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Senator Tom Carper Democrat of Delaware

For U.S Senate in 2012

Statistics

Party: Democrat
Born: Jan. 23, 1947; Beckley, W.Va.
Education: Ohio State University, B.A. Economics, 1968; University of Delaware M.B.A. 1975
Occupation:
Family: Wife, Martha Carper; two children
Religion: Presbyterian
Political Career: Delaware State Treasurer 1977-83; U.S. House 1983-93; Delaware Governor 1993-2001, U.S. Senate 2000-present
Committees: Environment and Public Policy; Finance; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

Why Your Support

In 2004, Senator Tom Carper co-founded a group called the Third Way with the idea of giving moderates higher profiles and serving as a think tank to generate middle-of-the-road legislation. He is a deputy whip in the Senate and continues to push for moderate bi-partisan solutions. Carper is committed to overhauling the nation’s health care system and has worked to rewrite the Clean Air Act. He is an original sponsor of a bipartisan climate change measure that would cap emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases. He shares JAC’s values and concerns and has been an excellent vote on Israel-related issues.

There’s always the possibility that Christine O’Donnell may want to run again. She challenged Carper in 2004 before running in 2010 against Chris Coons, now Delaware’s junior senator.

Background

Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution. It is the second smallest state in area and the sixth smallest in population. Throughout most of its history, Delaware has been unusually affluent. It had the nation’s highest income levels during the early 20th century and still has relatively high-income levels. The racial and ethnic mix is not much different from the rest of the nation’s; it is home to more African Americans (20%) and fewer Hispanics (6%). From the 1950s through the 1980s Delaware’s vote mirrored that of the nation’s with both local and national offices held by both parties. But in the 1990s, Delaware, like many of America’s large metropolitan areas, trended toward the Democrats. Now it is virtually a one-party state. Tom Carper defeated incumbent GOP Sen. William Roth in 2000 and in 2010 Democrat Chris Coons won the seat that had been Vice-President Joe Biden’s for 30 years.

About The Candidate

Tom Carper has been in public service for more than 30 years. He became Delaware’s state treasurer in 1976 at the age of 29. The state had the worst credit rating of any state in America. When Carper left to take Delaware’s At-Large seat in the House of Representatives, the state’s credit rating was AA. Rep. Carper came back to Delaware in 1992 to become the state’s 78th Governor and served as vice-chairman and then chairman of the National Governors’ Association. Gov. Carper stepped down two weeks early to become Delaware’s junior senator in 2001. But, Tom Carper’s residence was always in Wilmington. He commutes daily and used to rush out of the office in the afternoon to make one or both of his sons’ soccer games.

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