Joe Sestak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Sestak
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Official portrait, 2009
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 7th district |
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| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Curt Weldon |
| Succeeded by | Pat Meehan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Joseph Ambrose Sestak Jr.
December 12, 1951 Secane, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Political party | Forward (2022–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic (2006–2022) Independent (before 2006) |
| Spouse |
Susan Clark
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 1 |
| Education | United States Naval Academy (BS) Harvard University (MPA, PhD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1974–2005 |
| Rank |  Vice admiral (Retired as a Rear Admiral) |
| Commands | Director of Navy Operations Group |
| Awards |  Defense Distinguished Service Medal (3) Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2) Legion of Merit (2) Meritorious Service Medal (2) Joint Service Commendation Medal |
Joseph Ambrose Sestak Jr. (born December 12, 1951) is an American politician and a retired officer of the United States Navy. From 2007 to 2011, he served in the United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania. He was also the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate in 2010.
Sestak had a long and successful career in the Navy, serving for over 31 years and reaching the rank of three-star admiral. When he was elected to the United States Congress, he was the highest-ranking military officer ever to serve there. He later ran for the Democratic nomination for president in the 2020 election.
After his political career, Sestak led a nonprofit organization called FIRST Global. This group encourages students around the world to study science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by holding robotics competitions. In 2022, he left the Democratic Party to join the Forward Party.
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Early Life and Education
Joe Sestak was born in Secane, Pennsylvania. His father, Joseph Sr., was a captain in the U.S. Navy who fought in World War II. Sestak was inspired by his father's determination and hard work.
Following in his father's footsteps, Sestak attended the United States Naval Academy. He graduated in 1974, second in his class of over 900 students. He later earned advanced degrees, including a PhD, from Harvard University.
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Sestak served as a surface warfare officer on several ships. He commanded the guided missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts, which won an award for being the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet.
From 1994 to 1997, he worked at the White House as the Director for Defense Policy on the National Security Council for President Bill Clinton.
After the September 11 attacks, Sestak became the first director of the Navy's anti-terrorism unit, called Deep Blue. In 2002, he commanded the USS George Washington Carrier Battle Group during military operations in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean.
In 2005, Sestak was reassigned from his three-star position. Some reports said this was because he disagreed with officials in the Bush Administration about military spending. He chose to retire from the Navy after his young daughter was diagnosed with brain cancer. He retired as a two-star admiral.
After his retirement, many officers who served with him signed a letter of support. They called him a great leader and a man of character. His daughter later made a full recovery from her illness.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
Sestak decided to run for Congress in 2006. He was motivated by the excellent healthcare his daughter received through the military's health plan. He wanted to make sure all Americans could get the same quality of care.
He ran as a Democrat in Pennsylvania's 7th district against the ten-term Republican incumbent, Curt Weldon. Sestak won the election with 56% of the vote, becoming the first Democrat to represent the district in many years.
In 2008, Sestak was reelected by a large margin, defeating Republican Wendell Craig Williams with nearly 60% of the vote.
Work in Congress
During his time in Congress, Sestak was known for being very productive. He wrote 19 pieces of legislation that passed in the House during his first term.
Some of his important work included:
- Creating the House Pediatric Cancer Caucus to focus on childhood cancer.
- Helping small businesses get tax credits as part of healthcare reform.
- Securing federal money for autism research and care.
Sestak voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to help the economy. He also supported the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," a policy that prevented openly gay people from serving in the military.
2010 U.S. Senate Election
In 2010, Sestak decided to run for the U.S. Senate. He challenged Senator Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary election. A primary is an election where voters choose their party's candidate for the main election.
Specter had recently switched from the Republican to the Democratic party. Many top Democrats, including President Barack Obama, supported Specter. However, Sestak ran a strong campaign, visiting all 67 counties in Pennsylvania. He won the primary with 54% of the vote.
In the general election, Sestak faced Republican nominee Pat Toomey. The race was very close and received national attention. In the end, Toomey won the election by a narrow margin of 51% to 49%.
2016 U.S. Senate Election
After his 2010 defeat, Sestak taught at several universities. He remained active in public service, working on issues like nuclear disarmament and education.
In 2015, he announced he would run for the Senate again, hoping for a rematch against Toomey. He started his campaign by walking 422 miles across Pennsylvania.
Sestak faced Katie McGinty in the Democratic primary. The party establishment supported McGinty, and she won the primary. Toomey went on to defeat McGinty in the general election.
2020 Presidential Campaign
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On June 23, 2019, Sestak announced he was running for president in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. His campaign did not gain much support, and he did not qualify for any of the televised debates.
He ended his campaign on December 1, 2019. He later endorsed Senator Amy Klobuchar for the nomination.
Political Positions
- Economy: Sestak supported tax cuts for the middle class. He voted for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
- Healthcare: He was a strong supporter of healthcare reform. He wanted everyone to have access to quality care, like his family did in the military.
- Environment: He had a high rating from environmental groups and supported laws to promote clean energy.
- Gun Rights: Sestak supported gun control measures, including a ban on assault weapons.
- Military: He opposed the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. He supported bringing troops home from Iraq and sending more troops to Afghanistan in 2009.
Personal Life
Sestak is married to Susan Clark. Their daughter, Alexandra, was diagnosed with brain cancer as a child. She survived the illness twice but passed away from the disease in 2020 at the age of 19.
