A former U.S. Marine, Harris served in the Korean War as a machine gunner and a platoon commander.

Following his time in the military, Harris moved to Ashland, Ohio, where he began a career as an automotive dealer.

In 1995, Harris sought an open seat in the Ohio House of Representatives in a Republican district.

[2] While Harris was seen as a potential Speaker of the House in 2000, a vacant seat in the Ohio Senate changed his political future.

Both dropped out of the running, leaving darkhorse candidate Harris to take the top position in the Senate in 2005.