Carol Shea-Porter

Carol Shea-Porter (born December 2, 1952) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who is the former member of the United States House of Representatives for NH's 1st congressional district.

Shea-Porter was first elected in 2006, defeating Republican incumbent Jeb Bradley.

In 2006, Shea-Porter was a liberal community activist who had never held public office.

Shea-Porter, who had won some fame for being escorted from a George W. Bush rally wearing a T-shirt that read "Turn Your Back On Bush," ran on a strong anti-Iraq War message.

In addition to opposition to the Iraq war, Shea-Porter campaigned on a platform of increasing the minimum wage and universal healthcare.

In the five-way Democratic primary, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee put its weight behind state legislator Jim Craig.

Shea-Porter won the September 12, 2006, primary with 54% of the vote.

Craig finished second with 34% of the vote.

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

Shea-Porter received 100,899 votes (51%) to Bradley's 94,869 votes (49%).

She received no financial support from either the Democratic National Committee or the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and was outspent by her opponent three to one.

She held the seat from 2007 to 2011, 2013 to 2015, and 2017 to 2019.

She beat Bradley again in 2008 but was defeated in 2010 by former Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta and left Congress in January 2011.

Shea-Porter was re-elected to a second term in November 2008, defeating Bradley for the second time, winning by 52% to 46% margin.

The Concord Monitor in 2008 changed its endorsement, which had gone to Bradley in 2006, to support Shea-Porter, citing her positions in favor of increased minimum wage, ending the Bush tax cuts, and veterans issues.

During her 2008 re-election campaign, she 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."

Shea-Porter was defeated by her Republican opponent, former Manchester Mayor Frank Guinta, who won by a 54% to 42% margin, larger than Shea-Porter has won to date.

In the general election she narrowly won the seat back from Frank Guinta, who had won in the 2010 election.

Shea-Porter ran for re-election.

Fellow Democrat Chris Pappas was elected on November 6 to succeed Shea-Porter in the 116th United States Congress.

Shea-Porter was born in New York City and 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.

Prior to becoming involved in politics, she and her family lived in Colorado, Louisiana, and Maryland, during which time she was a social worker and community college instructor.

After returning to New Hampshire, she worked for the Wesley Clark presidential campaign and was a volunteer for John Kerry’s presidential run.

She is married to Gene Porter, a former U.S. Army officer, with whom she has two grown children.

In 2012, Shea-Porter reclaimed her seat as she beat Guinta in a rematch.

Shea-Porter launched a 2012 campaign for her old House seat in New Hampshire's 1st District.

She received the endorsement of Democracy for America, and was selected as one of their Dean Dozen.

She faced Guinta for a third time in the 2014 election and lost for the second time.

She was once again a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Frontline Program, which is designed to help protect vulnerable Democratic incumbents heading into the 2014 election.

Shea-Porter made Roll Call's "Ten Most Vulnerable" list for the third quarter.

According to Roll Call, New Hampshire is a swing state and could be susceptible to national political trends.

The Rothenberg Political Report considered the election a “Toss-up.” Mayday PAC, a super PAC seeking to reduce the role of money in politics, announced its endorsement of Shea-Porter because of her support of campaign finance reform.

She was also being supported in her election campaign by EMILY's List, a political action committee that seeks to elect pro-choice Democratic women.

Shea-Porter lost to Guinta again by a margin of 52% to 48%.

On July 2, 2015, she announced she would again run for her old seat.

She defeated Guinta for the second time, facing him for the fourth election in a row.

Shea-Porter ran again for U.S. Congress in 2016 and was elected on November 8.

On October 6, 2017, Shea-Porter announced that she would not run for re-election in 2018.