Carolyn McCarthy

Carolyn McCarthy (born January 5, 1944), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives representing the Fourth Congressional District (map) of New York since 1997.

Born in Brooklyn, McCarthy studied nursing and lived with her family in the Long Island town of Mineola, a suburban area near New York City, with her husband, Dennis, and son, Kevin. On December 7, 1993 her husband was killed and her son was injured on a commuter train returning to Mineola, when a gunman, Colin Ferguson, opened fire on random passengers. McCarthy responded to the tragedy by launching a campaign against gun violence that eventually propelled her to Congress. She defeated a Republican Congressman who had repeatedly voted against bills related to gun control.

In 2004, she faced Republican Mayor of Hempstead, New York James Garner, who has served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2003. It was originally believe to be a tight marquee race on Long Island, but McCarthy defeated Garner by a very large margian.

McCarthy serves on the Education and Workforce Committee , and the Financial Services Committee . In addition to her efforts to reduce gun violence, McCarthy is especially active in issues relating to education and public health.

External link

• official website