Carol Shea-Porter

Carol Shea-Porter
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire's 1st district
In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Jeb Bradley
Succeeded by	Frank Guinta
Personal details
Born	Carol Shea December 2, 1952 (1952-12-02) New York, New York
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Rochester, New Hampshire
Alma mater	University of New Hampshire
Occupation	Congress Woman / Social Worker
Religion	Roman Catholic
Website	Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter

Carol Shea-Porter (born December 2, 1952) is the former U.S. Representative for New Hampshire's 1st congressional district, serving from 2007 until 2011. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Shea-Porter was defeated in the November 2, 2010 general election by former Manchester mayor Frank Guinta, and left Congress in January 2011.

Early life, education and career

Shea-Porter grew up in the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire, attending local public schools, and graduating from the University of New Hampshire. She earned a bachelor's degree in social services and a master's degree in public administration. A social worker by profession, she directed senior centers in New Orleans and Maryland. She attributes her decision to run for Congress to her experience as a volunteer relief worker in New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when she was shocked by what she perceived to be the federal government's slow response to the disaster.

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments

• Committee on Armed Services
  • Subcommittee on Readiness
  • Subcommittee on Military Personnel
• Committee on Education and Labor
  • Subcommittee on Healthy Families and Communities
  • Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife
  • Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands

Political positions

Earlier photo of Shea Porter

As a member of the Armed Services committee, Shea-Porter has been active in veterans' issues. She was a lead co-sponsor of a bill to protect US troops from the disposal of toxic waste in open burn pits. She also introduced a bill to study urological war wounds. About 3% of combat wounds in Iraq involve soldiers' genital or urinary systems. She also won expanded healthcare for NH veterans.

Shea-Porter supports a clean and renewable energy policy to decrease U.S. reliance on foreign energy sources and agrees with a number of the objectives of financier and oil magnate T. Boone Pickens on these matters including continuance of emissions trading measures, a system already in effect for her constituency in the form of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative begun in 2003 by Republican governor George Pataki of New York. She voted for the American Clean Energy and Security Act.

Shea-Porter voted for the Affordable Health Care for America Act in 2009, and was active in efforts to close the "donut hole" in Medicare reimbursements for senior citizens.

Shea-Porter received a perfect score of 100% from the New Hampshire Association for Retired Americans for her support for 10 issues supported by the special interest group, referencing her votes in favor of blocking Social Security privatization, lowering Medicare costs, expanding access to affordable health care, stopping oil price gouging, and protecting voting rights.

Town hall disruptions

Following the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, many members of Congress held town hall meetings throughout their districts in an effort to explain and, in some cases, defend their votes. Shea-Porter, like several of her colleagues, found herself on the defensive at two such events held in Portsmouth and Bedford. A Londonderry man who repeatedly shouted down Shea-Porter and others was even removed by security. The lack of civility was noted by members of the event as well who, while disagreeing with Shea-Porter, wanted their concerns addressed in a more composed atmosphere.

Political campaigns

2006

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire, 2006

On November 7, 2006, Shea-Porter defeated incumbent Republican Jeb Bradley in the 2006 midterm elections in an upset victory to become the first woman elected to Congress from New Hampshire.

Shea-Porter faced four other Democrats in primary on September 12, 2006. She won with 12,497 votes (54%); Jim Craig, the New Hampshire House minority leader, finished second with 34%. She then defeated Republican incumbent Jeb Bradley in the general election, becoming the first Congresswoman from New Hampshire. Shea-Porter received 100,899 votes (52%) to Bradley's 94,869 votes (48%). She was victorious in the 2006 campaign although she received no financial support from either the Democratic National Committee or the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and although her incumbent opponent spent triple the amount her own campaign did.

2008

at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton, New Hampshire, 2007

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire, 2008

Shea-Porter was re-elected to a second term in November 2008, defeating Bradley for the second time. The Concord Monitor in 2008 changed its endorsement, which had gone to Bradley in 2006, to support Shea-Porter, citing her work on behalf of veterans and her record of service to constituents.

During her 2008 re-election campaign, Shea-Porter reversed course and requested financial support from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The Committee enrolled Congresswoman Shea-Porter in their "Frontline" program "which helps vulnerable incumbents with fundraising and campaign infrastructure." During the 2008 race she marginally outspent former Congressman Jeb Bradley in a rematch of their 2006 contest even though she set a fundraising record in 2008, by raising more in one quarter than any congressional campaign in New Hampshire's history. She totaled more than $260,000 from 2,589 donors, the bulk of which were individual donors.

2010

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in New Hampshire, 2010#District 1*

Shea-Porter was defeated by her Republican opponent, former Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta.

Electoral history

Year	Office	Election		Subject	Party	Votes	%		Opponent	Party	Votes	%
2006	Congress, District 1	General		Carol Shea-Porter	Democratic	100,837	51.31		Jeb Bradley	Republican	95,538	48.61
2008	Congress, District 1	General		Carol Shea-Porter	Democratic	176,461	51.78		Jeb Bradley	Republican	156,394	45.89
2010	Congress, District 1	General		Carol Shea-Porter	Democratic	95,503	42.36		Frank Guinta	Republican	121,655	53.96

External links

• Carol Shea-Porter for U.S. Congress official campaign site
• Biography at WhoRunsGov.com at The Washington Post
• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Congressional profile at GovTrack
• Congressional profile at OpenCongress
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• Financial information at OpenSecrets.org
• Staff salaries, trips and personal finance at LegiStorm.com
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Appearances on C-SPAN programs
• Carol Shea-Porter's unusual journey to U.S. Congress Beverley Wang, Associated Press Writer, The Boston Globe, November 8, 2006

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Jeb Bradley	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire's 1st congressional district 2007–2011	Succeeded by Frank Guinta