Biography of Paul Simon

Photo of Paul Simon

Never has an Oregon native, and alumnus of the University of Oregon, been more identified with the state of Illinois, and never has he done more in service to the state than Paul Simon. From crusading newspaperman to legislative novice to lieutenant governor to senator to educator, he has set a standard for selfless devotion to the common good.

The Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award winner first came to Illinois on a challenge, to save the Troy Tribune in Southern Illinois. At nineteen, meeting a challenge from a civic group, he was named the nation's youngest editor-publisher. From that beginning he came to own a chain of fifteen newspapers in Downstate Illinois, and used them as bully pulpits from which to attack corruption. He exposed syndicate gambling connections in the St. Louis area, and, at 22, was called before the U.S. Senate's Crime Investigating Committee as an expect witness.

After two years in the Army, serving as an intelligence agent in Eastern Europe, Simon was ready to make his mark in the political sphere.

He was elected to the Illinois House in 1954, where he served with Abner Mikva in a small cadre of independent Democrats. He moved up to the Senate in 1962. During each of his fourteen years in the two houses, he won the "Best Legislator Award" from the Independent Voters of Illinois.

Simon was elected lieutenant governor of Illinois in 1968. He was the first lieutenant governor in the state ever to be elected while belonging to a different party than the governor. Many in state government also say he was the first lieutenant governor to make the position something more than ceremonial, serving as a self-appointed peoples' ombudsman.

Simon's political career seemed to suffer a setback when Democrat voters selected a relative political unknown, Dan Walker, to run for governor over the well-known Simon. During his time out of office, Simon created the highly regarded Public Affairs Reporting Program at Sangamon State University, now the University of Illinois at Springfield. He also lectured at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

But government service called him back. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974, and was re-elected four more times. In the House, Simon took a leadership position on education and foreign affairs. He showed particular care for the disabled and children. Simon sponsored the Missing Children Act, and set the stage for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He also worked for the "atomic veteran." Time magazine reported that he passed more legislation in 1983 than any other House member.

The next year, he upset veteran Senator Charles Percy. In 1988, Simon failed in his effort to gain the Democratic nomination for president. In 1990, his margin of victory over a challenger was the highest of any contested candidate in the nation for senator or governor. He continued to fight for education at all levels, and was the chief Democratic sponsor of the Balanced Budget Amendment.

He left the Senate at the time of his own choosing, in 1997. Since then he has served as an educator, founding Southern Illinois University's Public Policy Institute, written 15 books, won 39 honorary degrees, and continues to write and speak on matters of state and national interest.