John Carney Jr.

John C. Carney Jr.

Democratic Party

Prior offices

Lieutenant Governor of Delaware

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U.S. House Delaware At-large District

Successor: Lisa Blunt Rochester

Predecessor: Michael N. Castle

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Governor of Delaware

Successor: Bethany Hall-Long

Predecessor: Jack Markell

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Education

High school

St. Mark's High School

Bachelor's

Dartmouth College

Graduate

University of Delaware

Personal

Religion

Christian: Catholic

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal LinkedIn

John C. Carney Jr. (Democratic Party) was the Governor of Delaware. He assumed office on January 17, 2017. He left office on January 7, 2025.

Carney (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for Governor of Delaware. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Carney was not able to file for re-election as governor due to term limits. He ran for mayor of Wilmington, Delaware. Wilmington is not within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.

Carney was born in Wilmington, Delaware in 1956. He graduated from St. Mark’s High School. Carney received a bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1978 and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Delaware in 1987, where he coached football.

Before his entry into elected politics, Carney served as the state's finance secretary and as chief administrative officer for New Castle County. He also served as an aide to then-Gov. Tom Carper (D) and then-Sen. Joe Biden (D).

Carney served two terms as the state's lieutenant governor, winning election in 2000 and re-election in 2004. In 2010, Carney won election to the state's open U.S. House seat, serving three terms. Carney won election to succeed term-limited Gov. Jack Markell (D) in the 2016 gubernatorial election, defeating state Sen. Colin Bonini (R) by a margin of 19 percentage points.

Carney said he "focused on making Delaware’s economy more competitive, preparing Delaware’s children to succeed, and building a long-term sustainable financial plan for the State of Delaware" and had "directed new resources to high-needs schools, partnered with the private sector to drive job creation, and taken steps to lower healthcare costs for Delaware families, businesses, and taxpayers." In his final state of the state address, Carney listed increased school funding, housing programs, green energy initiatives, and gun control as among his achievements as governor.

Biography

Carney grew up in Claymont, Delaware, as one of nine children. He received an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College in 1978 and a master's in public administration from the University of Delaware in 1987.

Carney worked as a staffer for Sen. Biden from 1986 to 1989. He was chief administrative officer of New Castle County between 1989 and 1994. He then worked for Gov. Carper as the state finance secretary. Carney then served two terms as lieutenant governor. He ran for governor in 2008 and lost in the Democratic primary. Carney served three terms as a U.S. representative before being elected governor in 2016.

Political career

Governor of Delaware (2017-2025)

Carney was elected governor of Delaware in 2016. He left office on January 7, 2025.

U.S. House of Representatives (2011-2017)

Carney was a U.S. representative from Delaware's At-Large Congressional District from 2011 to 2017.

Lieutenant Governor of Delaware (2001-2009)

Carney served as Delaware's lieutenant governor from 2001 to 2009.

Elections

2024

See also: Delaware gubernatorial election, 2024

John Carney Jr. was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.

2020

See also: Delaware gubernatorial election, 2020

Delaware gubernatorial election, 2020 (September 15 Republican primary)

Delaware gubernatorial election, 2020 (September 15 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for Governor of Delaware

Incumbent John C. Carney Jr. defeated Julianne Murray, Kathy DeMatteis, and John Machurek in the general election for Governor of Delaware on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John C. Carney Jr. (D)	59.5	292,903
		Julianne Murray (R)	38.6	190,312
		Kathy DeMatteis (Independent Party)	1.2	6,150
		John Machurek (L)	0.7	3,270

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 492,635
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of Delaware

Incumbent John C. Carney Jr. defeated David Lamar Williams Jr. in the Democratic primary for Governor of Delaware on September 15, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		John C. Carney Jr.	84.8	101,142
		David Lamar Williams Jr.	15.2	18,169

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 119,311
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Delaware

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Delaware on September 15, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Julianne Murray	41.2	22,819
		Colin Bonini	34.6	19,161
		Bryant Richardson	7.7	4,262
		Scott Walker	7.2	3,998
	Submit photo	David Bosco	6.6	3,660
		David Graham	2.8	1,547

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 55,447
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Neil Shea (R)

2016

See also: Delaware gubernatorial election, 2016

Carney ran for governor of Delaware in the 2016 election. He was the only Democrat to file for the office.

John Carney defeated Colin Bonini, Andrew Groff, Sean Goward, and Benjamin Hollinger in the Delaware governor election.

Delaware Governor, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	John Carney	58.34%	248,404
	Republican	Colin Bonini	39.19%	166,852
	Green	Andrew Groff	1.40%	5,951
	Libertarian	Sean Goward	1.07%	4,577
	Write-in	Benjamin Hollinger	0.00%	0
Total Votes				425,784
Source: Delaware Secretary of State

Click [show] to view noteworthy endorsements
Endorsements Delaware Governor Jack Markell (D)

2014

See also: Delaware's At-Large Congressional District elections, 2014

Carney won re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. He won the Democratic nomination unopposed in the primary election. He then defeated Rose Izzo (R), Bernard August (G) and Scott Gesty (L) in the general election on November 4, 2014.

U.S. House, Delaware's At-Large District General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	John C. Carney Jr. Incumbent	59.3%	137,251
	Republican	Rose Izzo	36.8%	85,146
	Green	Bernard August	2.1%	4,801
	Libertarian	Scott Gesty	1.9%	4,419
Total Votes				231,617
Source: Delaware Department of Elections

2012

See also: Delaware's At-Large Congressional District elections, 2012

Carney won re-election in 2012. He was unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Tom Kovach (R), Scott Gesty (L) and Bernard August (G) in the general election on November 6, 2012.

U.S. House, Delaware At-Large District General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	John C. Carney, Jr. Incumbent	64.7%	238,081
	Republican	Thomas Kovach	33.2%	122,062
	Green	Bernard August	1.1%	4,085
	Libertarian	Scott Gesty	1.1%	3,926
Total Votes				368,154
Source: Delaware Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

2010

On November 2, 2010, John C. Carney, Jr. won election to the United States House. He defeated Glen Urquhart (R), Earl R. Lofland (I), Brent A. Wangen (L) and Jeffrey Brown (I) in the general election.

U.S. House, Delaware At-Large District General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	John C. Carney, Jr	56.8%	173,543
	Republican	Glen Urquhart	41%	125,442
	Independent Party of Delaware	Earl R. Lofland	1.2%	3,704
	Libertarian	Brent A. Wangen	0.6%	1,986
	Blue Enigma	Jeffrey Brown	0.3%	961
Total Votes				305,636

2004

Carney won election to the office of Lieutenant Governor of Delaware on November 2, 2004. He defeated James Ursomarso (R), Michael Dore (Independent Party of Delaware) and John Reda (Libertarian).

Lieutenant Governor of Delaware, General Election, 2004
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	John C. Carney Jr.	62.1%	218,272
	Republican	James Ursomarso	36.3%	127,425
	Independent Party of Delaware	Michael Dore	1.2%	4,130
	Libertarian	John Reda	0.5%	1,646
Total Votes				351,473

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

John C. Carney Jr. did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2016

Campaign website

Carney's 2016 campaign website stated the following:

“	Jobs/Economy The security of every Delaware family depends on good-paying jobs. Delaware’s economic landscape has changed drastically over the last decade, with key manufacturers leaving our state and the DuPont merger with Dow shaking the very identity of Delaware’s economy. Delawareans are right to worry about our economy in transition. But that transition also makes us focus on our strengths, and where we need to improve, as we build the Delaware economy of the future. That future is an innovation economy, where Delaware is not only the First State when it comes to incorporating a company but also the First State when it comes to growing a company. It means having a thriving financial services sector that creates jobs in technology. It means improving data security. And it means changing how we use banking services. It requires a robust entrepreneurial economy housed at sites like coIN Loft, the Mill, and 1313 Innovation, where Delawareans are developing new products to bring to the market place. It means small businesses up and down Delaware are expanding with new hires. It’s the next generation of biotech, pharma, and agricultural sciences, creating thousands of additional high-paying jobs. And it’s a state that pursues every opportunity to create new manufacturing and blue collar jobs, like at the port of Wilmington, to make sure all Delawareans can earn a livable wage. John understands that the role of government in promoting a strong economy is to create an environment where businesses can thrive and invest in Delaware. That means moving faster than any other state when it comes to helping locate or grow a business that will create good jobs. It includes a regulatory environment that is fair, thoughtful and timely. Delaware’s current regulatory structure rests on a 40-year-old patchwork of incoEconomynsistent and often inefficient mechanisms to resolve regulatory matters. John wants to modernize this antiquated framework by streamlining redundant and inefficient processes and utilizing technology to increase efficiency and transparency. He knows how. In Congress, John fought hard to successfully change a regulatory burden under the Affordable Care Act that threatened to shift 500 Delaware jobs overseas. Of course, the real key to our economic future is our people. As businesses compete for the best employees, they will go and grow where the talent is. We need a workforce second to none — one that can compete not only nationally, but globally. John knows that today’s economy evolves at a rapid pace and so do the workforce needs of growing companies. We need to invest more in our people to give every Delawarean who wants to compete for the best jobs the chance to do so. John wants companies to look at Delaware first for their expansion needs, knowing that we will deliver a highly trained workforce ready to hit the ground running. Education EducationJohn believes that for too long, students, teachers, and parents have been shuffled from one education reform to another — from standardized test to standardized test. He thinks the best thing we can do to improve Delaware’s education system is to pick a strategy, and stick with it. Our education system, especially in the city, is not serving our kids the way it needs to. John’s education policy will focus on the following key elements: Making Sure All Children Get to Kindergarten Ready to Learn Create a Cabinet-level Council to better deliver early childhood education programming. Build stronger connections between early learning and K-12 schools. Maintain support for high quality STARS rated programs. Provide at-risk parents and families with early intervention and coaching from birth through early childhood. Giving Educators the Tools and Students the Resources They Need Refocus the role of DOE from a regulatory agency to a support agency. Take advantage of the flexibility in Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to set goals and accountability measures that make sense for Delaware. Offer useful and effective professional development to Delaware educators. Develop leadership opportunities to keep high quality teachers in the classroom and supporting other teachers. Create flexibility with state resources so teachers and schools can more effectively address the needs of their students. Break down silos to get social services in schools for students and families. Ensuring that all students graduate high school and are career and college ready Expand career pathways programs to get more students professional certifications before graduation. Create measures for school and student success based on outcomes, including career readiness. State Budget/Government Efficiency One of the most difficult challenges facing our next governor will be balancing the state’s budget. With some of our revenues in decline and the cost of government continuing to grow, John believes it is time to take a fresh look at state spending and how we pay for government. As a former Secretary of Finance, John knows we can’t continue with business as usual. Increased spending in areas like health care are outpacing our ability to afford it, and crowding out other priorities like improving education and creating jobs. John believes it is time for a “reset” that takes a hard look at spending and revenue. If Delaware state government is going to continue to offer the services it provides to a growing population, and expand in areas where it’s weak, it will need to be more efficient and better able to eliminate unnecessary spending. A sustained focus on efficiency needs to be a permanent fixture of state government and embraced at the highest levels of all three branches of government. And, if we need to raise more revenue, we need an approach that promotes a growing economy, that’s fair to all taxpayers, and that minimizes the burdens on those least able to pay. A reset for budget spending and revenue won’t be easy, but John is no stranger to tough assignments. As a member of Congress, John was one of only 38 representatives to vote for the Simpson-Bowles plan — a budget proposal that could have reined in our nation’s spending and raised revenue in a balanced way. And he cofounded a bipartisan working group with Republican colleagues to seek out common sense solutions on the federal budget and other tough issues facing Congress. As governor, John will bring that same leadership to a bipartisan effort, working with business and other community leaders, to get our budget back on track without sacrificing the quality services that so many Delawareans depend on. The Environment John knows that the health of our environment has to do with more than our state’s natural resources. It impacts the health of our economy and our physical health as well. Address climate change and sea level rise: John believes one of the most serious threats facing Delaware is that of climate change and sea level rise. As a coastal state, adapting to and mitigating against sea level rise and global warming is critical, not only for our coastal communities but also for those in low-lying flood-prone areas. This affects our entire state, from residents of Southbridge in Wilmington to farmers in Prime Hook to small business owners in Rehoboth to the roads and bridges in Seaford. John thinks Delaware’s next Governor needs to lead the fight to coordinate our resources and expertise so that we are as ready as we can be to cope with the effects of sea level rise. Improving our resilience by adopting common-sense practices and investing in natural defenses, like wetlands, dunes, and living shorelines, will reduce risks to communities and businesses, improve wildlife habitat, and ultimately save taxpayers money by reducing expensive cleanup costs. If elected, John would work to spur investments in energy efficiency and clean energy and continue our state’s participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. These efforts will support well-paying manufacturing and construction jobs, lower energy bills, and reduce climate-disrupting air pollution. Clean up Delaware’s waterways: From the Brandywine and Christina to the Nanticoke and the Inland Bays, our state has some of the most picturesque waterways in America. Yet, more than 90% of them are not safe for drinking, swimming, or fishing. The quality of Delaware’s rivers and bays is of great concern to John. In Congress, he worked hard to advance the Delaware River Basin Conservation Act, and as Governor, John would continue his focus on cleaning up our waterways. By prioritizing investments in water infrastructure and restoration projects, John would help create new tourism and recreational opportunities, spur job creation and urban redevelopment, and increase fish and wildlife populations. Preserve open space: Because of our beaches and bayshore, cultural heritage sites and state parks, millions of tourists visit Delaware every year. They support tens of thousands of jobs and generate billions of dollars of economic activity. John believes we can create more jobs and catalyze private sector investment by prioritizing our tourism economy, including continuing to improve recreational spaces, supporting Open Space and Farmland Preservation funding, advancing the Bayshore Initiative, and completing innovative projects like Fort DuPont. Clean up old industrial sites: Abandoned facilities and decades-old pollution in our soil pose a danger to our groundwater and overall health. Cleaning up these brownfield sites will remove threats to our drinking water, prepare sites for redevelopment and new job creation, and reduce pressure to develop greenfields. John wants our children and our children’s children to inherit a Delaware whose natural beauty is preserved and whose environmental resources are protected. As Governor, assuring this type of future for Delaware will be one of John’s priorities. Healthcare The cost of healthcare is hitting household pocketbooks hard. Significant increases in premiums plus higher co-pays and deductibles are eating away at the paychecks of hard-working Delawareans. Increasing healthcare costs are now the biggest driver of our growing state budget. John Carney knows that while the Affordable Care Act has made important changes to our nation’s healthcare system, we need to do more to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, while embracing reforms in how we deliver healthcare to bring greater value, quality, and transparency to the system. As former chairman of Delaware’s Healthcare Commission, and a long-time board member of Delaware’s Cancer Consortium, John has spent years studying our state’s healthcare system and finding ways to improve it. He wants to rein in our state’s runaway health costs by creating policies to encourage healthier lifestyles and better management of chronic diseases among Delawareans. This will require that we continue to make changes to the way the incentives in our current system are aligned, but the result will be healthier individuals who spend less money on healthcare. For the past decade and a half, John has been a leader in the state’s fight against cancer. As governor, John would continue the work he’s done on Delaware’s Cancer Consortium, increasing cancer screening, reducing disparities among different demographic groups, and lowering cancer mortality rates. We’ve made a lot of progress, but we all have friends and family who have suffered from this terrible disease and there’s much more work to do. John wants our state to embrace the Vice President’s “moonshot” initiative, in response to Beau’s passing, to eradicate cancer deaths by fostering greater collaboration and innovation in research. John agrees with the Vice President — this is the responsibility of the living. John is also deeply concerned about the opioid and heroin addiction epidemics that are devastating communities across our country, and throughout Delaware. In Congress, John supported important reforms to make government services for combating addiction more effective and better funded. As governor, John will focus on improving access to treatment options to help individuals struggling with addiction, and on innovative strategies to help prevent individuals from becoming addicted in the first place. Criminal Justice As a 30-year resident of Wilmington’s Triangle neighborhood, a past chairman of the state’s Criminal Justice Council, and a former member of the Board of Pardons, John Carney has seen our criminal justice system from many perspectives. And he knows it is a system in need of reform. Like everyone, John wants to make sure we are keeping dangerous criminals off our streets. But he also knows that rehabilitating offenders and helping them become employed and productive members of society are the keys to safer communities. Even more important is preventing our young people from turning to a life of crime in the first place. There are no quick or easy solutions. During his campaign for governor, John has met with community members, law enforcement officials, ex-offenders, and school leaders to gather ideas for making our criminal justice system work as it should. As governor, he will work to: ✓ Target our resources on high-risk offenders, so police are keeping a closer eye on those individuals with a history of serious and violent crimes. ✓ End the school-to-prison pipeline by giving young people employment and educational options that keep them off the streets. ✓ Give educators tools to deal with disruptive behavior in the classroom without sending students into the system for minor offenses. ✓ Provide better access to mental health care and drug and alcohol rehabilitation. ✓ Allocate police resources with the needs of the community in mind. ✓ Improve education and training programs to prepare inmates for reentry into society. ✓ Work with law enforcement to develop trust within the communities they serve. ✓ And, reexamine our existing gun laws to ensure they give law enforcement the tools they need to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and the mentally ill. Agriculture In Delaware, agriculture accounts for more than $8 billion in economic activity each year. We’ve got 500,000 acres of farmland, 2,500 family farms, and more than 240 million chickens raised per year. Our proximity to population centers along the East Coast helps our agriculture industry thrive. In order to continue to grow our economy, John believes we need to support our farmers and look for new opportunities to expand the agricultural sector in our state. Improving nutrient management regulations: As Governor, John will work to harmonize our state’s efforts to protect the environment with the need to support our long tradition of being an agricultural engine for the country. Delaware’s farmers are the backbone of our state, particularly in southern Delaware. They are stewards of the land, and they more than anyone understand the importance of robust environmental protections. However, the cost of complying with certain regulations can impose a difficult burden for Delaware’s farmers to meet. That’s why John thinks we need to work with farmers to develop policies that are both practical, and effective. We also need to give farmers the resources they need to be environmentally responsible. Reducing permitting barriers: In Delaware, poultry is king, with almost all of the grain grown in our state supporting our chicken industry. Yet, the poultry industry has its challenges. We have more than 60 pending farm construction loans totaling $60 million on hold due to permitting and regulatory issues. While we have seen growth in poultry houses, these delays can cause family farmers great hardship when their livelihood depends on being able to grow chickens. John believes we need to work to ensure that regulations and permitting don’t delay families from supporting their small businesses. Preserving farmland: Delaware first began the farmland preservation program in 1996 and in the ensuing 20 years has seen more than 120,000 acres permanently preserved. As we see decreasing farmland due to development, we need to continue to support the preservation of our farms. Almost our entire grain crop goes toward feeding our chicken industry and, with fewer farms, we will be forced to truck in grain while transportation costs are soaring, leading to increased chicken prices. With the average age of a farm owner in Delaware at 55, John believes we need to ensure that future generations who want to join their family farm are able to continue running these small businesses without huge tax burdens. Promoting agribusiness: In the past decade, Delaware has seen huge growth in farmers’ markets providing fresh products directly to consumers and has become an economic engine providing more than $3 million in sales in 2015. We have farmers shipping apples to be used at McDonald’s and watermelons for sale in grocery stores across the region, value-added products such as lavender soap, wine, and an assortment of jams and jelly, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. We have growing agribusiness opportunities in Delaware where farms are realizing new funding sources, like value added products. These new ventures promote Delaware products while sustaining farms through the dull months of the winter. Farms in Delaware are even contributing to our tourism economy, like at Lavender Fields in Milton. John believes we need to continue to foster agribusiness in this ever-changing economy to realize the full potential of our agriculture markets.	”
—John Carney's 2016 campaign website

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope.

Notable candidate endorsements by John C. Carney Jr.

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Bethany Hall-Long  source  (D)	Governor of Delaware (2024)	Primary	Lost Primary
Kamala D. Harris  source  (D, Working Families Party)	President of the United States (2024)	Primary	Lost General
Joe Biden  source	President of the United States (2024)	Primary	Withdrew in Convention
Eugene Young  source	U.S. House Delaware At-large District (2024)	Primary	Withdrew in Primary
Joe Biden  source  (D, Working Families Party)	President of the United States (2020)		Won General
Hillary Clinton  source  (D)	President of the United States (2016)	Primary	Lost General

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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John C. Carney Jr. campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2014	U.S. House (Delaware)	Won	$1,165,083	N/A**
2012	U.S. House (Delaware)	Won	$1,526,892	N/A**
2010	U.S. House (Delaware)	Won	$2,138,565	N/A**
Grand total			$4,830,540	N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2015-2016

Carney served on the following committees:

• Financial Services Committee
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises
  • Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade

2013-2014

Carney served on the following committees:

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises
  • Subcommittee on Monetary Policy and Trade

2011-2012

Carney served on the following committees:

• Committee on Financial Services
  • Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit
  • Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations

Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

114th Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Carney's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 Trade adjustment assistance On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Carney was one of 40 Democrats to vote in favor of TAA. Trade promotion authority On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Carney was one of 157 Democrats to vote against the measure. Trade promotion authority second vote After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining his or her original position on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Carney was one of 158 Democrats to vote against the amendment. Trade adjustment assistance second vote The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Carney was one of 175 Democrats to vote in favor of HR 1295. Defense spending authorization On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Carney voted with 142 other Democrats and eight Republicans against the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Carney voted with 134 other Democrats and 235 Republicans to approve the bill. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, including Carney, voted against the resolution. 2015 budget On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Carney voted with 186 Democrats and 79 Republicans in favor of the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Carney voted with 176 Democrats to approve the bill. Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Carney voted with 161 Democrats for the bill. Suspension of Iran sanctions relief On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Carney voted with 185 Democrats against the bill. Presidential non-compliance of section 2 On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Carney voted with 185 Democrats against the resolution. Export-Import Bank On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods. Carney voted with 185 Democrats and 127 Republicans in favor of the bill. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Carney voted with 141 Democrats and 196 Republicans to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Carney voted with 179 Democrats against the bill. Cyber security On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies. Carney voted with 134 Democrats and 220 Republicans to approve the bill. On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Carney voted with 104 Democrats and 202 Republicans in favor of the bill. Immigration On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Carney voted with 46 Democrats and 242 Republicans in favor of the bill.

113th Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Carney's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security DHS Appropriations Carney voted against HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines. Keystone Pipeline Amendment Carney voted in favor of House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines. CISPA (2013) Carney voted in favor of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party. NDAA Carney voted in support of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote. Economy Farm bill On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill. The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop. However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Carney voted with 88 other Democratic representatives in favor of the bill. 2014 Budget On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582 page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and the protection of the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Carney joined with the majority of the Democratic party and voted in favor of the bill. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Carney voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate. The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Carney voted for HR 2775. Federal Pay Adjustment Elimination Carney voted in favor of HR 273 - Eliminates the 2013 Statutory Pay Adjustment for Federal Employees. The bill passed the House on February 15, 2013, with a vote of 261 - 154. The bill called for stopping a 0.5 percent pay increase for all federal workers from taking effect. The raises were projected to cost $11 billion over 10 years. Immigration Morton Memos Prohibition Carney voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines. Healthcare Healthcare Reform Rules Carney voted against House Amendment 450 - Requires Congressional Approval for Any Rules Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The amendment was adopted by the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 227-185. The amendment requires all changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act be approved by Congress before taking effect. The vote was largely along party lines. Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act Carney voted against HR 2009 - Keep the IRS Off Your Healthcare Act of 2013. The bill passed through the House on August 2, 2013, with a vote of 232-185. The bill would prevent the IRS and Treasury Secretary from enforcing the powers provided to them in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The vote largely followed party lines. Social issues Amash amendment Larson voted against House Amendment 413 - Prohibits the National Security Agency from Collecting Records Under the Patriot Act. The amendment failed on July 4, 2013, by a vote of 205-217. The amendment would have prohibited the collection of records by the National Security Agency under the Patriot Act. Both parties were split on the vote. Previous congressional sessions Fiscal Cliff Carney voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was one of 172 Democrats who voted in favor of the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257 - 167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Carney's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $211,029 and $890,000. That averages to $550,514, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic representatives in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. Carney ranked as the 260th most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2009 and 2012, Carney's calculated net worth increased by an average of 13 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

John C. Carney Jr. Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2009	$397,053
2012	$550,514
Growth from 2009 to 2012:	39%
Average annual growth:	13%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Carney received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry.

From 2009-2014, 35.67 percent of Carney's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

John Carney Jr. Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$4,573,235
Total Spent	$3,706,268
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$658,062
Securities & Investment	$299,720
Insurance	$289,045
Real Estate	$200,394
Commercial Banks	$183,950
% total in top industry	14.39%
% total in top two industries	20.94%
% total in top five industries	35.67%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Carney was a centrist Democrat as of July 2014. In June 2013, Carney was rated as a "centrist Democratic follower."

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Carney voted with the Democratic Party 93.3 percent of the time, which ranked 98th among the 204 House Democratic members as of July 2014.

2013

Carney voted with the Democratic Party 91.3 percent of the time, which ranked 163rd among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Carney most often votes with:

• Suzanne Bonamici
• Chris Gibson

Carney least often votes with:

• Jim Matheson
• Justin Amash

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, John C. Carney Jr. missed 98 of 3,315 roll call votes from January 2011 to September 2015. This amounted to 3 percent, which was higher than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Carney paid his congressional staff a total of $849,981 in 2011. He ranked 15th on the list of the lowest paid Democratic representative staff salaries and ranked 97th overall of the lowest paid representative staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Delaware ranked 43rd in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Carney ranked 157th in the liberal rankings in 2013.

2012

Carney ranked 152nd in the liberal rankings in 2012.

2011

Carney ranked 156th in the liberal rankings in 2011.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.

Carney lives in Wilmington with his wife, Tracey. They have two children.

See also

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by Jack Markell (D)	Governor of Delaware 2017-2025	Succeeded by Bethany Hall-Long (D)
Preceded by Michael N. Castle (R)	U.S. House Delaware At-large District 2011-2017	Succeeded by Lisa Blunt Rochester (D)
Preceded by -	Lieutenant Governor of Delaware 2001-2009	Succeeded by -