Kaufman, << KAWF muhn >> Ted (1939-…), served as a United States senator in 2009 and 2010. Kaufman, a Democrat, represented Delaware. He had been appointed to fill the position of Joe Biden, who resigned his Senate seat before becoming vice president. Biden was the running mate of President Barack Obama.
Edward E. Kaufman was born on March 15, 1939, in Philadelphia. He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, in 1960. He received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in 1966.
Kaufman met Biden while Biden was a U.S. Senate candidate in the early 1970’s. After Biden was elected and took office in 1973, Kaufman became his chief of staff. Kaufman also served as a senior adviser to Biden’s Senate and vice presidential campaigns.
Kaufman became a senior lecturing fellow at Duke University’s law school in 1991. From 1995 to 2008, Kaufman served as the president of a consulting firm based in Wilmington, Delaware. He also worked in several positions with the Wilmington-based DuPont Company.
In November 2008, Biden ran concurrently (at the same time) for vice president and for reelection to the Senate. Biden was victorious in both races. Governor Ruth Ann Minner appointed Kaufman to fill Biden’s Senate seat until a special election in 2010.
