Julia Carson

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Julia Carson

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 7th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 1997–
Preceded by	Brian Kerns
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	July 07, 1938 (age 68) Louisville, Kentucky
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Divorced
Religion	Baptist

Julia M. Carson (born Julia May Porter on July 8, 1938) is Member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana's 7th congressional district. She has been a member of the House since 1997. She is the first woman and first African American to represent the 7th District.

1 Life and Political Career
2 House Record
3 Committees and Subcommittees
4 Group Ratings (108th Congress)
5 External links

[edit] Life and Political Career

Carson was born in Louisville, Kentucky. The daughter of an unmarried teenage mother and growing up in poverty, she worked as a waitress, newspaper deliverer and summer farm laborer growing up, and had to collect welfare to help her family. She graduated from Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis, and then at Martin University in Indianapolis and at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

In 1965, while working as a Secretary at UAW Local 550, she was hired away by newly elected congressman Andy Jacobs to do casework in his Indianapolis office. When his own electoral prospects looked dim in 1972, he encouraged Carson to run for the state House, which she did, and was duly elected to the state legislature of Indiana in 1972, serving as a member for 4 years. In 1976, she successfully ran for the state senate.

In 1990, she was elected as a Center Township Trustee, in which Indianapolis is located, and is responsible for running welfare in central Indianapolis. When Jacobs retired in 1996, Carson chose to run as his replacement, and won Democratic endorsement despite being heavily outspent by party chairman Ann DeLaney, 49%-31%.

In the general election she faced Virginia Blankenbaker, a state senator and stockbroker, who, like Carson, was also a grandmother with liberal views on abortion and the death penalty. Each raised a similar sum of money, but Carson won 53%-45% that November.

[edit] House Record

Julia Carson speaking at the Rosa Parks memorial

Carson garners a reasonably liberal voting record. However, ill health has limited her activities in Congress. She had major heart surgery in 1997, and serious pneumonia in 1999. In 2004, she missed almost 200 House votes due to illness.

Carson has a reputation for being somewhat unpredictable. Her votes in favor of normal trade relations with China and in support of the anti-terrorism bill have caused some dissatisfaction in her heavily unionized district. One of her notable achievements was a bill she co-sponsored with Sen. Richard Lugar to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks on child health insurance.

Her poor health and voting record has caused her to face serious competition in her district. In 2002, redistricting made the area slighly more republican in nature, and faced public affairs specialist Brose McVey that year. In a heated campaign that lead to Carson leaving the stage in protest in their final pre-election debate, she won re-election 53%-44%. She faced similar competition in 2004, and although her opponent had little funds behind him, she still only won re-election 54%-44%, which has fueled speculation about the level of pro-Carson / anti-Carson polarity in the district.

Carson defeated Eric Dickerson in the 2006 elections 54% to 46%. [1]

Carson is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

[edit] Committees and Subcommittees

Committee on Financial Services (ranked 10th of 32 Democrats)
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions & Consumer Credit
- Subcommittee on Housing & Community Opportunity
Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure (ranked 26th of 34 Democrats)
- Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings & Emergency Management
- Subcommittee on Highways, Transit & Pipelines
- Subcommittee on Railroads

[edit] Group Ratings (108th Congress)

National Journal
- Economic: 83.5% Liberal, 16.5% Conservative
- Social: 81.5% Liberal, 18.5% Conservative
- Foreign: 88% Liberal, 11% Conservative
Americans for Democratic Action: 85
American Civil Liberties Union: 94
Chamber of Commerce of the United States: 31
Christian Coalition: 25
American Conservative Union: 4.5
National Taxpayers Union: 14
League of Conservation Voters: 79.5

[edit] External links

U.S. Congressman Julia Carson official House site
Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
Federal Election Commission - Congressman Julia Carson campaign finance reports and data
On the Issues - Julia Carson issue positions and quotes
OpenSecrets.org - Julia Carson campaign contributions
Project Vote Smart - Representative Julia M. Carson (IN) profile
SourceWatch Congresspedia - Julia Carson profile
Washington Post - Congress Votes Database: Julia Carson voting record
Julia Carson for Congress official campaign site

Political offices
Preceded by Andrew Jacobs, Jr.	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 10th congressional district 1997-2003	Succeeded by District Eliminated in Re-Districting

Political offices
Preceded by Brian Kerns	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 7th congressional district 2003-present	Succeeded by incumbent