Rep. Blunt Rochester Statement on the Retirement of Senator Tom Carper
Washington,
May 22, 2023
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Andrew Donnelly
(302-893-4406)
WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), issued the following statement following the announcement that Senator Tom Carper will not be running for reelection.
“I still remember standing on the steps of the Capitol as an intern with then-Congressman Tom Carper. It was his service that helped inspire a journey I could have hardly imagined - as I would go on to serve as his staffer, cabinet member, and eventually, colleague in the United States Congress.
“It would be impossible to even partially capture the astounding accomplishments that Senator Carper compiled in his over four decades of service to our state and nation. From serving our nation as a Naval Flight Officer in Vietnam, to getting Delaware its first AAA bond rating as our treasurer, fighting the dumping of sludge into our waterways as our Congressman, ushering in an unprecedented period of economic vitality as our Governor, and being on the frontlines of the battle against the climate crisis as our Senator - the list is as long as it is impressive.
“For all of those accomplishments, perhaps the thing that will resonate with most Delawareans were the personal moments they spent with Senator Carper - a passing word in the morning at the YMCA, a handshake at the state fair, an excited high five at the Blue Rocks game. That’s because Senator Carper was always more interested in attending a local Sunday service than doing the Sunday shows, more interested in hearing from his constituents in person than getting clicks online, and more interested in the happenings of the day in Delaware than D.C.
“No one put more miles in than Tom Carper. No one worked harder for Delaware than Tom Carper. And I’m thrilled that he’ll now get to spend more time with Martha and his wonderful sons. After all, I know that the titles of husband and father have always meant more to him than Senator.
“To me, this is Tom Carper’s legacy. That he deeply loved our state of neighbors. That he worked tirelessly every single day to make it a better place. And that in his endeavor, he succeeded.”
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