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Julia Carson

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Julia Carson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 7th district
In office
January 7 1997 – December 15 2007
Preceded byBrian Kerns
Succeeded byTBD
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDivorced

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 womanelected to Congress from Indiana, after Katie Hall.

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.

House record

File:Julia Carson2.jpg
Julia Carson speaking at the Rosa Parks memorial

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.

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.

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]

After her death, it was initially speculated that her grandson, Andre, would replace her as a Democratic candidate. State Representative Jon Elrod and probation officer Wayne Harmon announced that they would be competing for the Republican nomination for her seat.[5]

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.[6] 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.[5]

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 representative Andre 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.

Committees and subcommittees

Group ratings (109th Congress)

(Jan. 2005-Jan. 2007)

Election history

1996 US House Elections

  • Virginia Blankenbaker (R): 72,796
  • Julia M. Carson (D): 85,965

1998 US House Elections

  • Julia M. Carson (D): 69,682
  • Gary A. Hofmeister (R): 47,017

2000 US House Elections

  • Julia M. Carson (D): 91,689
  • Marvin B. Scott (R): 62,233

2002 US House Elections

  • Julia M. Carson (D): 77,478
  • Brose McVey (R): 64,379

2004 US House Elections

2006 US House Elections

  • Julia M. Carson (D): 74,750
  • Eric Dickerson (R): 64,304

References

  1. ^ Schneider, Rob (2007-12-16). "Carson remembered: Congresswoman gave voice to disadvantaged". Indianapolis Star. Retrieved 2007-12-16.
  2. ^ a b "Congresswoman has terminal cancer". CNN. 2007-11-25. Cite error: The named reference "cancer" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Indiana General Election November 7, 2007". Secretary of State of Indiana. 2007-11-06.
  4. ^ "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 7". Office of the Clerk. 2005-01-06.
  5. ^ a b Schneider, Mary Beth. Congresswoman Julia Carson dies, Indianapolis Star, 2007-12-15. Accessed 2007-12-15.
  6. ^ Maureen Groppe (2007-09-29). "Carson hospitalized with leg infection". The Indianapolis Star.
Political offices
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 10th congressional district
1997-01-03 – 2003-01-03 		Succeeded by
District eliminated in reapportionment
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 7th congressional district
2003-01-03 – 2007-12-15 		Succeeded by
TBD

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