Thomas Richard Carper

Democrat senior Senator of Delaware

Representative
Delaware
January 3, 1983 - January 3, 1985
Representative
Delaware
January 3, 1985 - January 3, 1987
Representative
Delaware
January 6, 1987 - January 3, 1989
Representative
Delaware
January 3, 1989 - January 3, 1991
Representative
Delaware
January 3, 1991 - January 3, 1993
Senator
Delaware
January 3, 2001 - January 3, 2007
Senator
Delaware
January 4, 2007 - January 3, 2013
Senator
Delaware
January 3, 2013 - January 3, 2019
Senator
Delaware
January 3, 2019 - January 3, 2025

202-224-2441

@SenatorCarper

carper.senate.gov

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Congresses Served

House Terms

Senate Terms

January 1, 1947 (77 years old)

Birthday

American politician and former military officer
Served as the senior United States senator from Delaware since 2001
Member of the Democratic Party
Previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1993
Served as the 71st governor of Delaware from 1993 to 2001
Born in Beckley, West Virginia
Graduated from Ohio State University and earned an MBA from the University of Delaware
Served as a naval flight officer in the U.S. Navy from 1968 until 1973, including active duty in the Vietnam War
Retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve with the rank of Captain
Worked for the state of Delaware in its economic development office after military service
Elected state treasurer of Delaware, serving from 1977 to 1983
Chaired the Subcommittee on Economic Stabilization during his time in the House
Governed Delaware as a moderate, business-oriented New Democrat
Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000, defeating Republican incumbent William Roth
Re-elected to the Senate in 2006, 2012, and 2018
Serves as one of four deputy Democratic whips and chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Serves on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Finance Committee
Last Vietnam War veteran to serve in the Senate
Advocated for economic development, business recruitment, and tax reduction as governor
Promoted mentoring programs and established the Delaware Mentoring Council
Advocated for better control of Delaware’s Democratic Party organization
Supported legislation to limit class action lawsuits and to restrict personal bankruptcy
Strong proponent of free trade
Supported additional funding for school choice programs and charter schools
Advocated for increased funding for railroad projects and rail security
Proposed a 25-cent raise in the federal gasoline tax for infrastructure improvement and debt reduction
Criticized for a postal-bailout bill that would underwrite pension obligations for retired postal workers
Supported executive action to reduce gun violence and voted for gun control measures
Co-wrote the “Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act of 2010”
Introduced an amendment to limit state regulators from enforcing consumer regulations on national banks
Voted against Bernie Sanders’s amendment to include a $15/hour minimum wage in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
Changed stance to support same-sex marriage after previously signing a law defining marriage as between a man and a woman
Voted yes on the 2002 Iraq War Resolution
Commutes over 100 miles by Amtrak train from his home in Wilmington to the United States Capitol
Married twice and has two children; member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware
Announced he will not seek reelection in 2024 and endorsed U.S. Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester