Andre Carson

Andre Carson
US Congress · Public domain · source
Name	Andre Carson
Office	U.S. Representative for Indiana's 7th congressional district
Term start	January 3, 2008
Predecessor	Julia Carson
Birth date	March 2, 1974
Birth place	Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Party	Democratic Party
Alma mater	Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis
Occupation	Politician, former law enforcement officer

Andre Carson is an American politician and former law enforcement officer who has represented Indiana's 7th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2008. He is a member of the Democratic Party and succeeded his grandmother, Julia Carson, after a special election. Carson's tenure in Congress has involved work on Homeland Security issues, urban policy, and veterans' affairs, and he has been active in debates on civil rights and national security.

Early life and education

Carson was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and raised in a family active in Indiana politics and public service; his grandmother, Julia Carson, served on the Indianapolis City-County Council and in the United States House of Representatives. He graduated from Arsenal Technical High School and attended Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, where he studied criminal justice and worked with local law enforcement agencies. During his youth he participated in community organizations tied to Marion County, Indiana civic life and neighborhood advocacy groups.

Career in law enforcement

Carson served as an officer in the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, where he worked in patrol and community policing assignments dealing with urban public safety in Marion County, Indiana. He later joined the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's outreach and neighborhood liaison efforts, collaborating with local prosecutors in the Marion County Prosecutor's Office and with federal partners on task forces linked to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. His law enforcement background informed his later legislative work on issues involving the Department of Homeland Security and federal grant programs for local policing.

U.S. House of Representatives

Carson won a special election to the United States House of Representatives to fill the seat vacated by Julia Carson and was sworn in during the 110th United States Congress. He represents a majority of Indianapolis, Indiana and parts of surrounding suburbs, participating in bipartisan and partisan initiatives across several sessions including the 111th, 112th, 113th, 114th, 115th, 116th, 117th, and 118th United States Congresses. In Congress he has sponsored and co-sponsored legislation relating to urban development, transportation funding tied to the United States Department of Transportation, veterans' benefits associated with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and homeland security measures interacting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Political positions and voting record

Carson has aligned with members of the Democratic Caucus on budget and social policy questions and has joined votes supporting disaster relief bills, infrastructure funding proposals involving the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act debates, and measures to expand access to healthcare in conjunction with Affordable Care Act implementation discussions. On national security he has supported strengthening counterterrorism efforts through the House Committee on Homeland Security while also emphasizing civil liberties protections rooted in rulings from the United States Supreme Court. He has voted on matters related to foreign policy concerning Iraq War policies, sanctions coordinated with the United States Department of State, and humanitarian aid packages for crises involving nations such as Syria and regions like the Sahel. Carson has taken positions on criminal justice reform initiatives debated alongside proposals from the United States Senate and advocacy groups including those that engaged with the NAACP and other civil rights organizations.

Committee assignments and caucus memberships

Carson has served on the House Committee on Homeland Security and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and has held roles on subcommittees addressing emergency management, cybersecurity, and infrastructure resilience. He is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and has participated in the Blue Dog Coalition-adjacent discussions on fiscal policy and urban economic development, while also affiliating with coalitions that focus on veterans' affairs and law enforcement issues. He has engaged with caucuses centered on regional interests, including Midwestern delegations and city-focused groups that coordinate with the National League of Cities and similar municipal organizations.

Electoral history

Carson first won election in a special election to the United States House of Representatives in 2008 and subsequently secured re-election in the regular biennial cycles of the United States House of Representatives in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and later contests. His campaigns have involved contests with Republican challengers, primary opponents in Indianapolis-area Democratic politics, and endorsements from local and national actors including state party leaders from the Indiana Democratic Party, labor unions such as the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and community organizations in Marion County, Indiana.

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana Category:African-American members of the United States House of Representatives Category:1974 births Category:People from Indianapolis