essential that we follow through on our obligation to bring about stability in Iraq.

    Richard Shelby

    United States Senator from Alabama

  2. 2.

    Saddam Hussein has been tenacious in his pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and, unless he is removed from power, he will eventually harm our nation and our allies. Every moment we delay allows him to grow stronger.

    Richard Shelby

    United States Senator from Alabama

  3. 3.

    I never apologize for my efforts to support worthy projects that Alabama.

    Richard Shelby

    United States Senator from Alabama

  4. 4.

    All of us want to see the details of any legislative plan if there’s going to be a legislative response, but Congress, I believe, is in the mood to do whatever it takes to win this war against terrorism.

    Richard Shelby

    United States Senator from Alabama

  5. 5.

    We have got to be a hell of a lot more aggressive.

    Richard Shelby

    United States Senator from Alabama

  6. 6.

    The American people fear there is some gouging going on.

    Richard Shelby

    United States Senator from Alabama

  7. 7.

    I support the president 100 percent – when he’s right.

    Richard Shelby

    United States Senator from Alabama

  8. 8.

    I believe that reforming our intelligence community is one of the most important things that we can do in order to ensure that our country is in fact safer, stronger and wiser.

    Richard Shelby

    United States Senator from Alabama

  9. 9.

    If there’s not any endgame, we’re in quicksand. We take one more step, and we’re still there, and there’s no way out.

    Richard Shelby

    United States Senator from Alabama