Blanche Lincoln
Blanche Lincoln | |
---|---|
![]() Official portrait, 2007 | |
United States Senator fromArkansas | |
In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2011 | |
Preceded by | Dale Bumpers |
Succeeded by | John Boozman |
Chair of theSenate Agriculture Committee | |
In office September 9, 2009 – January 3, 2011 | |
Preceded by | Tom Harkin |
Succeeded by | Debbie Stabenow |
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromArkansas's1stdistrict | |
In office January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1997 | |
Preceded by | William Alexander |
Succeeded by | Marion Berry |
Personal details | |
Born | Blanche Meyers Lambert September 30, 1960 Helena, Arkansas,U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse |
Steve Lincoln (m.1994) |
Children | 2 |
Relatives | Mary Lambert(sister) Lincoln family(by marriage) |
Education | University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Randolph College(BS) |
Signature | ![]() |
Blanche Lambert Lincoln(bornBlanche Meyers Lambert;September 30, 1960) is an American politician who served as aUnited States SenatorfromArkansasfrom 1999 to 2011. A member of theDemocratic Party,she was first elected to the Senate in1998;she was the first woman elected to the Senate from Arkansas sinceHattie Carawayin 1932 and youngest woman ever elected to the Senate at age 38.[1]She previously served in theU.S. House of Representatives,representingArkansas's 1st congressional districtfrom 1993 to 1997.
Lincoln was the first woman and the first Arkansan to serve aschairof theU.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.[1]She also served as theChair of Rural Outreachfor theSenate Democratic Caucus.In2010,she ran for a third term, but was defeated in a landslide byRepublicanJohn Boozman,whose brother,Fay Boozman,she had defeated in1998.[2]She is the founder and a principal of Lincoln Policy Group, a consulting firm.[3]
Early life, education and private career
[edit]A seventh-generationArkansan,Blanche Lambert was born inHelena,Phillips County,the daughter of Martha (née Kelly) and Jordan Bennett Lambert.[4][5]Her father was a rice and cotton farmer.[4][6]Her older sister,Mary Lambert,is afilm director.[7]She received her early education at the localpublic schoolsin Helena, and was thestudent councilpresidentatCentral High Schoolfrom 1977 to 1978.[4]
Lincoln attended theUniversity of ArkansasinFayetteville,where she was a member of theChi Omegasorority.[4]She graduated fromRandolph-Macon Woman's College(now known as Randolph College) inLynchburg,Virginia,in 1982, earning aBachelor's degreein biology.[8]She originally sought to go intonursing.[9]
After graduating from college, Lincoln served as a staff assistant forU.S. RepresentativeBill Alexander,aDemocratfromArkansas's 1st congressional district.[8]She remained in Alexander's office until 1984.[4]
Her husband Steve Lincoln m. 1994, is a distant relative of formerPresidentAbraham Lincoln.[10]
Lincoln is anEpiscopalian.[11]
U.S. House of Representatives
[edit]In 1992, Lincoln defeatedBill Alexanderin the Democratic primary, by a margin of 60 to 40 percent.[12][13]She subsequently won the general election, beating Republican Terry Hayes with 70% of the vote.[14][15]Herelectionto the House coincided with the election of fellow ArkansanBill ClintonasPresident of the United States.[16]
She called herself acentristDemocrat[17][18]and was among the minority of Democrats to supportCAFTA.[19][20]While in the House, she was one of only 17 Democrats to vote for the Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 which sought to change federal employment laws. The law was vetoed by PresidentBill Clinton.She voted in favor restrictingclass action lawsuitsand tightening rules on personalbankruptcy.Lincoln was also one of the few Democrats in Congress to vote in favor ofBush administration's tax cuts and she supports the permanent elimination of theestate tax.
On April 5, 1995 she was one of only 27 Democrats in the House to vote in favor of theContract With America Tax Relief Act,which was approved by the House. Lincoln also co-sponsored and supported legislation to amend the constitution to require abalanced-budget amendment.In 1996, she championed theFreedom to Farm Act.
She was reelected to a second term under her married name, Blanche Lincoln, and served in theHouse of Representativesuntil 1997.[21]Lincoln chose not to run for reelection in 1996; she was pregnant at that time.[21]
U.S. Senate
[edit]First term
[edit]In1998,Lincoln returned to politics and ran for the Senate seat being vacated by incumbent SenatorDale Bumpers.[22]She defeated herRepublicanopponent, Fay Boozman, astate senatorand the brother of future U.S. RepresentativeJohn Boozman,55 percent to 42 percent.[23][24][25]
Lincoln concentrated primarily on issues involving farmers and rural issues. She was one of the primary advocates of theDelta Regional Authority,which is designed to spur development in the lowerMississippi Deltaregion.
Second term
[edit]In2004,Lincoln wasre-elected,defeating Republican state SenatorJim Holt(R-Springdale) by 56%-to-44%, even as President Bush carried the state with 54% of the vote.[26]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/LINCOLNPRESS.jpg/220px-LINCOLNPRESS.jpg)
In March 2007, Lincoln called for the resignation ofAttorney GeneralAlberto Gonzales,claiming that thefiring of eight federal prosecutorscreated a "serious breach between the Justice Department and Congress, a breach that I'm not sure can be repaired with Mr. Gonzales at the helm."[27]She and Senator Pryor were particularly upset that Gonzales reneged on a promise to have a replacement forBud Cummins,U.S. Attorney for theEastern District of Arkansas,go through a Senate confirmation. Gonzales resigned in August 2007.
In 2007, Lincoln played a key role in brokering the compromise that led to passage of theFood, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.Also known as the “farm bill,” this legislation provides resources for nutrition, conservation, rural development, and renewable energy. Lincoln led the charge against defeating an amendment to the pending Farm Bill which would have capped governmentAgricultural subsidypayments at $250,000 per year, per farm. According to Lincoln, it was unfair to some farmers in her state, notably cotton growers. Even though the amendment passed (56–43), Lincoln threatened a filibuster if any amendment did not get a 60-vote majority, so the amendment was withdrawn after passage.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Blanche_Lincoln.jpg/220px-Blanche_Lincoln.jpg)
Lincoln was in the 2007 documentary14 Women,directed by her older sister,Mary Lambert.
In September 2009, Lincoln pledged to filibuster any legislation containing aPublic health insurance option,such as theAffordable Health Care for America Act(the Democratic-controlled, House of Representatives' preferred health care reform bill).[28]This move came as a surprise to liberal Democrats, who largely interpreted the move as a betrayal of traditional Democratic values. Lincoln voted in favor of thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act,the Senate bill that eventually became theBarack Obama administration's health care reform law. However, she voted against theHealth Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010,a package of amendments to the Affordable Care Act—passed via reconciliation process, to circumvent united Republican attempts to block the bill's passage—in the Senate.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Blanche_Lincoln_DNC_2008.jpg/200px-Blanche_Lincoln_DNC_2008.jpg)
Lincoln's votes on health care appeared to be positioning her as a high-profile, "conservative Democrat", to avoid being perceived as a "liberal" by an Arkansas voting public that had turned increasingly Republican. In 2009 she spoke out in opposition to the pro-labor union bill known as theEmployee Free Choice Act;this garnering her the praise of conservativeinterest groupslikeAmericans for Tax Reform,but also bitter criticisms from labor unions, who publicly threatened to discourage Arkansas' remaining Democratic-leaning voters from voting for her.[29]
In November 2009, Lincoln voted against bringingGuantanamo Bayprisoners to theUnited Statesfor trial.[30]
On December 9, 2010, Lincoln missed, by three minutes, a critical vote to repealDon't ask, don't tellafter a dental appointment. A supporter of the bill, Sen.Joe Lieberman(I-CT), told reporters: "She was very frustrated and apologized to both of us." She said she would have voted for repeal had she made the vote.[31]On December 18, she voted in favor of final passage of the bill.[32]
2010 re-election campaign
[edit]With the Obama administration having become hugely unpopular in her home state, Lincoln's re-election strategy in2010was to depict herself to Arkansas voters as independent of the Democrats. After first narrowly surviving a primary challenge by the state's then-Lieutenant GovernorBill Halterwith an early endorsement from former President and Governor of ArkansasBill Clinton,Lincoln lost in November 2010 to Republican congressmanJohn Boozmanby a landslide, 58% to 37%.[33]
Caucuses and committees
[edit]In 2004, Lincoln co-founded the Senate Hunger Caucus. The caucus was established to provide a bi-partisan forum for Senators and staff to discuss, advance and engage the Senate's work on national and international hunger and food insecurity issues.[34]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e1/Female_senators.jpg/275px-Female_senators.jpg)
Lincoln also helped form theModerate Dems Working Group,a coalition of moderate Senate Democrats whose stated goal is to work with Senate leadership and the administration toward finding bipartisan solutions to controversial political issues. In addition, she co-founded and currently co-chairsThird Way,amoderatethink-tank whose self-described goals are "an economic agenda that is focused on growth and middle class success; a culture of shared values; a national security approach that is both tough and smart; and a clean energy revolution."[35]
Lincoln served on the Senate Finance Committee; Special Committee on Aging; Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; Senate Social Security Task Force; Rural Health Caucus; SenateNew Democrat Coalitionand chair of the Rural Outreach for the Senate Democratic Caucus.
On September 9, 2009, she became Chairman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee. In the Committee’s 184-year history, she was the first Arkansan and the first woman to serve as Chairman.
After Congress
[edit]Lincoln remained in Washington after her re-election loss in November 2010, working as Special Policy Advisor at the firm ofAlston & Bird.[36]
In 2011 Lincoln became chair of Small Business for Sensible Regulations,[37]a project of theNational Federation of Independent Business.
In July 2013, Lincoln founded her own political consulting firm called Lincoln Policy Group.[38][39]
As of November 2020, Lincoln is an advisor of the RATE Coalition (Reforming America’s Taxes Equitably),[40]which has lobbied for lower corporate tax rates during theBiden administration.[41]She has since submitted many testimonies to congress for the organisation on the issue of corporate tax rates.
Electoral history
[edit]Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lambert | 85,205 | 60.50% | ||
Democratic | Bill Alexander(incumbent) | 55,623 | 39.50% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lambert | 149,558 | 69.83% | ||
Republican | Terry Hayes | 64,618 | 30.17% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lambert(incumbent) | 95,290 | 53.40% | ||
Republican | Warren Dupwe | 83,147 | 46.60% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lambert Lincoln | 145,009 | 45.49% | ||
Democratic | Winston Bryant | 87,183 | 27.35% | ||
Democratic | Scott Ferguson | 44,761 | 14.04% | ||
Democratic | Nate Coulter | 41,848 | 13.13% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lambert Lincoln | 134,203 | 62.39% | ||
Democratic | Winston Bryant | 80,889 | 37.61% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lambert Lincoln | 385,878 | 53.40% | ||
Republican | Fay Boozman | 295,870 | 42.22% | ||
Independent | Charley E. Heffley | 18,896 | 2.70% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lambert Lincoln(incumbent) | 580,973 | 55.90% | ||
Republican | Jim Holt | 458,036 | 44.07% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lambert Lincoln(incumbent) | 146,579 | 44.50% | ||
Democratic | Bill Halter | 140,081 | 42.53% | ||
Democratic | DC Morrison | 42,695 | 12.96% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Blanche Lambert Lincoln(incumbent) | 134,756 | 52.00% | ||
Democratic | Bill Halter | 124,405 | 48.00% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John Boozman | 451,618 | 57.90% | ||
Democratic | Blanche Lambert Lincoln (incumbent) | 288,156 | 36.95% | ||
Independent | Trevor Drown | 25,234 | 3.24% | ||
Green | John Laney Gray, III | 14,430 | 1.85% |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ab"Biography".U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln.Archived fromthe originalon December 2, 2009.
- ^"Leadership | Senate Democrats".Democrats.senate.gov. January 18, 2013. Archived fromthe originalon April 1, 2006.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^"Blanche Lincoln".
- ^abcde"Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln (1960–)".The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture.
- ^"Arkansas Congressional Directory".Govnotes. Archived fromthe originalon June 28, 2010.RetrievedJune 7,2010.
- ^"About".Blanche Lincoln for Senate.Archived fromthe originalon May 24, 2009.
- ^"Mary Lambert".The Internet Movie Database.
- ^ab"LINCOLN, Blanche Lambert, (1960 - )".Biographical Dictionary of the United States Congress.
- ^Barton, Paul (June 18, 2009)."From Congress to Costco".Arkansas Times.[permanent dead link]
- ^"Senate Primary Heats Up in Arkansas".PBS NewsHour.April 30, 2010.RetrievedMay 26,2024.
- ^"Faith on the Hill: 2008"(PDF).Pew Research Center.
- ^"Blanche Lincoln's balance".The Economist.ISSN0013-0613.RetrievedAugust 6,2020.
- ^Brantley, Max (June 4, 1992)."A woman's place: The House".Arkansas Times.
- ^"The 1992 Elections: State by State; South".The New York Times.November 4, 1992.
- ^"Blanche Lambert Lincoln".CBS News.October 7, 1998.RetrievedAugust 6,2020.
- ^Toner, Robin (November 4, 1992)."The 1992 Elections: President -- the Overview; Clinton Captures Presidency with Huge Electoral Margin; Wins a Democratic Congress".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedAugust 6,2020.
- ^Heineman Jr, Ben (December 8, 2009)."Blanche Lincoln and the Democratic Dilemma".The Atlantic.RetrievedAugust 6,2020.
- ^Greenwald, Glenn (June 10, 2010)."The Democratic Party and Blanche Lincoln".Salon.RetrievedAugust 6,2020.
- ^Nichols, John (July 5, 2005)."Democrats for CAFTA".The Nation.ISSN0027-8378.RetrievedAugust 6,2020.
- ^Swann, Christopher (June 14, 2005)."Narrow Cafta approval set to heighten concerns".The Financial Times.Archivedfrom the original on December 10, 2022.
- ^abSmith, Doug (January 21, 2010)."Hip deep in health care".Arkansas Times.RetrievedAugust 12,2020.
- ^Henneberger, Melinda (June 13, 1998)."No Escaping Motherhood on Campaign Trail".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedAugust 12,2020.
- ^"Democrats enjoy a big night after a hard-to-read election - November 3, 1998".CNN.RetrievedAugust 12,2020.
- ^Muskal, Michael (November 2, 2010)."Rep. John Boozman ousts Sen. Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedAugust 12,2020.
- ^Rudin, Ken (March 1, 2010)."Arkansas' Lincoln, Already Vulnerable, Gets Dem Primary From The Left".NPR.RetrievedAugust 12,2020.
- ^Hendricks, Nancy."Blanche Meyers Lambert Lincoln (1960-)".Encyclopedia of Arkansas.RetrievedJune 3,2015.
- ^Max Brantley (March 15, 2007)."Arkansas Blog: C-SPAN alert".Arkansas Times.RetrievedDecember 6,2014.
- ^Brian Beutler (November 21, 2009)."Lincoln:" I'll Filibuster A Public Option Bill "| TPMDC".Tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.RetrievedJune 7,2010.
- ^Prandoni, Chris (October 19, 2009)."Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) Reiterates Opposition to Employee Free Choice Act".Workerfreedom.org. Archived fromthe originalon October 22, 2009.RetrievedJune 7,2010.
- ^"Lincoln, Pryor back bid to block funding to hold terror suspects in U.S. | Arkansas News".Arkansasnews. Archived fromthe originalon July 18, 2011.RetrievedJune 7,2010.
- ^Brian Beutler (December 9, 2010)."Root Canal'd! Lincoln Misses DADT Vote In Dentist Chair | TPMDC".Tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^"U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 2nd Session".senate.gov.RetrievedSeptember 3,2021.
- ^ab"Arkansas Secretary of State".Votenaturally.org.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^Faler, Brian (November 25, 2004)."Senators Form Hunger Caucus to Draw Attention to Issue".The Washington Post.RetrievedApril 26,2010.
- ^"About Us".Third Way. Archived fromthe originalon May 30, 2010.RetrievedJune 7,2010.
- ^"Blanche L. Lincoln - Legislative and Public Policy Lawyer - Alston & Bird LLP".Alston. Archived fromthe originalon February 17, 2013.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^"Small Businesses for Sensible Regulations".Sensibleregulations.org. Archived fromthe originalon March 2, 2013.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^Brantley, Max (July 12, 2013)."Blanche Lincoln going out on her own in D.C. lobbying".Arkansas Times.
- ^meyer, Theodoric (October 2, 2019)."Roskey returns to Lincoln Policy Group".Politico.
...former Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), the firm's founder...
- ^"RATE Coalition: Leadership".Rate Coalition.RetrievedApril 21,2024.
- ^Theodoric, Meyer (May 21, 2021)."COALITION FIGHTING CORPORATE TAX HIKES STEPS UP LOBBYING".Politico.RetrievedApril 21,2024.
- ^[1]ArchivedOctober 12, 2010, at theWayback Machine
- ^"92 PRESIDENTIAL and CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION STATISTICS".Clerk.house.gov.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^"94 CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION STATISTICS".Clerk.house.gov.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^[2]ArchivedNovember 27, 2008, at theWayback Machine
- ^[3]ArchivedNovember 27, 2008, at theWayback Machine
- ^"1998 Election Statistics - Legislative Activities - Office of the Clerk".Clerk.house.gov.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^"2004 ELECTION STATISTICS".Clerk.house.gov.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^"Arkansas Secretary of State".Votenaturally.org.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
- ^"Arkansas Secretary of State".Votenaturally.org.RetrievedMay 5,2013.
External links
[edit]- Blanche Lincoln 2010 Reelection Campaign Website(archived)
- Senator Blanche Lincoln Official Senate Website(archived)
- Biographyat theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Financial information (federal office)at theFederal Election Commission
- ProfileatVote Smart
- AppearancesonC-SPAN
]
- 1960 births
- 21st-century Arkansas politicians
- 21st-century American legislators
- 21st-century American women politicians
- American Episcopalians
- Episcopalians from Arkansas
- Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas
- Democratic Party United States senators from Arkansas
- Female members of the United States House of Representatives
- Female United States senators
- Living people
- People from Helena, Arkansas
- University of Arkansas alumni
- Women in Arkansas politics
- Randolph–Macon College alumni
- Members of Congress who became lobbyists