Tom Carper becomes latest Senate Democrat to not seek reelection

Sen. Tom Carper, Delaware Democrat, announced Monday that he will not seek reelection in 2024 to serve a fifth term in the seat he’s held since 2001.

The 76-year-old said he hopes to pass the baton to the state’s at-large member of the House, Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester. His decision opens up a safe blue-state Senate seat for Democrats and the chairmanship of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. 

Mr. Carper said Ms. Rochester told him that she’s interested in running.

“After a good deal of prayer and introspection and more than a few heart-to-heart conversations, we decided I should … run through the tape in the next 20 months and finish the important work that my staff and I have begun on a wide range of fronts,” Mr. Carper said at a press conference in his home state.

Mr. Carper’s announced retirement marks the latest Senate Democrat to say they will not run for reelection. Longtime Sens. Ben Cardin of Maryland, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Dianne Feinstein of California are also choosing to leave Congress at the end of their terms.

Democrats hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate.

At the helm of the Senate’s environmental committee and a decades-old ally to fellow Delawarean President Biden, Mr. Carper has played a key role in helping the president advance his climate change agenda.

Mr. Carper ticked through several policy arenas where he will focus the remainder of his time in office, including clean energy and implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Democrats’ tax and climate spending law known as the Inflation Reduction Act.

He said he will also continue to work on taxes and trade, health care, jobs and workforce training, and Delaware-specific initiatives.

He officially endorsed Ms. Rochester, one of the First State’s longtime Democratic politicians and a former intern for Mr. Carper. She previously expressed interest in running for the seat and, if elected, would be the only Black woman in the Senate.

“I spoke with her this morning. I said, ’You’ve been patiently waiting for me to get out of the way, and I’m going to get out of the way. I hope you run, and I hope you will let me support you in that mission,’” Mr. Carper said. “She said, ’Yes, I will let you support me.’”

A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer said the New York Democrat spoke with Ms. Rochester by phone shortly after hearing of Mr. Carper’s decision.

“[Mr. Schumer] told her he believes she could be a really good senator, and he looks forward to sitting down with her soon,” the spokesperson said.

Mr. Schumer wished Mr. Carper a happy retirement and lauded his work on the environment, on transportation and the postal service.

“Tom Carper has been a conscientious, hardworking, honorable and effective senator who has done so much for his beloved Delaware and America, particularly in protecting our precious environment and strengthening our transportation systems,” Mr. Schumer said in a statement. “He has had a long and distinguished career representing the ’First State’ as a congressman, governor, and senator, and deserves a well-earned retirement.”