Another Democratic Senator to Retire: What Does It Mean for 2024?

Lifetime politician and current Democratic Senator Tom Carper is retiring. Carper, D-Delaware, announced Monday that he will not seek reelection in 2024. He has held office since 1977 when he became Delaware’s state treasurer. Carper is the fourth Democrat to announce retirement from the Senate before the 2024 elections. With this seat up for grabs, could it become a key battleground in the upcoming elections?

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Senator Carper

Throughout his political career, Tom Carper, a longstanding Democrat, has enjoyed a streak of success, winning 14 statewide elections without experiencing a single defeat. His political journey encompasses serving in the House of Representatives from 1983 to 1993 and holding the position of Delaware’s governor for two consecutive terms. Carper also boasts a military background, having served three tours in Vietnam as a National Aviation Officer, making him the sole remaining Senate member with such a distinction. However, despite his extensive political tenure, Carper has recently called it quits, opting to step back from the political arena. In an announcement Monday, which has since been posted to his Facebook page, the veteran politician confirmed his departure from the political landscape.

Tune in to hear my announcement live: https://t.co/4p83TdQYhf

— Tom Carper (@TomCarperforDE) May 22, 2023

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Replacement Plan

Carper is set to join Democrat Senators Ben Cardin of Maryland, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and Dianne Feinstein of California as all four plan to retire come 2024. What does that say for a Republican flip? The state is heavily Democratic, Joe Biden won it in 2020 by 19 points, and the state hasn’t seen a Republican Senate representative since 1973. As of now At-large Democratic Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester is rumored to be the favorite to replace Carper. Though at this point in 2022, no Democratic Senators had announced retirement, however five representatives had – and we all know how that went. Will Republicans take Carper’s seat in Delaware, hopefully, but is the bigger picture of a Democratic political legacy coming to an end in Washington – let’s pray.