American politician, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania from 1961 to 1969, and elected Senator in 1969. A ranking minority member of the Senate Labor-HEW sub-committee, Labor and Human Resources Committee and its Health sub-committee, he has been in public office since 1960.
Born Richard Schlutz Schweiker to a wealthy tile manufacturer, he was one of three children that included an older brother, Malcolm, killed during World War II, and a sister, Sylvia. The household had a strong Christian upbringing and were members of a small Pennsylvania Dutch sect. Schweiker graduated from high school in 1944 as class valedictorian. He joined the Navy and served for two years on an aircraft carrier in the Caribbean. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Pennsylvania State University in 1950 with a degree in psychology, he joined his father’s tile business, and begin dabbling in politics as a precinct worker and Republican committeeman.
Hardly a Republican stereotype, his refusal to support the presidential candidacy of Sen. Barry Goldwater in 1964 caused party members to try to purge him in 1966. But two years after that, he challenged Sen. Joseph Clark (D-Pa.), one of the Senate’s most liberal members, and defeated him. He got into trouble with the Nixon administration early in his Senate career for opposing the Vietnam war and not supporting some Supreme Court nominations.
He was selected by Ronald Reagan as his first running mate.
A strong family man who is known to be indifferent to the Washington social scene, he married the original “Miss Claire” of television’s Romper Room show on 9/10/1955. They have five children: Kristi, Malcolm, Richie, Kyle and Lani. Schweiker keeps fit with swimming, skiing, and tennis.
Link to Wikipedia biography