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John Carney - the Current Governor of Delaware - Photo: WHYY

Who is John Carney?

Born in Wilmington and raised in Claymont, Governor John Carney has been working for the Delaware people for more than 30 years. John took office as Delaware’s 74th Governor in January 2017, focused on making Delaware’s economy more competitive, preparing Delaware’s children to succeed, and building a long-term sustainable financial plan for the State of Delaware, according to Governor.delaware.gov.

Early life

The second of nine children, John was born in Wilmington and raised in Claymont by his parents, Jack and Ann Carney, who were both educators. He attended St. Mark’s High School and led the school’s football team to its first state championship in 1973.

After graduating high school, John attended Dartmouth College where he continued his football career and earned All-Ivy League and Most Valuable Player honors. When John returned to Delaware, he coached Freshmen Football on the staff of UD Head Coach Tubby Raymond while earning a Master’s Degree in Public Administration at the University of Delaware, Johncarney noted.

Private life

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Photo: Delawarebusinesstimes.com

Wife: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney

A proud native Delawarean, Tracey was born at the Dover Air Force Base and grew up in New Castle. She has a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors and received the Ronald J. Caridi Memorial Award for scholarship.

A month after becoming First Lady of Delaware, Tracey left her job as a senior administrator at Wilmington Friends after 15 years at the School. Previously, Tracey had worked for 15 years on the staff of then-Senator Joe Biden—both in the District Office in Wilmington, Delaware, and on the Judiciary Committee staff during Senator Biden’s term as chairman.

Children: Tracey and John are the grateful parents of two grown sons.

Career path

2001-2009:

Prior to his time in Congress, John served two terms as Delaware’s Lieutenant Governor. Between 2001 and 2009, John developed the Lt. Governor’s Challenge to encourage Delawareans to live active, healthier lifestyles. He also created and implemented the Models of Excellence in Education program that allowed schools throughout the state to share best practices. In addition, John was a strong supporter of the Delaware smoking ban and he led the fight for a Cancer Right to Know law, ultimately passed in 2008. John also served as Chairman of the Delaware Healthcare Commission, the Criminal Justice Council, and the Delaware Science & Technology Council.

2011-2017:

From 2011 to 2017, John served as Delaware’s lone member of the U.S. House of Representatives. During his three terms in Congress, John worked with members of both parties to find solutions to the most important challenges facing the nation. He supported the revitalization of American manufacturing through the “Make It In America” agenda. He was a lead sponsor of the centerpiece of the Jumpstart our Businesses (JOBS) Act that made it easier for small- and medium-sized businesses to grow and create jobs. John also introduced legislation that was signed into law to prevent critical prescription drug shortages, and he was the lead sponsor on a successful bill to help veterans more easily enter the job market.

Message from Governor Carney on COVID-19

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Photo: 6ABC.com
On Thursday, Carney announced a new stay-at-home advisory, urging all residents to avoid gathering indoors with anyone outside their household. The order goes into effect from December 14 and lasts through January 11. The advisory does not apply to Delawareans in workplaces and traveling to and from their places of work.

Carney is also issuing a universal statewide mask mandate requiring Delawareans to wear a cloth face covering anytime they are indoors with anyone outside their immediate household. A similar mask mandate, which required people to wear masks in public settings where social distancing was not possible, is already in effect. Children under 2 years old are not required to wear masks.

For more biography of other governors of the U.S, please check out our KnowInsider!

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