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Dan Carter
Dan Carter (Republican Party) was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing District 2. He assumed office in 2011. He left office in 2017.
Carter (Republican Party, Independent Party) ran for election to the Connecticut House of Representatives to represent District 2. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.
Carter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.
Carter did not seek re-election to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 2016. Instead, Carter was a 2016 Republican candidate who sought election to the U.S. Senate from Connecticut.[1]
Biography
Dan Carter was born in Dayton, Ohio. Carter served in the U.S. Air Force from 1989 to 2014. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Bowling Green State University in 1989. He earned a master's degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1995. Carter's career experience includes working as an aviation consultant, as an officer and pilot with the U.S. Air Force, in healthcare sales and sales management, as a small business owner, and as a state legislator.[2]
Committee assignments
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Carter served on the following committees:
| Connecticut committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Finance, Revenue and Bonding |
| • General Law, Ranking Member |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Carter served on the following committees:
| Connecticut committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Banks |
| • Energy and Technology |
| • General Law, Ranking Member |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Carter served on these committees:
| Connecticut committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Banks |
| • Energy and Technology |
| • Public Health |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2020
See also: Connecticut House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 2
Incumbent Raghib Allie-Brennan defeated Dan Carter in the general election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 2 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Raghib Allie-Brennan (D / Working Families Party) | 53.4 | 7,136 |
 | Dan Carter (R / Independent Party)  | 46.6 | 6,215 | |
| Total votes: 13,351 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
The Democratic primary election was canceled. Incumbent Raghib Allie-Brennan advanced from the Democratic primary for Connecticut House of Representatives District 2.
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Dan Carter advanced from the Republican primary for Connecticut House of Representatives District 2.
2016
Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated Connecticut's U.S. Senate race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Richard Blumenthal (D) defeated Dan Carter (R), Richard Lion (L), Jeffery David Russell (G), and John Price (I) in the general election on November 8, 2016. No candidate faced a primary election in August. Carter defeated August Wolf at the Republican convention. Blumenthal won re-election in the November 8 election.[3][4][5]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Richard Blumenthal Incumbent |
63.2% | 1,008,714 | |
| Republican | Dan Carter | 34.6% | 552,621 | |
| Libertarian | Richard Lion | 1.1% | 18,190 | |
| Green | Jeffery Russell | 1% | 16,713 | |
| N/A | Write-in | 0% | 38 | |
| Total Votes | 1,596,276 | |||
| Source: Connecticut Secretary of State | ||||
Campaign themes
2020
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Dan Carter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Carter's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I grew up in a middle-class family in Ohio and attended Bowling Green State University where I earned a degree in Political Science and completed the Air Force ROTC program. While in the Air Force, I served in Desert Storm and Bosnia as a C-130 pilot, and as an Instructor Pilot teaching new pilots in advanced phases of training. I also held a number of management positions and earned a master's degree. I left the Air Force with the rank of Major.
My wife and I chose to settle in her native Connecticut to raise our kids in a state with great schools and great opportunities. I worked in Healthcare for 15 years in both large and small companies. I currently have my own business as a consultant in the aviation industry.
In 2010, I didn't like the path we were on in Connecticut, so I ran for and was elected to the state legislature where I served until Jan 2017. While I have served on many committees and have a passion for many issues, including opioid abuse prevention and domestic violence prevention, I am mostly focused on making Connecticut affordable with sound, common-sense economic policy.
- The high taxes in Connecticut have chased people and jobs out of the state, leaving working, middle-class families to pick up the tab. It's just not acceptable and we must finally focus on making Connecticut affordable.
- Connecticut still has a spending problem, not a revenue problem. Taxes and spending got us in the mess, so more taxes won't get us out. Me must grow our economy from the bottom up, beginning with reducing regulations on small businesses.
- We must commit to real property tax reform that lowers taxes for everyone. A good start is to reduce the mandates on cities and towns that feed the political appetite in Hartford, but leave residents paying through the nose.
Affordability - I really believe Connecticut is the best state in the country. I am tired of seeing people and jobs leave the state, so I am passionate about prioritizing state spending and finding ways to raise revenues without more taxes, as we have been buried in taxes over the last 10 years.
Energy - we rely heavily on natural gas and are increasing the use of renewable energy so we do not use coal. Unfortunately, the delivery capability for gas has not kept up with demand, mostly due to the environmental special interests in the state. We also have a completely flawed system for purchasing electricity. Now we pay the second-highest electric costs in the country! If we do not completely revamp the system, rates will continue to rise.
Transportation - It makes no sense that we have a special fund for transportation that actually funds the entire department of transportation and funds are continuously diverted to other priorities. Meanwhile, our infrastructure is falling apart. We make sure funds for transportation are used to improve transportation. We must resist the calls for tolls, which amount to another tax on the middle-class.
Opioid and prescription drug abuse prevention - I want to make sure the prescription drug monitoring program isn't hijacked for purposes other than preventing prescription drug abuse. I also want to reenergize my effort to get more abuse-deterrent formulations of prescription opioids recognized by insurance companies.
I tend to look for the best in people and I find qualities I admire. Here are a few:
Ben Franklin for honesty and the pursuit of virtue.
George Washington for his strength in ensuring the military didn't take power over the country.
Sarah Breedlove for her courage, perseverance, and entrepreneurship
Martin Luther King for his commitment to nonviolence and his courage to stick to his values, especially when he spoke out against the war in Vietnam.
My father, a police officer, for his moral compass and compassion for others.
James Earl Jones - overcame a severe stutter to go on to serve his country as a military officer and eventually became one of the most famous voices ever.
My wife, a smart ivy league graduate and former world-class soccer player for her competitiveness, kindness, and her optimism.
The Campaign with Will Ferrell, and Zach Galifianakis (Kidding)
There really isn't one book or movie that describes my political philosophy.
The book that might describe the basics about me is "All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten" by Robert Fulghum.
The move that might say the most about my leadership perspective is "The Last Castle" with Robert Redford and James Gandolfini
Integrity
Compassion
Listening skills
Patience
Consistency
Courage
Integrity
Compassion
Listening skills
Patience
Consistency
Courage
As cheesy as it might sound, no mater what level of government one serves and an elected official, it all boils down to a few words. My job is to protect life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I am not really worried about a legacy, although I hope the people I worked with regard me as a person of integrity.
I would like to look back and know that I actually made my state more affordable for future generations.
I would like to be part of serious legislation that actually gets guns out of the hands of criminals and reduces the number of innocent people killed on our streets, not politically motivated laws that do nothing.
I had, and will have, one of the most diverse districts in the state. I would like to find some partners who can help find a different path to helping solve some of the socioeconomic issues in our cities, while not overtaxing our suburbs
I have memories of the unrest in Ireland. I was about 5 years old and I was hearing about bombings. I certainly wouldn't have understood the situation at the time.
I took a job at 14 years old with a local Wolohan Lumber Company location. Wolohan sold building materials and home products, similar to a Home Depot, but the stores were much smaller. I was hired to clean the store - bathrooms, floors, etc. After about a year, I moved up to loading and unloading trucks and loading cars for customers. I learned a lot about home repair from my father, grandfathers, and the people at Wolohan, so I eventually moved up to the sales counter working with customers. I would also occasionally deliver building materials.
I stayed with Wolohan until I went to college and worked there during the summer between my freshman and sophomore year of college.
Good to Great - James Collins
Good is the enemy of great. It reminds me that we shouldn't always settle for good. Good schools should be great schools. We should strive for great. I also love the chapter on the Hedgehog concept. I won't give it away, but the concept has been very important to me.
Captain Jack Sparrow
Circles by Post Malone
I think the hardest struggle for me was when my first wife and I divorced with two kids at 3 and 5 years old. I was a few years out of the Air Force, and I had taken a significant pay cut, and suddenly find myself supporting two households. Well, one household and one rented room in a local home with a queen bed and bunk beds. About a year later I got a second room, and another year after that I was able to get an apartment.
Money was tight and there were some times when I really didn't think I could make it in Connecticut. I felt like I was one bad event away from being broke. It was so stressful. In time, I worked my way to a better situation. But even with my struggles, I had it pretty good and I was able to work my way up quickly. There are many who live that way for far longer.
While in the legislature, I met many people in the same spot I was, and often worse. Many of our friends and neighbors who have a tough time affording to live in Connecticut because their earnings are above the Federal Poverty Level, but not enough to afford a basic household budget in Connecticut. That is why it is imperative that we find a way to make our state affordable. It is the best place in the country to live!
I encourage everyone to learn more about ALICE at https://www.unitedforalice.org/
While all legislators are responsible for ensuring the welfare of the entire state, the number of people represented in a house district compared to a senate district is an important distinction. With 151 State Representatives, the Representatives are, by design, going to create law with their local communities in mind. With 36 Senators who represent more communities, they would naturally have a focus on serving more communities which would give a regional perspective on legislation. Assuming legislators give deference to the opinions in their communities, I think this strikes an important balance in the way we legislate.
Having experience in government, poitics, or non-profits is definitely helpful and can make a newly elected officials more effective, especially if those individuals understand issues, are responsive to the communities they represent, and well regarded among the people they work with in elected office. However, having people with life experience, experience in business, or other experiences can be just as beneficial to making good policy. At the end of the day, it's about the individual candidate.
Affordability. In the last decade we were recovering from the financial crisis in 2008. As the economy grew, the majority in power in Connecticut used that recovery to raise taxes and spending, effectively holding our state back. What should have been a time of prosperity was a time marred by people and jobs leaving the state. We never fully recovered. Now that we are facing another difficult recovery, the majority is poised to do it all over again. We just can't sustain it.
Ideally, they should work together. There are times that the legislature should work with the governor to achieve the governor's goals or vision, with the understanding that there are often differences on how to achieve those goals. There are also times for the governor to support the legislature. Most importantly, both should support the people of the state. The governor should operate from a perspective of being accountable to all the people of the state. When the governor believes the legislature has created law that isn't in the best interest of the state as a whole, especially when passed by a small margin, the governor should veto the legislation and require the legislature take another look.
It is imperative that legislators build relationships and it's something that is lacking. When you develop friendships, it is much harder to burn each other in effigy, so to speak. It also helps open the lines of communication and helps political adversaries understand each other. There is no doubt that my Democrat friends have helped me be a better representative of my district.
Connecticut does a pretty decent job of redistricting, considering both parties have equal standing and must work together, or a separate commission will draw the plan if parties can't agree. Those that are making the decisions are elected, so at least they are accountable to the people. With that said, I would be open to discussing an independent commission, but my fear is the commission might actually be more influenced by one party than our current system, especially in who gets to decide who is on the commission.
I have served on a number of committees when I was in the legislature before. This time around I am very interested in Public Safety, Energy and Technology, and General Law Committees. I have never served on Public Safety, but I have a passion for it. Nothing is more important that the safety of the people I represent, which is what I loved about serving on the Public Health Committee. I was on the Energy and Technology Committee for two years and it is one of the most challenging committees due to the complexity of energy issues. Energy is also one of the most important issues affecting the affordability of the state, as we are the second highest in the nation, and I feel obligated to take the challenge as I have the experience to make a difference. Finally, there is General Law. I served as the Ranking Member of General Law and it was a great experience. Having oversight of many consumer protection functions of the state, it is a great place to find bipartisan ways to help people and also remove burdensome regulations.
Linda Orange, a long time State Representative in Connecticut. As a person, she was someone who really created and nurtured relationships. She was always willing to give honest advice and she was a good friend to many on both sides of the aisle. She had the courage to stand up for her district, even when under pressure from her own political party.
I am not sure. I left the legislature to run for higher office. I ran as an underdog against the biggest name in Connecticut politics. I ran a great campaign in a very short time, but of course, got beat. I think what is different now is campaigning for federal office made me realize how much I could do for my community at the local level. My family situation is also much different now, as I got married in 2016. I think serving as a State Rep is a great opportunity, so I am pretty excited about returning to the legislature.
Soon after I was elected to my first term in the legislature, I was contacted by a soon to be constituent in a mobile home park who had a difficult problem. Between the fence on her property line and the fence along a major interstate highway, a deer had tried to clear the constituent's fence and didn't quite make it. The dear had been there for some time and the constituent didn't know where to turn. To make matters worse, her grandchildren were visiting.
I attempted to get the mobile home park to help to no avail. The city didn't want anything to do with it because it was up to the DOT. The DOT declined because it was too far from the highway, considering they would have to drive around the fence and they suggested calling the city. What was I to do?
I enlisted the help of my best friend and with masks, gloves, and shovels, we removed the problem and it's a story we laugh about today. That family appreciated me going the extra mile and I learned to try my best to help every constituent, one at a time. I also learned how good it is to have a best friend with a strong constitution.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2016
The following issues were listed on Carter's campaign website. For a full list of campaign themes, click here.
| “ |
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” |
| —Dan Carter's campaign website, http://www.carterforsenate.com/issues.html | ||
2014
Elections for the Connecticut House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on August 12, 2014, and a general election on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 10, 2014. Candace Fay was unopposed in the Democratic primary, while incumbent Dan Carter was unopposed in the Republican primary. Carter defeated Fay in the general election.[7][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dan Carter Incumbent |
53.3% | 4,110 | |
| Democratic | Candace Fay | 42.7% | 3,287 | |
| Independent | Dan Carter Incumbent |
4% | 308 | |
| Total Votes | 7,705 | |||
2012
Carter ran in the 2012 election for Connecticut House of Representatives District 2. Carter ran unopposed in the Republican primary on August 14, 2012. He defeated Steven DeMoura (D) in the general election on November 6, 2012.[9][10][11]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dan Carter Incumbent |
52.1% | 5,342 | |
| Democratic | Steven B. DeMoura | 47.9% | 4,921 | |
| Total Votes | 10,263 | |||
2010
Carter was uncontested in the August 10 primary. He defeated incumbent Democrat Jason Bartlett in the November 2 general election.
| Connecticut House of Representatives, District 2 General Election (2010) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Dan Carter (R)
|
4,023 | |||
| Jason Bartlett (D) | 3,920 | |||
Campaign finance summary
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.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Connecticut scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2017
In 2017, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 4 through June 7. The legislature held a veto session on July 24. The legislature held its first special session on July 31. The legislature held its second special session from September 14 to September 16. The legislature held another special session on October 3. State lawmakers held their fourth special session from October 25 to October 26. The legislature met again in special session from November 14 to November 15.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on bills related to environmental issues.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from February 3 through May 4. The Legislature held a special session from May 12-13 to pass the state budget.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 7 through June 3.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from February 5 to May 7.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from January 9 to June 5. Ballotpedia staff did not find any state legislative scorecards published for this state in 2013. If you are aware of one, please contact editor@ballotpedia.org to let us know. |
2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the Connecticut General Assembly was in session from February 8 to May 9.
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Yankee Institute's Voter Guide
- See also: Yankee Institute's Voter Guide (2012)
The Yankee Institute, a pro-market think tank, releases its Voter Guide after each two-year legislative term. Each member of the Connecticut General Assembly receives a score from 0 to 10 based on how he or she voted in ten key votes. The Institute selects key votes which "reveal the differences between those legislators that would harness the power of individual liberty and the market to improve lives, and those that prefer a centrally-planned approach." A legislator with a 10 voted in agreement with the Yankee Institute on all 10 votes, while a legislator with a 0 voted against the Yankee Institute's views or was absent for all 10 votes.[12]
2012
Carter received a score of 9 on the Yankee Institute's Voter Guide for 2011-12, tied for the highest score of the 152 members of the Connecticut House of Representatives. He did not receive a score for the 2009-10 term because he was not yet in the legislature.[12]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Dan + Carter + Connecticut + House + Legislature
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Carter has two children.
See also
2020 Elections
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Profile from Open States
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Legislative profile from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions via OpenSecrets
Footnotes
- ↑ The CT Mirror, "CT GOP backs Carter for Senate, denies Wolf primary margin," May 9, 2016
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 2, 2020
- ↑ The CT Mirror, "Clay Cope wins landslide in 5th, Daria Novak a squeaker in 2nd," May 9, 2016
- ↑ The CT Mirror, "CT GOP backs Carter for Senate, denies Wolf primary margin," May 9, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "Connecticut Senate Results," November 8, 2016
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Official primary and general election results," accessed November 26, 2014
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Candidate list," accessed June 19, 2012
- ↑ CBS Connecticut, "2012 Primary Results," August 14, 2012
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Election Results 2012," accessed November 21, 2012
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Yankee Institute for Public Policy, "Yankee Institute Voter Guide for 2011-12," October 19, 2012
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jason Bartlett |
Connecticut House District 2 2011–2017 |
Succeeded by William Duff (R) |
