Tom Daschle led the Democrats in the United States Senate from 1994 to 2005. From May 2001 to January 2003, with his party in control of the upper house, Daschle became Senate Majority Leader. Born in Aberdeen, South Dakota, Tom Daschle was the first member of his family ever to graduate college. He was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1978, to the Senate in 1986. As Congressman and Senator, he was well know for his "unscheduled driving" tour of his home state, visiting each of its 66 countries. Traveling alone, he stopped at cattle auctions, health clinics, schools and diners, wherever people gather, to hear what was on their minds. A tireless advocate for rural America, he worked to ensure fair competition for family farmers and ranchers, to make quality education and health care available to rural communities, and to protect the rights of Native Americans. A former Air Force intelligence officer, Daschle also fought to preserve and extend benefits for veterans. After the 2002 election, he continued to serve as Minority Leader, until leaving the Senate in 2005. During the 2008 presidential election campaign, he served as a close advisor to Senator Barack Obama.