Tim Lee Carter
Tim Lee Carter (September 2, 1910 â March 27, 1987) was a 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, 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]
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.[3] He told President Lyndon B. Johnson at one point:
| â | No, Mr. President, we are not winning the war. | â |
âRep. 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.[3]
Throughout his congressional tenure, Carter adamantly backed federal initiatives to aid the economically disadvantaged, having been elected from a poor constituency.[3] He supported the liberal Great Society programs, and sponsored legislation providing preventative medical care for children who were poor.
During the impeachment hearings against President Richard Nixon over Watergate, Carter was quick to defend Nixon and denounced the "liberal limousine press."[3]
References
- â KY District 5 Race - Nov 03, 1964. Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- â Candidate - Tim Lee Carter. Our Campaigns. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- â 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 March 28, 1987. FORMER REP. TIM LEE CARTER OF KENTUCKY DIES AT AGE 76. The Washington Post. Retrieved November 7, 2021.