Tim Lee Carter
| Tim Lee Carter | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| Former U.S. Representative from Kentucky's 5th Congressional District From: January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1981 | |||
| Predecessor | Eugene Siler | ||
| Successor | Hal Rogers | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Republican | ||
| Spouse(s) | Kathleen Bradshaw | ||
| Military Service | |||
| Allegiance | United States | ||
| Service/branch | United States Army | ||
| Service Years | 1942–??? | ||
| Rank | Captain | ||
| Unit | 38th Infantry Division | ||
| Battles/wars | World War II | ||
| Awards | • Bronze Star • Combat Badge Medal | ||
Tim Lee Carter (September 2, 1910 – March 27, 1987) was a physician and Kentucky Republican who represented the state's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1965 to 1981. A pro-civil rights Southern congressman from the mountainous Appalachia region which traditionally elected the "Old Republican" type,[note 1] Carter was known for his pro-life efforts and support for federal programs.
U.S. House of Representatives
Carter first ran for election to the House in 1964 following the announced retirement of libertarian conservative U.S. representative Eugene Siler, and Old Right-oriented Republican. Facing Democrat Frances Jones Mills, he won by a margin of only six percentage points in the GOP stronghold due to the political strength of Lyndon B. Johnson in the concurrent presidential race.[1] He was continuously re-elected seven times afterwards by double-digit margins.[2]
Rep. Carter voted for the Voting Rights Act of 1965[3] and the Fair Housing Act of 1968.[4]
Similar to his predecessor Siler, Carter became an opponent of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and notably became the first GOP representative to vocally advocate end it.[5] He told President Lyndon B. Johnson at one point:[6]
| “ | No, Mr. President, we are not winning the war. | ” |
| —Rep. Carter during a congressional trip to Vietnam | ||
Nonetheless, Carter gave strong support to American troops serving in Vietnam and in 1972 supported bombing cities in North Vietnam to save American lives.[6]
Throughout his congressional tenure, Carter adamantly backed federal initiatives to aid the economically disadvantaged, having been elected from a poor constituency.[6] He supported the liberal Great Society programs, and sponsored legislation providing preventative medical care for children who were poor. Carter once said of his constituents:[5]
| “ | They might be poor in worldly goods, but never in spirit. | ” |
| —Rep. Carter | ||
According to an obituary by The Washington Post, Carter was a "staunch opponent of abortion."[6] Indeed, he voted for the Hyde Amendment in late July 1976 which banned federal funding for abortion.[7]
During the impeachment hearings against Richard Nixon over Watergate, Carter was quick to defend the president and denounced the "liberal limousine press,"[6] being the first to testify on Nixon's behalf.[8] Later in 1978, he announced that governing body of Leslie County, Kentucky would name a brand-new recreation center in Nixon's honor, and the former president accepted an invitation to attend the dedication.[9]
Carter did not run for re-election in 1980 and was succeeded by Republican Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers.
References
- ↑ KY District 5 Race - Nov 03, 1964. Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ↑ Candidate - Tim Lee Carter. Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ↑ TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ↑ TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 May 22, 2013. Carter, Tim Lee, 1910-1987 (MSS 80). Western Kentucky University. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 March 28, 1987. FORMER REP. TIM LEE CARTER OF KENTUCKY DIES AT AGE 76. The Washington Post. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ↑ ON A SEPARATE VOTE IN THE HOUSE, TO AGREE TO THE HYDE AMENDMENT TO H.R. 14232, WHICH PROHIBITS THE USE OF FUNDS IN THE BILL TO PAY FOR OR TO PROMOTE ABORTIONS.. GovTrack.us. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ↑ Niedermeier, Lynn (September 26, 2019). Dear Congressman Carter. WKU Libraries Blog. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ↑ Thomas, Jo (June 5, 1978). Kentucky Town Plans Proudly For Nixon Visit. The New York Times. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
notes
- ↑ See The End of Southern Exceptionalism for more details.
