Hildebrand

Roll Call, May 3, 2004 :

Hildebrand, 43, grew up in Mitchell, S.D. His father, who built roads, was killed in an accident when Hildebrand, the youngest of nine children, was 5 years old.

After college, Hildebrand went to work for Senate candidate Daschle, as the then-Congressman's state finance director. He also worked on Senate campaigns for Minnesota Attorney General Skip Humphrey and businessman Ted Muenster (D-S.D.), and for unsuccessful South Dakota gubernatorial candidate Jim Beddow.

Hildebrand served as executive director of the Democratic parties in Minnesota and South Dakota, and as Midwest political director for the Democratic National Committee during President Bill Clinton's re-election campaign.

After a cycle as political director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, another at EMILY's List and some time as state director for Al Gore's presidential campaign in Iowa, Hildebrand returned to South Dakota to manage Sen. Johnson's re-election effort in 2001-2002. He took the reins of Daschle's re-election effort last year.