Blanche Lincoln
| Blanche Lincoln | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| U.S. Senator from Arkansas From: January 6, 1999 – January 5, 2011 | |||
| Predecessor | Dale Bumpers | ||
| Successor | John Boozman | ||
| U.S. Representative from Arkansas's 1st Congressional District From: January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1997 | |||
| Predecessor | William Alexander, Jr. | ||
| Successor | Marion Berry | ||
| Information | |||
| Party | Democrat | ||
| Spouse(s) | Steve Lincoln | ||
| Religion | Episcopalian | ||
Blanche Lambert Lincoln, born September 30, 1960 (age 63), is a Democratic politician who served as the United States Senator from the State of Arkansas from 1999 until 2011. After working as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. Lincoln moved to Arkansas and was elected to the House in 1992 and reelected in 1994. In January 1996 she announced that she was pregnant with twins and would not seek reelection.
In 1998, Lincoln became the youngest woman ever to be elected to the U.S. Senate at the age of 38. In the 111th Congress, she was chair of the important Agriculture Committee.
Political views
Sen. Lincoln calls herself a moderate or centrist Democrat, in an attempt to appeal to the conservative southern state of Arkansas. She has voted in favor of the business agenda by favoring restrictions on class action lawsuits and tightening rules on personal bankruptcy. Lincoln has also voted to ban partial birth abortion. However, she has been a vocal critic of President George W. Bush's tax cuts. Saying that they only go to the super rich, as they benefit tax payers with incomes around $200,000.
Arkansas is the home of Tyson Foods, the massive chicken producer that reportedly relies on illegal immigration. In May 2006, Lincoln joined her liberal leadership and voted to give Social Security benefits and citizenship to illegal aliens. Lincoln was among the minority of Democrats to support the so-called "free trade" agenda, such as voting in favor of NAFTA.
In August 2009 Blanche Lincoln said of conservative protesters at health care town halls, "I think it’s un-American and disrespectful." [1] She voted against an amendment that would prohibit taxpayer-funded abortions in health care legislation.
2010 Reelection
Moderate Democrat Blanche Lincoln was defeated by 21 percentage points after Republicans made her one of their top targets in 2010. In the 2008 Presidential Election, Arkansas was one of the few states where John McCain exceeded George W. Bush’s margin, despite the national trend favoring Democrats. Generally, she voted the party line with President Obama, which angered her conservative constituents, but also voted against the Employee Free Choice Act (card check) and opposed to the public option in health care, which angered liberals. She began airing TV ads in March touting her independence from President Obama and national Democrats. Lincoln defeated Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter in a close runoff for the Democratic nomination.
Third district Congressman John Boozman easily won the Republican nomination, defeating State Senator Gilbert Baker and former State Senator Jim Holt. Boozman comfortably led throughout the entire campaign.
