The 1992 presidential campaign of Tom Harkin, a U.S. Senator from Iowa, began with a campaign rally on September 15, 1991. Harkin had first been elected to a national office in 1974 as a member of the House of Representatives, serving from 1975 to 1985 before becoming a senator that same year. A member of the Democratic Party, Harkin established himself as a populist liberal, supporting New Deal-style policies while receiving broad support from organized labor and left-leaning voters. Harkin was very critical of then-President George H. W. Bush, a conservative Republican, and positioned himself as the most liberal candidate in the Democratic field. His policy positions included support for a national health insurance system, cuts to military funding, and increased funding for infrastructur