John Worth Kern

John W. Kern
United States Senator from Indiana
In office March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1917
Preceded by	Albert J. Beveridge
Succeeded by	Harry S. New
Chairman of Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate
In office March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1917
Deputy	J. Hamilton Lewis (Whip)
Preceded by	Thomas S. Martin
Succeeded by	Thomas S. Martin
Member of the Indiana Senate
In office 1893-1897
Personal details
Born	John Worth Kern December 20, 1849 Alto, Indiana
Died	August 17, 1917 (aged 67) Asheville, North Carolina
Nationality	American
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	University of Michigan

John Worth Kern (December 20, 1849 – August 17, 1917) was a Democratic United States Senator from Indiana. While the title was not official, he is considered to be the first Senate majority leader (and in turn, the first Senate Democratic Leader), while serving concurrently as chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

He was born in Alto, Indiana, the eldest of eight boys. Kern studied at the University of Michigan Law School, and began the practice of law in Kokomo, Indiana.

He served as Kokomo's city attorney from 1871 to 1884. Kern was elected to the Indiana Senate in 1893, serving for four years, serving at the same time as assistant U.S. Attorney for Indiana.

From 1897 to 1901 he was city solicitor of Indianapolis. He was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for Governor of Indiana in 1900 and 1904. After these defeats, he returned to his law practice, traveled to Europe, and spent six months at a sanatorium in Asheville, North Carolina, for reasons of health.

In the 1908 election, he was the Democratic candidate for Vice President, running mate to third-time Presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan as a Midwestern compromise. Bryan was defeated by Taft. Kern then sought election to the United States Senate from Indiana (the legislature then being Democratic-controlled), but was outmaneuvered by fellow Democrat Benjamin F. Shively.

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