National Perspective: POLITICS : Life After the Senate

Of the 33 senators whose terms ended last year, 11 did not return for the 104th Congress. Most have moved onto new endeavors: teaching, practicing law, presiding over a university, broadcasting, writing or simply playing with grandchildren. Here is a brief look at what the 11 former lawmakers are doing:

REPUBLICANS

John C. Danforth, 58, Missouri, served three terms before retiring. Danforth is now with the St. Louis-based law firm of Bryan Cave, where former Democratic Sen. Alan Dixon is based. Danforth, an ordained Episcopalian minister, also plans to set up an outreach program for inner-city youths.

David Durenberger, 60, Minnesota, served three terms before stepping down. Durenberger is a senior counselor at the Washington D.C.-based lobbying firm of APCO Associates, where he advises clients on business strategy. In addition, he is helping to establish the National Institute of Health Policy at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn., where he teaches a course on health policy. Durenberger remains under indictment for billing the government $3,825 in rent on a condomiumn he secretly owned. Earlier this year, a U.S. appeals court refused to dismiss the two-count felony charges against him. His lawyers have been talking to the Justice Department about settling the criminal case against him with a plea bargain. No dates for any hearings or trails have been set.

Malcolm Wallop, 61, Wyoming, served three terms before deciding not to seek reelection. He recently founded the Frontiers of Freedom, a conservative organization devoted to protecting individuals against excessive government regulations, replacing the current income tax with a flat tax, privatizing Social Security and rolling back federal regulations. The group recently placed full-page ads in newspapers advocating “serious reform of the Endangered Species Act.”

DEMOCRATS

David L. Boren, 54, Oklahoma, served three terms before deciding to leave Congress. He is now president of the University of Oklahoma. As he announced his intention to leave Congress, he said, “The revitalization of our country will come from the grass-roots, through the strengthening of local communities and the rebuilding of our great institutions, especially our schools and universities.”

Dennis DeConcini, 58, Arizona, served three terms before stepping down. Initially, DeConcini said he was going to spend his free time playing golf and enjoy family time, but has decided to join the Washington lobbying firm of Parry and Romani Associates.

Harlan Mathews, 68, Tennessee, served two years before stepping aside. Mathews was appointed by the governor to fill the seat vacated by Vice President Al Gore in 1992 and had vowed to serve only one term. Has is now a partner in a Memphis-based law firm that has been renamed to include him: Farris, Mathews, Gilman, Branan and Hellen. Pending Senate approval, he will head the seven-member advisory board of the new independent Social Security Administration.

Howard M. Metzenbaum, 78, Ohio, served three terms before retiring. He is now chairman of the Consumer Federation of America, a coalition of almost 250 consumer groups.

George M. Mitchell, 61, Maine, served two terms before deciding not to seek reelection. Mitchell passed up an apparent nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court and had been mentioned prominently as leading candidate to be Major League Baseball commissioner. He is now special counsel to the Washington law firm of Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand, and is serving as special adviser to President Clinton for economic initiatives in Northern Ireland.

Donald Riegle, 57, Michigan, served three terms before stepping aside. Joined Shandwick Public Affairs in Washington as chairman of its executive committee. He is also an adjunct professor at Michigan State University’s School of Business.

Jim Sasser, 58, Tennessee, served three terms before his defeat by Republican Fred Thompson in November. He is teaching as a full-time fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and is expected to be nominated as ambassador to China.

Harris Wofford, 69, Pennsylvania, served one term before his defeat by Bill Frist in November. He is now writing a book about his experiences in Congress and is on the lecture circuit. His name has surfaced to head the Corporation for National Service--President Clinton’s volunteer program. The program, which oversees AmeriCorps, faces an uncertain future because of a budget battle with the Congress.

SENATE SHORT-TIMERS

Senators that announced they are not running for reelection:

David Pryor (D-Ark.)

J. Bennett Johnston (D-La.)

J. James Exon (D-Neb.)

Paul Simon (D-Ill)

Howell Heflin (D-Ala.)

Hank Brown (R-Colo.)