Julia Carson

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Julia Carson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 7th district
In office January 3, 2003 – December 15, 2007
Preceded by	Brian Kerns
Succeeded by	André Carson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 10th district
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003
Preceded by	Andrew Jacobs, Jr.
Succeeded by	District eliminated in reapportionment
Born	July 8, 1938(1938-07-08) Louisville, Kentucky
Died	December 15, 2007 (aged 69) Indianapolis, Indiana
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Divorced
Religion	Baptist

Julia May Carson (July 8, 1938 – December 15, 2007), born Julia May Porter, was a member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana's 7th congressional district from 1997 until her death in 2007 (numbered as the 10th District from 1997 to 2003). Carson was the first woman and first African American to represent the 7th District. She was also the second African American woman elected to Congress from Indiana, after Katie Hall.

[edit] Life and political career

Carson was born in Louisville, Kentucky. The daughter of Velma V. Porter, she moved to Indianapolis while still a girl and worked in various positions to support her family. She graduated from Crispus Attucks High School in 1955 in Indianapolis.^[1] She then attended Martin University in Indianapolis and 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 Indiana House of Representatives, which she did; she was elected in 1972, serving as a member for four years. In 1976, she successfully ran for the Indiana Senate, where she served for 14 years.

In 1990 she was elected as a Trustee for Center Township (downtown Indianapolis), and was responsible for running welfare in central Indianapolis. Carson served six years as a trustee, creating a $6 million surplus from the office's $20 million debt.^[2] Jacobs has said Carson "not only took cheats off the welfare rolls, she sued them to get the money." When Jacobs retired in 1996, Carson ran as his replacement in what was then the 10th District, and won Democratic endorsement despite being heavily outspent by party chairman Ann DeLaney, 49 percent to 31 percent.

In the general election she faced Republican 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 percent to 45 percent that November.

[edit] House record

Carson had a reputation for being somewhat unpredictable, including votes for anti-terrorism bills and normal trade relations with China. Carson opposed the Iraq war resolution in 2002.

Among her other achievements, Carson led Congress to pass a House measure awarding Rosa Parks the Congressional Gold Medal. Another notable achievement was a bill she cosponsored with Sen. Richard Lugar to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks on child health insurance.

Julia Carson speaking at the Rosa Parks memorial

Carson was reelected with little difficulty in 1998 and 2000, but her poor health led to tighter-than-expected races afterward. In the 2002 election, her district was renumbered as the 7th District after Indiana lost a district, and was made slightly more Republican than its predecessor. Carson faced public affairs specialist Brose McVey. In a heated campaign that led to Carson leaving the stage in protest in their final pre-election debate, she won re-election 53 percent to 44 percent. She was reelected by just over 11 points in 2004 defeating Republican Andrew Horning and Libertarian Barry Campbell.

Carson defeated Eric Dickerson in the 2006 elections 54 percent to 46 percent, a narrow 8-point margin in a year when most incumbent Democrats skated to victory.^[3] In the same election, Democrats managed to capture three districts in Indiana that are somewhat more Republican than the 7th.

Carson was a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

She was one of the 31 who voted in the House not to count the electoral votes from Ohio in the 2004 presidential election.^[4]

[edit] Illness and death

On September 29, 2007, the Indianapolis Star reported that Carson had been an in-patient at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for the preceding eight days.^[5] She was being treated for an infection in her leg near the area where a vein was removed in 1996 during double bypass heart surgery. Before her hospitalization was revealed, Carson missed 42 of 77 votes during the month. Year-to-date, Carson had participated in 87 percent of the House votes.

On November 25, 2007, the Star reported that Carson had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.^[2] When being treated for a leg infection, the cancer was discovered by Carson's doctors. Carson had battled it before, but it had gone into remission. In a statement, Carson said she was ready to return to Washington before "the second shoe fell — heavily."

According to her friend Andy Jacobs, Carson died at about 9:15 AM on December 15, 2007.^[6]

On December 21, 2007 Julia Carson's casket was taken to the Indiana Statehouse in downtown Indianapolis by horse-drawn military caisson. Carson became the ninth Hoosier to lie in repose at the Statehouse Rotunda. An early morning service was held in the statehouse where Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Carson's grandson, City-County Councilman André Carson, gave remarks [1]. Thousands of Hoosiers paid last respects to Carson by visiting the casket and attending an evening ceremony held in the statehouse. Those who attended the evening ceremony included Jesse Jackson, Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, Fm Rep. Andrew Jacobs, Jr., Rep. Brad Ellsworth, Rep. Baron Hill, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Rep. Diane Watson, and Richard Hatcher among others. Rudy Clay, mayor of Gary, Indiana, presented a key to the city to the Carson family.

The funeral for Julia Carson, held on December 22, 2007, brought thousands of citizens together to pay last respects. Those who spoke at the funeral included Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Sen. Richard Lugar, Sen. Evan Bayh, Fm Sen. Birch Bayh, Rep. Pete Visclosky, Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, radio host Tavis Smiley, Louis Farrakhan, and Indiana House Speaker B. Patrick Bauer. The funeral services aired on live television in central Indiana. Carson was buried in Crown Hill Cemetery. Graveside ceremony included a three-volley salute.

A special election was held on March 11, 2008 to determine Carson's replacement^[7], and her grandson André Carson won the election, defeating Republican opponent Jon Elrod and Libertarian opponent Sean Shepard.

[edit] Committees and subcommittees

• Committee on Financial Services (ranked 10th of 32 Democrats)
  • United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
  • United States House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity
• Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

[edit] Group ratings (109th Congress)

(Jan. 2005-Jan. 2007)

• National Journal
  • Economic: 86.5% Liberal, 10.5% Conservative
  • Social: 90.5% Liberal, 9% Conservative
  • Foreign: 83% Liberal, 15.5% Conservative
• Americans for Democratic Action: 95
• American Civil Liberties Union: 100
• Chamber of Commerce of the United States: 41.5
• Christian Coalition: 25 (108th Congress)
• American Conservative Union: 2
• National Taxpayers Union: 11.5
• League of Conservation Voters: 94.5
• Human Rights Campaign: 88 (108th Congress)

[edit] Electoral history

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• U.S. Congresswoman Julia Carson, U.S. House site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Julia Carson profile
• Julia Carson for Congress, Campaign site