Dan Carter (American politician)
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Daniel E. Carter (born September 18, 1967) is an American politician from
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...
. A
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
, he was elected to his first term in the
Connecticut House of Representatives The Connecticut State House of Representatives is the lower house in the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The house is composed of 151 members representing an equal number of districts, with ...
in November 2010, representing the state's second district in Bethel,
Danbury Danbury is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, located approximately northeast of New York City. Danbury's population as of 2022 was 87,642. It is the seventh largest city in Connecticut. Danbury is nicknamed the "Hat City ...
and Redding. Following redistricting, in 2012 Newtown was added to the second district when Carter won a second term. He was the Republican Party nominee in the 2016 U.S. Senate election in Connecticut, losing to incumbent
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
Richard Blumenthal Richard Blumenthal (; born February 13, 1946) is an American lawyer and politician who is the senior United States senator from Connecticut, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he is one of the wealthiest members of ...
.


Early life and education

Carter is a son of Emery A. Carter and Kathryn Carter of
Vandalia, Ohio Vandalia is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and a suburb of Dayton. Its population was 15,246 during the 2010 census. In addition to being the city closest to Dayton International Airport, Vandalia lies at the crossroads of I ...
. His mother was a nurse for a local physician. His father was a deputy sheriff for Montgomery County. Carter has one younger brother, David. Carter was active in his community and Boy Scouts as a youth and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He graduated from Vandalia-Butler High School. He earned a student
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...
degree in
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
from
Bowling Green State University Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized programs and research facilities in the ...
and a Master of
Aeronautical Science Aeronautics is the science or art involved with the study, design process, design, and manufacturing of air flight–capable machines, and the techniques of operating aircraft and rockets within the atmosphere. The British Royal Aeronautical So ...
degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.


Career

After graduation from college, Carter was commissioned as an officer in the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...
through ROTC. He completed
Undergraduate Pilot Training Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training ...
at Reese AFB in Lubbock, Texas and was assigned to the 40th Tactical Airlift Squadron at
Pope AFB Pope Field is a U.S. military facility located 12 miles (19 km) northwest of the central business district of Fayetteville, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective 15 November 2012 ...
in Fayetteville, North Carolina to fly the C-130 Hercules. Carter's most notable missions were flown in support of
Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
,
Operation Provide Comfort Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations initiated by the United States and other Coalition nations of the Persian Gulf War, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurdish refugees fleeing their homes in northern I ...
, and
Operation Provide Promise Operation Provide Promise was a humanitarian relief operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav Wars, from 2 July 1992, to 9 January 1996, which made it the longest running humanitarian airlift in history. By the end of the operation, ...
. Carter was assigned as an Instructor Pilot in the 50th Flying Training Squadron at Columbus AFB in Columbus, Mississippi flying the
T-38 Talon The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twinjet supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first, and the most produced, supersonic trainer. The T-38 remains in service in several air forces. The United States Air Force (USAF) operates the most ...
. After two years, Carter was assigned to the 48th Flying Training Squadron as an Instructor Pilot in the
T-1A Jayhawk The Raytheon T-1 Jayhawk is a twin-engined jet aircraft used by the United States Air Force for advanced pilot training. T-1A students go on to fly airlift and tanker aircraft. The T-400 is a similar version for the Japan Air Self-Defense For ...
. In addition to training student pilots, Carter held a variety of staff positions including Strategic Plans Officer, Airspace Manager, Safety Officer, Current Operations Flight Commander, and Assistant Operations Officer. While stationed in
Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
, Carter taught as an Adjunct Instructor for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Carter's active military duty ended in 1999, after which he pursued a career in healthcare. Carter worked for Pfizer Inc., where he represented medications to physicians and hospitals. His specialties included
Cardiology Cardiology () is a branch of medicine that deals with disorders of the heart and the cardiovascular system. The field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects, coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular h ...
, Pediatrics,
Urology Urology (from Greek οὖρον ''ouron'' "urine" and '' -logia'' "study of"), also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the urinary-tract system and the reproductive org ...
,
Rheumatology Rheumatology (Greek ''ῥεῦμα'', ''rheûma'', flowing current) is a branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis and management of disorders whose common feature is inflammation in the bones, muscles, joints, and internal organs. Rheumatolog ...
,
Orthopedics Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...
, and
Neurology Neurology (from el, νεῦρον (neûron), "string, nerve" and the suffix -logia, "study of") is the branch of medicine dealing with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of conditions and disease involving the brain, the spinal ...
. Carter served in the Air Force Reserve as an Admissions Liaison for the
United States Air Force Academy The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and U ...
. Carter was elected to the Connecticut state House of Representatives in 2010, unseating incumbent Democratic State Representative Jason Bartlett by 4181 (52%) to 3920 (48%). In 2012, Carter was elected to a second term after defeating his challenger, Democrat Steven DeMoura. In 2014, Carter won third term after defeating his challenger, Candace Fay. 2013 Connecticut Gun Legislation Following the Sandy Hook School shooting in which twenty first-graders and six educators were killed, Carter introduced legislation containing numerous gun control proposals, including universal background checks and restrictions on parole and early release for gun crimes. In 2013, and again in 2015, Carter also introduced legislation that addressed firearm access for people diagnosed with mental illness and determined to be at risk of harming themselves or others. Carter was the only representative for Newtown to vote against the new gun laws passed in Connecticut, citing the "over-reaching nature of the bill" and that the bill would "promote the growing rift between those that own guns and those that do not." Carter supports "No-Fly, No-Buy" legislation, as long it includes checks and balances for gun buyers wrongly placed on terrorist watch lists.


2016 U.S. Senate campaign

On April 4, 2016, Representative Carter announced his intention to seek the
U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...
seat held by Democrat
Richard Blumenthal Richard Blumenthal (; born February 13, 1946) is an American lawyer and politician who is the senior United States senator from Connecticut, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he is one of the wealthiest members of ...
. He was being challenged for the nomination by Jack Orchulli, CEO and co-founder of a
Michael Kors Michael David Kors (born Karl Anderson Jr. August 9, 1959) is an American fashion designer. He is the chief creative officer of his brand, Michael Kors, which sells men's and women's ready-to-wear, accessories, watches, jewelry, footwear, and f ...
apparel company and nominee for the U.S. Senate for this seat in 2004 and by
August Wolf August Louis "Augie" Wolf (born September 3, 1961) is an American former field athlete known for throwing the shot put. He is a graduate of Princeton University. He is a former United States indoor shot put national champion, United States out ...
, investment executive and former Olympic athlete. At the statewide convention at the Connecticut Convention Center in
Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since t ...
, held on Monday, May 9, 2016, Dan was overwhelmingly selected by the delegates to be the Republican candidate with 907 delegate votes to August Wolf's 123 and Jack Orchulli's 20. Connecticut Republican Party rules state any candidate receiving 15% of the delegate votes may force a primary, which would be held on August 9. In the initial vote, August Wolf received 179 votes, qualifying him for a primary with 15.1%. However, convention rules state that delegates may switch their vote after the initial tally. Candidate Jack Orchulli conceded defeat after the initial vote, but before the switch, and endorsed Dan Carter, encouraging his delegates to switch their vote. During the switch, an additional 56 delegates supporting August Wolf, changed their vote to Dan Carter. The campaign saw only one debate between Carter and Blumenthal which was orderly and collegial. Carter was a decided underdog against Blumenthal, with nearly all handicappers rating the race as "Safe Democratic" or its equivalent. In the general election, he tallied 34.6 percent to Blumenthal's 63.2 percent, only carrying 14 of the state's 169 towns.


2016 Connecticut Republican State Convention


Electoral history


Personal life

Carter was married to Cordy Puglio of
Redding, Connecticut Redding is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,765 at the 2020 census. History Early settlement and establishment At the time colonials began receiving grants for land within the boundaries of present- ...
in 1994. They had two children. Carter divorced in 2002. He currently shares custody of his two children. Carter married Jane Ann McBride of Long Island, New York in 2016. They currently reside in
Bethel, Connecticut Bethel () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Its population was 11,988 in 2022 according to World Population Review. The town includes the Bethel Census Designated Place. Interstate 84 passes through Bethel, and it has ...
.


Connecticut House of Representatives


Committee assignments

*Public Health *Energy *Banks *Finance Revenue and Bonding *General Law (Ranking) *Education


Bethel First Selectman

First Selectman-Elect Dan Carter was sworn-in on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/bethel-special-election-first-selectman-2023-17761847.php First Selectman Carter's priorities will include: public safety, public engagement and dealing with the downtown section part of town.


References


External links


Connecticut General Assembly
official site. , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Carter, Dan 1967 births Bowling Green State University alumni Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University alumni Living people Republican Party members of the Connecticut House of Representatives Military personnel from Connecticut People from Bethel, Connecticut People from Vandalia, Ohio 21st-century American politicians Candidates in the 2016 United States Senate elections