Former Virginia Senator Jim Webb is a late addition to the group seeking the Democratic Party nomination for president. He is also generally more conservative than the other Democrats in the race.
The 69-year-old politician is from the state of Virginia. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and has a strong military background. He served as Secretary of the Navy under President Ronald Reagan, a Republican. Mr. Webb was a member of that party at the time. He joined the Democratic Party in 2006 when he sought, and won, election to the Senate. He did not seek re-election after his six-year term.
Some Democrats say Mr. Webb is not liberal enough. For example, he supports gun ownership and coal mining. He has some strong populist ideas. This could appeal to working-class white voters.
Jim Webb is also a successful writer of fiction and non-fiction. He attended the Naval Academy and Georgetown University where he received a law degree. He announced he is running on July 2, 2015.
