Joe Courtney | |
---|---|
Member of the U.S.HouseofRepresentatives from Connecticut's 2nd district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2007 | |
Preceded by | Rob Simmons |
Member of the ConnecticutHouseofRepresentatives from the 56th district | |
In office January 1987 –January 1995 | |
Preceded by | Robert Hurd |
Succeeded by | Thomasina Clemons |
Personal details | |
Born | Joseph David Courtney April 6,1953 Hartford,Connecticut,U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Audrey Courtney |
Children | 2 |
Education | Tufts University (BA) University of Connecticut (JD) |
Website | House website |
Joseph David Courtney [1] (born April 6, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Connecticut's 2nd congressional district since 2007. His district encompasses most of the eastern third of the state, including Norwich and New London. A member of the Democratic Party, Courtney served as the Connecticut state representative for the 56th district from 1987 to 1995 and Vernon town attorney from 2003 until 2006.
Courtney grew up in suburban Hartford. In 1975, he graduated from Tufts University. He earned a J.D. degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1978.
After graduating from law school, Courtney worked as a public defender for three years. He became a partner in the law firm Flaherty, Meisler and Courtney, and also served as Town Attorney in Vernon, Connecticut, where he lives.
From 1987 to 1994, Courtney served in the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing Connecticut's 56th district. He chaired the Public Health and Human Service Committee and oversaw the Blue Ribbon Commission on Universal Health Insurance. In 1994, Connecticut Magazine honored him for his bipartisan efforts in the state house.
In 1998, after four years out of office, Courtney made an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor. In 2002, he ran for Congress against incumbent Republican Rob Simmons. Courtney did not announce his candidacy or raise money until September 2001; by that time, Simmons had more than $500,000 in campaign funding. Simmons defeated Courtney in the November election, 54% to 46%. [2]
Courtney challenged Simmons again in 2006, in a race that political strategists projected would be very close. Courtney was declared the winner on Election Day; initial tallies showed him ahead by 167 votes, out of more than 242,000 votes. Under Connecticut law the race qualified for an automatic re-canvass because the winning margin was less than 0.5%. When the recount concluded on November 14, Courtney had 91 votes more than Simmons. [3] The Washington Post later said that the final margin was 83 votes. It was the tightest congressional race of 2006. [4]
Courtney's 2008 Republican challenger was the former commanding officer of the Naval Submarine Base New London, Sean Sullivan. [5] Courtney won the election by a two-to-one margin. [6] [7] [8]
On May 21, 2008, Courtney announced his endorsement of then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama for president.
Courtney was reelected, defeating Republican Janet Peckinpaugh, Green Party nominee Scott Deshefy, and Libertarian Party write-in Dan Reale. [9]
Courtney defeated Republican Lori Hopkins-Cavanagh, a business owner and radio show host from New London, Connecticut.
In 2016, Courtney defeated Republican Daria Novak, Green Party candidate Jonathan Pelto and Libertarian Dan Reale. [10] Novak co-hosted a weekly cable television show, "American Political Zone", and a nationally syndicated radio show, "Vernuccio-Novak Report." [11]
In April 2018, Dan Postemski, an Iraq War veteran and chair of the Hampton Republican Town Committee, announced his plans to challenge Courtney in the 2018 election. Postemski said that he wanted "to bring common sense to budgeting" and that he was "a strong supporter of the 2nd amendment" and would "fight to the death to save it." In a reference to Courtney's participation in a gun-control sit-in, Postemski said, "Joe Courtney has literally sat down on the job, right on the floor of the House. That’s not how a leader makes change." [12] Courtney was reelected by more than 20 points. [13]
In August 2009, Courtney was criticized for holding a teleconference with voters about health care instead of an in-person town hall. Richard Hanley, graduate journalism director at Quinnipiac University, complained that part of Courtney's job "is to wade into the muck of the process as it is, not as we would like it to be." [14]
Courtney has branded himself as bipartisan and has blamed various government crises on failure to "support a real compromise." In 2012, he said that though recent budget cuts to education were a "little heavy" and the Budget Control Act "ham-handed," he voted for them in a spirit of compromise. "It took guys like me to cross the aisle and make sure we didn't fall off the tracks there as a country," Courtney said. [15]
After seeing Steven Spielberg's film Lincoln in February 2013, Courtney wrote Spielberg a letter pointing out that although the film showed Connecticut House members voting against the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, in fact the state's entire congressional delegation had supported the amendment. He asked Spielberg for some kind of acknowledgment of the error, perhaps on the DVD. "It's important that people be aware who saw this movie that we were a state that lost soldiers, were staunch supporters of Lincoln in both elections and, in the case of the Democrat from New Haven, actually voted against his party in support of the amendment," said Courtney, who made his letter public. "The state's good name, I personally feel, was tarnished a bit." [16] His criticism, in the words of the Washington Post , "played well back home in Connecticut", where it occasioned "a number of grateful newspaper editorials", but "set off alarms in showbiz circles: Ballots had just gone out to Oscar voters. Was the congressman trying to influence the Academy Awards in favor of another contender?" The Post noted that "Courtney had a debt to Ben Affleck", who had campaigned for him and whose film Argo was up against Lincoln for Best Picture. [17]
In March 2015, after receiving two phone calls at home from scammers impersonating IRS agents demanding payment of owed taxes, Courtney warned his constituents to be wary of such scams. [18]
A golf game Courtney played with President Obama was highlighted on NPR in June 2015. [19]
In response to purported Republican hostility toward Muslims, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz urged Democratic members of Congress to invite Muslims as their guests to Obama's State of the Union address in January 2016. [20] Accordingly, Courtney invited Mohammed Qureshi, president of the Baitul Aman Mosque, an Ahmadiyya house of worship in Connecticut. The invitation garnered considerable media attention. [21]
As of 2023, Courtney was ranked the most bipartisan Member of Congress from Connecticut, according to the Lugar Center. [22]
In a statement responding to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, Courtney called it "one gigantic gift for corporations and the wealthiest Americans in exchange for next to nothing for average middle-class and working families." [23]
Along with other members of Congress who demanded that the House pass stricter gun-control legislation, Courtney took part in a sit-in on the House floor on June 22, 2016. [24]
In 2010, Courtney was the leading voice in the House against the so-called "Cadillac tax" on high-dollar health plans, part of the funding proposed for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. [25]
In March 2008, Courtney called U.S. policy in Iraq "two-headed." While the Bush administration asked troops "to serve and sacrifice on behalf of Iraq's fledgling government," Iraqi leaders were friendly with Iran. "The White House," he wrote, "needs to work with Congress to construct a reasonable long term security agreement with Iraq that address Iraq's relations with Iran." [26]
On August 6, 2015, Courtney issued a statement in support of Obama's Iran deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. "I believe that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is the best option for our nation and the international community to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapons capability," he wrote. [27]
When President Trump decided to withhold certification of the Iran nuclear agreement, Courtney issued a statement in which he claimed that Trump's move "directly contradicts the opinion of our nation's highest military leadership" and "puts us at odds with our closest allies such as the U.K., France and Germany, and undermines our country's ability to credibly execute a multilateral diplomatic resolution of the crisis in the Korean peninsula." [28]
Courtney voted to provide Israel with support following 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. [29] [30]
Courtney is known for his success at delivering funding for his district's submarine bases, and has acquired the nickname "Two-Sub Joe" for having made possible the construction of two new submarines. In 2016, the Hartford Courant endorsed him primarily because he had "brought home defense jobs." [31] [32]
In March 2017, Courtney protested Trump's revised executive order temporarily restricting travel from six Muslim-majority countries. He maintained that America's "moderate allies from Muslim-majority nations" had "repeatedly warned President Trump that these rash orders damage our standing to lead the anti-ISIS coalition" and that the executive order would result in a "backlash...overseas." Courtney added that the U.S. is "a nation of opportunity and a nation of immigrants, and this blanket ban on entry from six nations could mean that best and the brightest from those countries, and other Muslim-majority countries will no longer view the United States as an option for making a better life. This ban is not only a prize propaganda tool for terrorists who want to hurt us, it hurts American prestige abroad, and harms American businesses, schools, and institutions that rely on the hard work of immigrants from around the world, including these six countries." [33] [34]
In 2023, Courtney voted against H.Con.Res. 21 which directed President Joe Biden to remove U.S. troops from Syria within 180 days. [35] [36]
For the 118th Congress: [37]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney | 121,248 | 50% | |
Republican | Rob Simmons (incumbent) | 121,165 | 50% | |
Turnout | 242,413 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney (incumbent) | 212,148 | 65.7% | |
Republican | Sean Sullivan | 104,574 | 32.4% | |
Green | G. Scott Deshefy | 6,300 | 2% | |
Turnout | 323,041 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney (incumbent) | 140,888 | 58.7% | |
Republican | Janet Peckinpaugh | 95,671 | 39.9% | |
Green | G. Scott Deshefy | 3,344 | 1.4% | |
Turnout | 239,949 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney (incumbent) | 204,708 | 68.2% | |
Republican | Paul Formica | 88,103 | 29.4% | |
Green | Colin Bennett | 3,638 | 1.2% | |
Libertarian | Daniel Reale | 3,511 | 1.2% | |
Turnout | 299,960 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney (incumbent) | 141,948 | 61.6% | |
Republican | Lori Hopkins-Cavanagh | 83,386 | 36.2% | |
Green | William Clyde | 2,602 | 1.1% | |
Libertarian | Daniel Reale | 2,543 | 1.1% | |
Turnout | 230,479 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney (incumbent) | 208,818 | 63.2% | |
Republican | Daria Novak | 111,149 | 33.7% | |
Green | Jonathan Pelto | 5,332 | 1.6% | |
Libertarian | Daniel Reale | 4,949 | 1.5% | |
Turnout | 330,257 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney (incumbent) | 179,731 | 62.2% | |
Republican | Dan Postemski | 102,483 | 35.4% | |
Green | Michelle Louise Bicking | 3,595 | 1.2% | |
Libertarian | Dan Reale | 3,305 | 1.1% | |
Turnout | 289,114 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney (incumbent) | 217,982 | 59.4% | |
Republican | Justin Anderson | 140,340 | 38.2% | |
Green | Cassandra Martineau | 4,949 | 1.35% | |
Libertarian | Dan Reale | 3,901 | 1.06% | |
Turnout | 367,181 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney (incumbent) | 165,946 | 58.2% | |
Republican | Mike France | 114,506 | 40.2% | |
Green | Kevin Blacker | 2,439 | 0.9% | |
Libertarian | William Hall | 2,140 | 0.7% | |
Total votes | 285,031 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joe Courtney (incumbent) | |||
Republican | Mike France | |||
Total votes |
Joseph Isadore Lieberman was an American politician and lawyer who served as a United States senator from Connecticut from 1989 to 2013. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was its nominee for vice president of the United States in the 2000 U.S. presidential election. During his final term in office, he was officially listed as an Independent Democrat and caucused with and chaired committees for the Democratic Party.
Edward Randall Royce is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from California from 1993 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Royce served as Chairman of the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs from 2013 to 2019. He previously served as a member of the California Senate from 1982 to 1993.
Robert Ruhl "Rob" Simmons is an American politician and retired U.S. Army colonel who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007, representing Connecticut's 2nd congressional district as a Republican.
Rosa Luisa DeLauro is an American politician who has been the U.S. representative for Connecticut's 3rd congressional district since 1991. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is based in New Haven and includes most of its suburbs. DeLauro is the dean of Connecticut's congressional delegation.
Christopher Hunter Shays is an American politician. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives as representative of the 4th District of Connecticut. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Richard Ray Larsen is an American politician serving as the United States representative for Washington's 2nd congressional district since 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, Larsen is the ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Addison Graves "Joe" Wilson Sr. is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 2nd congressional district since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, his district stretches from Columbia to the Georgia–South Carolina border. He served as the South Carolina state senator from the 23rd district from 1985 to 2001.
Michael Clifton Burgess is an American physician and politician representing Texas's 26th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. The district is anchored in Denton County, a suburban county north of Dallas and Fort Worth. He has held the position since 2003 and is a member of the Republican Party.
John James Duncan Jr. is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Tennessee's 2nd congressional district from 1988 to 2019. An attorney, former Criminal Court judge, and former long serving member of the Army National Guard, published author and newspaper columnist. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Samuel Gejdenson is a former United States Representative for the 2nd Congressional District of Connecticut.
Christopher Scott Murphy is an American lawyer, author, and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Connecticut since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Connecticut's 5th congressional district from 2007 to 2013. Before being elected to Congress, Murphy was a member of both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly, serving two terms each in the Connecticut House of Representatives (1999–2003) and the Connecticut Senate (2003–2007).
The 2008 congressional elections in Connecticut were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who would represent the state of Connecticut in the United States House of Representatives, coinciding with the presidential election. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The Primary election was held on August 12.
Elizabeth Esty is an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Connecticut's 5th congressional district from 2013 to 2019. A Democrat, she previously was a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing the 103rd Assembly District, which consisted of Cheshire and parts of Hamden and Wallingford. She also served two terms on the Cheshire Town Council. The 5th congressional district spans central and northwest Connecticut, including Waterbury, Danbury, New Britain, Meriden, Torrington, Litchfield County, the Farmington Valley, Newtown, and Esty's hometown of Cheshire.
The 2016 United States Senate election in Connecticut was held November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Connecticut, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
James French Hill is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Arkansas's 2nd congressional district since 2015. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Joseph D. Neguse is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district since 2019. The district is based in Boulder and includes many of Denver's northwestern suburbs, as well as Fort Collins. A member of the Democratic Party, he was a regent of the University of Colorado from 2008 to 2015. Neguse is the first Eritrean-American elected to the United States Congress and Colorado's first Eritrean-American member of Congress. Neguse has served as House assistant Democratic leader since 2024.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Connecticut were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, to elect the five U.S. representatives from the state of Connecticut, one from each of the state's five congressional districts. The elections coincided with the gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections.
Jahana Hayes is an American educator and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Connecticut's 5th congressional district since 2019. The district, once represented by U.S. Senator Chris Murphy, comprises much of the state's northwestern portion, including New Britain, Danbury, and Waterbury. A member of the Democratic Party, Hayes is the first Black woman and Black Democrat to represent Connecticut in Congress. She was recognized as the National Teacher of the Year in 2016.
The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Connecticut was held on November 3, 2020, to elect the five U.S. representatives from the state of Connecticut, one from each of the state's five congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
The 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Connecticut were held on November 8, 2022, to elect the five U.S. representatives from the state of Connecticut, one from each of the state's five congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2022 U.S. Senate race in Connecticut and the 2022 Connecticut gubernatorial election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, other elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)