Kerry: Iowa victory will give him confidence and momentum

John Forbes Kerry, who has represented Massachusetts since 1984, is one of the most senior Democrats in the US Senate.

A graduate of Yale University, he served with the US Navy in the Vietnam war, winning several awards for bravery in combat.

But he came back a vociferous opponent of the war and gained attention nationwide in 1971 when he gave testimony on Vietnam to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He embarked on a career in law, training in Boston and then working as a prosecutor in Massachusetts before going into politics.

KEY FACTS Born 11 December 1943 Ran unsuccessfully for House of Representatives 1972 Elected Massachusetts lieutenant governor 1983 First elected to Senate 1984

The fact that he is a decorated war veteran may play well with the more conservative members of his party. On social issues, he is considered a liberal, which in turn will appeal to those on the left. Although he - like most senators - supported the war against Iraq, Mr Kerry has publicly expressed scepticism about the Bush administration's motives in pressing for the war and has pushed for a more multilateral approach in dealing with the aftermath. The former gunboat captain claims to be uniquely qualified to take on the president on national security issues.

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