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John B. Larson

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This article is about an American politician. For other people named John Larson, see John Larson (disambiguation).
For other people with similar names, see John Larsen.
John Larson
Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2013
LeaderNancy Pelosi
Preceded byRahm Emanuel
Succeeded byXavier Becerra
Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
January 17, 2006 – January 3, 2009
LeaderNancy Pelosi
Preceded byJim Clyburn
Succeeded byXavier Becerra
Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee
In office
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005
Preceded bySteny Hoyer
Succeeded byJuanita Millender-McDonald
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Connecticut's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 3, 1999
Preceded byBarbara Kennelly
President pro tempore of the Connecticut Senate
In office
January 7, 1987 – January 4, 1995
Preceded byPhilip Robertson
Succeeded byM. Adela Eads
Member of the Connecticut State Senate
from the 3rd district
In office
January 5, 1983 – January 4, 1995
Preceded byMarcella Fahey
Succeeded byKevin Rennie
Personal details
Born
John Barry Larson

(1948-07-22) July 22, 1948 (age 76)
Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Leslie Best
​
(m. 1981)​
Children3
RelativesTim Larson (brother)
EducationCentral Connecticut State University (BA)
WebsiteHouse website
John B. Larson's voice
Larson honors Gabby Giffords after the 2011 Tucson shooting
Recorded January 12, 2011

John Barry Larson (born July 22, 1948) is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. representative for Connecticut's 1st congressional district since 1999. The district is based in the state capital, Hartford. A member of the Democratic Party, Larson chaired the House Democratic Caucus during the 111th and 112th United States Congress.

Early life, education, and career

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Larson was born in Hartford, but has spent most of his life in nearby East Hartford. He grew up in a public housing project. He was educated at East Hartford High School and Central Connecticut State University. He worked as a high school history teacher and an assistant athletics coach at George J. Penney High School (Penney High later merged with East Hartford High School).

Larson began his career as the co-owner of an insurance agency in East Hartford before entering public service. In 1971, he was selected as a Senior Fellow to the Yale University Bush Center in Child Development and Social Policy by Head Start Program founder Edward Zigler. He transitioned into politics in 1977, when he served one term on the East Hartford Board of Education. He then served two terms on the East Hartford Town Council.

In 1982, Larson was elected to the Connecticut Senate from the 3rd district, based in East Hartford. He served six terms in that body, the last four as president pro tempore.

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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In 1994, Larson left the state senate and sought the Democratic nomination for governor of Connecticut, losing to Bill Curry in the primary. After being defeated for governor, Larson entered private business for several years but was able to maintain his political credentials.

Due in part to service in the Democratic Party and his local connections in the state, he narrowly defeated Secretary of State Miles S. Rapoport in the Democratic primary for the 1st district when 17-year incumbent Barbara Kennelly gave up the seat to run for governor in 1998. The 1st has long been the most Democratic district in Connecticut, and Larson's victory in November was a foregone conclusion. He has been reelected eleven times with no substantive opposition.

On February 1, 2006, Larson was elected vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus. The previous vice chair, Jim Clyburn, became chair when Bob Menendez was appointed to the United States Senate. After the Democrats won control of Congress in the 2006 elections, Larson opted not to run for caucus chair—a post that went to former Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chair Rahm Emanuel—instead running unopposed for reelection as vice chair. After being reelected in 2008, Larson was elected chair of the caucus for the 111th Congress, after Emanuel was named White House Chief of Staff.[1]

Tenure

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Energy and the environment

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Larson has introduced various pieces of legislation in attempts to nationalize the US's energy and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to protect the environment. He cosponsored the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 "to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers, to increase the efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government, and for other purposes."[2] According to Larson, "I have become convinced of the need for comprehensive legislation to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we are emitting into the environment."[3] His stances on environmental protection have earned him a rating of 100% with the League of Conservation Voters.[4]

Economic issues

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In 2010 Larson introduced the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, authorizing the creation of the Small Business Lending Fund Program administered by the Treasury Department to make capital investments in eligible institutions, in order to increase the availability of credit for small businesses. Larson was a strong advocate for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which increased federal spending in infrastructure, education, health and energy while expanding some welfare and social security programs. His liberal stance on government spending has earned him a rating of 9% with Citizens Against Government Waste, a conservative anti-government spending interest group.[4]

Larson with then-Senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama, Caroline Kennedy, and Senator Ted Kennedy on February 4, 2008

Larson received media attention for scolding members of Congress for shutting down the government on September 30, 2013.[5]

Larson was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.[6]

Social issues

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Larson has consistently voted both to legalize same-sex marriage and to expand options for legal abortion. He voted to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and in favor of the Sexual Orientation Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA).[7] The Human Rights Campaign gave Larson a rating of 94%. Larson voted not to end federal funding to Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice American both gave him a rating of 100%.[4]

Committee assignments

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For the 118th Congress:[8]

Caucus memberships

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Personal life

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Larson is married to Leslie Best. They have three children and reside in East Hartford.[17]

Electoral history

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Connecticut State Senate

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Connecticut's 3rd senate district results, 1982[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 18,402 62.49%
Republican Kevin Norige 11,047 37.51%
Total votes 29,449 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 3rd senate district results, 1984[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson (incumbent) 21,635 55.21%
Republican Kathleen O'Leary McGuire 17,553 44.79%
Total votes 39,188 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 3rd senate district results, 1986[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson (incumbent; unopposed) 20,316 100.00%
Total votes 20,316 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 3rd senate district results, 1988[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson (incumbent) 27,793 72.24%
Republican Joseph Roberts 10,678 27.76%
Total votes 38,471 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 3rd senate district results, 1990[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson (incumbent) 21,307 68.78%
Republican Debra Gaudette 9,672 31.22%
Total votes 30,979 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 3rd senate district results, 1992[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson (incumbent) 26,623 70.59%
Republican Peter Nevers 11,091 29.41%
Total votes 37,714 100%
Democratic hold

U.S. House of Representatives

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Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 1998[24]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 97,681 58.05%
Republican Kevin O'Connor 69,668 41.40%
Term Limits Jay E. Palmieri, IV 915 0.54%
Total votes 168,264 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2000[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson (incumbent) 151,932 71.92%
Republican Bob Backlund 59,331 28.08%
Total votes 211,263 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2002[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson (incumbent) 134,698 66.79%
Republican Phil Steele 66,968 33.21%
Total votes 201,666 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2004[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson (incumbent) 198,802 72.98%
Republican John Halstead 73,601 27.02%
Total votes 272,403 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2006[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson (incumbent) 154,539 74.44%
Republican Scott MacLean 53,010 25.54%
Write-in 43 0.02%
Total votes 207,592 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2008[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 194,493 65.81%
Working Families John Larson 17,000 5.75%
Total John Larson (incumbent) 211,493 71.56%
Republican Joe Visconti 76,860 26.01%
Green Stephen Fournier 7,201 2.44%
Write-in 3 0.00%
Total votes 295,557 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2010[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 130,538 57.75%
Working Families John Larson 7,902 3.50%
Total John Larson (incumbent) 138,440 61.25%
Republican Ann Brickley 84,076 37.20%
Green Kenneth Krayeske 2,564 1.34%
Socialist Action Christopher Hutchinson 955 0.42%
Write-in 3 0.00%
Total votes 226,038 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2012[31]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 192,840 64.92%
Working Families John Larson 14,133 4.76%
Total John Larson (incumbent) 206,973 69.67%
Republican John Henry Decker 82,321 27.71%
Green S. Michael DeRosa 5,477 1.84%
Independent Matthew Corey 2,290 0.77%
Total votes 297,061 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2014[32]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 127,430 58.49%
Working Families John Larson 8,395 3.85%
Total John Larson (incumbent) 135,825 62.34%
Republican Matthew Corey 78,609 36.08%
Green Jeffery Russell 3,447 1.58%
Total votes 217,881 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2016[33]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 187,021 59.77%
Working Families John Larson 13,665 4.37%
Total John Larson (incumbent) 200,686 64.13%
Republican Matthew Corey 105,674 33.77%
Green S. Michael DeRosa 6,563 2.10%
Write-in 2 0.00%
Total votes 312,925 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2018[34]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 166,155 60.61%
Working Families John Larson 8,932 3.26%
Total John Larson (incumbent) 175,087 63.87%
Republican Jennifer Nye 96,024 35.03%
Green Tom McCormick 3,029 1.10%
Total votes 274,140 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2020[35]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 213,001 60.99%
Working Families John Larson 9,667 2.77%
Total John Larson (incumbent) 222,668 63.76%
Republican Mary Fay 122,111 34.97%
Green Tom McCormick 4,458 1.28%
Total votes 349,237 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2022[36]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 144,873 59.40%
Working Families John Larson 4,683 1.92%
Total John Larson (incumbent) 149,556 61.32%
Republican Larry Lazor 91,506 37.52%
Green Mary Sanders 2,851 1.17%
Total votes 243,913 100%
Democratic hold
Connecticut's 1st congressional district results, 2024[37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John Larson 197,788 59.85%
Working Families John Larson 10,861 3.29%
Total John Larson (incumbent) 208,649 63.13%
Republican Jim Griffin 115,065 34.82%
Green Mary Sanders 6,768 2.05%
Total votes 330,482 100%
Democratic hold

References

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  1. ^ Pelosi Announces New Majority Leadership Team, marketwatch.com; accessed November 1, 2016.
  2. ^ "Cosponsors - H.R.6 - 110th Congress (2007-2008): Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 | Congress.gov | Library of Congress". Congress.gov. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  3. ^ "Congressman John Larson | Representing the 1st District of Connecticut". Larson.house.gov. Archived from the original on 2018-05-13. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  4. ^ a b c [1] Archived 2013-09-08 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ "Democratic Congressman Scolds GOP On House Floor: 'Do You Stand With Your Country?'". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  6. ^ Gans, Jared (May 31, 2023). "Republicans and Democrats who bucked party leaders by voting no". The Hill. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  7. ^ "John Larson's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test) - The Voter's Self Defense System". Vote Smart. 1948-07-22. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  8. ^ "John B. Larson". Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Members". House Baltic Caucus. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  10. ^ "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  11. ^ "Members". Afterschool Alliance. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Members". Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  13. ^ "Our Members". U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  14. ^ "90 Current Climate Solutions Caucus Members". Citizen´s Climate Lobby. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Members". Congressional Blockchain Caucus. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Rare Disease Congressional Caucus". Every Life Foundation for Rare Diseases. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
  17. ^ "Meet John | Congressman John Larson". Larson.house.gov. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  18. ^ "1982 Connecticut general election results". November 2, 1982.
  19. ^ "1984 Connecticut general election results". November 6, 1984.
  20. ^ "1986 Connecticut general election results". November 4, 1986.
  21. ^ "1988 Connecticut general election results". November 8, 1988.
  22. ^ "1990 Connecticut general election results". November 6, 1990.
  23. ^ "1992 Connecticut general election results". November 3, 1992.
  24. ^ "1998 Connecticut general election results". November 3, 1998.
  25. ^ "2000 Connecticut general election results". November 7, 2000.
  26. ^ "2002 Connecticut general election results". November 5, 2002.
  27. ^ "2004 Connecticut general election results". November 2, 2004.
  28. ^ "2006 Connecticut general election results". November 7, 2006.
  29. ^ "2008 Connecticut general election results". November 4, 2008.
  30. ^ "2010 Connecticut general election results". November 2, 2010.
  31. ^ "2012 Connecticut general election results". November 6, 2012.
  32. ^ "2014 Connecticut general election results". November 4, 2014.
  33. ^ "2016 Connecticut general election results". November 8, 2016.
  34. ^ "2018 Connecticut general election results". November 6, 2018.
  35. ^ "2020 Connecticut general election results". November 3, 2020.
  36. ^ "2022 Connecticut general election results". November 8, 2022.
  37. ^ "2024 Connecticut general election results". November 5, 2024.
[edit]
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John B. Larson
Connecticut State Senate
Preceded by
Marcella Fahey
 Member of the Connecticut State Senate
from the 3rd district
1983–1995 		Succeeded by
Kevin Rennie
Preceded by
Philip Robertson
 President pro tempore of the Connecticut Senate
1987–1995 		Succeeded by
Adela Eads
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Connecticut's 1st congressional district
1999–present 		Incumbent
Preceded by Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee
2003–2005 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
2006–2009 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
2009–2013
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by United States representatives by seniority
31st 		Succeeded by
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