John Carney (Delaware politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Carney
Carney in 2021
57th Mayor of Wilmington
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 2025
Preceded by	Mike Purzycki
74th Governor of Delaware
In office January 17, 2017 – January 7, 2025
Lieutenant	Bethany Hall-Long
Preceded by	Jack Markell
Succeeded by	Bethany Hall-Long
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's at-large district
In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by	Mike Castle
Succeeded by	Lisa Blunt Rochester
24th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
In office January 16, 2001 – January 20, 2009
Governor	Ruth Ann Minner
Preceded by	Ruth Ann Minner
Succeeded by	Matthew Denn
Personal details
Born	John Charles Carney Jr. (1956-05-20) May 20, 1956 (age 69) Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Tracey Quillen
Children	2
Relatives	William T. Quillen (father-in-law) Brian O'Neill (nephew)
Education	Dartmouth College (BA) University of Delaware (MPA)

John Charles Carney Jr. (born May 20, 1956) is an American politician. He became the 57th mayor of Wilmington, Delaware, in 2025. Before that, he was the 74th Governor of Delaware from 2017 to 2025.

Carney is a member of the Democratic Party. He also served as a U.S. representative for Delaware from 2011 to 2017. From 2001 to 2009, he was the 24th lieutenant governor of Delaware. He was also Delaware's secretary of finance from 1996 to 2000.

He first tried to become governor in 2008 but did not win the primary election. He ran for governor again in 2016 and won. He was re-elected in 2020. In 2024, Carney won the election to become the mayor of Wilmington.

Early Life and Education

John Carney was born in Wilmington, Delaware. He grew up in Claymont. He was one of nine children. Both of his parents were teachers. His great-grandparents came from Ireland.

Carney was a talented athlete. He played quarterback for his high school football team. In 1973, his team won the state championship. He also played football at Dartmouth College. He earned honors and was named Most Valuable Player. He graduated from Dartmouth in 1978. Later, he coached freshman football at the University of Delaware. While coaching, he earned his master's degree in public administration.

Early Political Career

Carney giving a speech, 2005

Carney started his political career working for New Castle County. He also worked for Governor Tom Carper. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Delaware in 2000. He served in this role from 2001 to 2009.

As lieutenant governor, he led the Delaware State Senate. He also chaired several important groups. These included the Delaware Health Care Commission and the Criminal Justice Council. He started an education program called "Models of Excellence in Education." This program looked for ways to help students achieve more. Carney also led the National Lieutenant Governors Association for a year.

He cared a lot about health in Delaware. He supported programs like "BeHealthy Delaware." These programs encouraged people to be more active. He also worked to pass a public smoking ban. This ban aimed to improve health and lower cancer rates.

U.S. House of Representatives

Carney during the 112th Congress

In 2010, Carney ran for Delaware's seat in the United States House of Representatives. This seat represents the entire state. He won the election and started his term on January 3, 2011. His victory was special because his party gained seats that year.

He ran for a second term in 2012. He said he would continue to work with people from different parties. He believed that working together was important to get things done. He was reelected by a large number of votes. He also won his third term in 2014.

In Congress, Carney worked on important issues. For example, in 2011, he helped create a bill. This bill would use U.S. oil exploration money to fund highway construction. He also served on the United States House Committee on Financial Services. This committee deals with money and banking.

Governor of Delaware

Carney at a campaign event, June 23, 2008

Carney ran for governor of Delaware in 2008. He lost the primary election by a small number of votes. He ran again in 2016 and won. He became the 74th Governor of Delaware. He won a second term in 2020.

As governor, Carney worked on many issues. In 2017, he signed an order to help young people. This order aimed to create a better environment for all Delaware kids to succeed. He also worked to make sure healthcare was affordable for people in Delaware.

When the COVID-19 pandemic started in 2020, Carney declared a State of Emergency. He issued several orders to help keep people safe. In 2022, he signed six new laws about gun safety. These laws included a ban on certain types of weapons.

On January 7, 2025, Carney resigned as governor. This was so he could become the mayor of Wilmington. His term as governor was supposed to end later that month. Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long became governor for a short time.

Mayor of Wilmington

After serving as governor, Carney decided to run for mayor of Wilmington. The previous mayor was retiring. Carney announced his plan to run in April 2024.

He won the primary election in September by a small margin. In the general election in November, he ran unopposed. This means no one ran against him. John Carney is the first person to be elected mayor of a city right after being a state governor.

Personal Life

John Carney is married to Tracey Quillen. They got married on June 5, 1993. Tracey's father was William T. Quillen, who served as Delaware's Secretary of State. John and Tracey have two sons, Sam and Jimmy. Their sons attended Wilmington Friends School. Sam graduated from Clemson University. Jimmy studied computer science at Tufts University.

Carney's nephew is Brian O'Neill. Brian is a professional football player for the Minnesota Vikings. John Carney is Roman Catholic.

Electoral History

Elections in Delaware are held on the first Tuesday after November 1. The lieutenant governor and governor take office in January for a four-year term. U.S. Representatives take office on January 3 for a two-year term.

See also

In Spanish: John C. Carney para niños