Robert Dudley "Bob" Tuke (born December 5, 1947, Rochester, New York) was the Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 nominee for the 2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee

United States Senate election in Tennessee, 2008

The 2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander won re-election to a second term.-Candidates:*Bob Tuke, former Chairman of the Democratic Party of Tennessee...

, having won the Democratic primary in August. He faced incumbent Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

Andrew Lamar Alexander is the senior United States Senator from Tennessee and Conference Chair of the Republican Party. He was previously the 45th Governor of Tennessee from 1979 to 1987, United States Secretary of Education from 1991 to 1993 under President George H. W...

 in the general election in November, losing by approximately 33% of the final vote.

Tuke is a decorated United States Marine and served in the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

. He was the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Tennessee

Tennessee

Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...

 from 2005 to 2007, and also served as Barack Obama

Barack Obama

Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

's Presidential campaign chair in Tennessee. Tuke earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...

 in Charlottesville

Charlottesville, Virginia

Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...

. He is also a graduate of Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...

, where he received his juris doctorate. , Tuke is a Partner at the Nashville

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...

 law firm of Trauger and Tuke.

See also

• United States Senate election in Tennessee, 2008
  United States Senate election in Tennessee, 2008
  The 2008 United States Senate election in Tennessee was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander won re-election to a second term.-Candidates:*Bob Tuke, former Chairman of the Democratic Party of Tennessee...
  
  

External links

• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org