Pierre S. du Pont, IV

 

Pierre S. du Pont, IV
Governor of Delaware
In office January 18 1977 – January 15 1985
Preceded by	Sherman W. Tribbitt
Succeeded by	Michael N. Castle
U. S. Representative from Delaware
In office January 3 1971 – January 3 1977
Preceded by	William V. Roth, Jr.
Succeeded by	Thomas B. Evans, Jr.
Born	January 22 1935 (1935--) (age 72) Wilmington, Delaware
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Elise Ravenel Wood
Residence	Wilmington, Delaware
Alma mater	Princeton University
Profession	lawyer
Religion	Episcopalian

Pierre Samuel "Pete" du Pont, IV (born January 22 1935) is an American lawyer and politician from Rockland, in Brandywine Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, near Wilmington. He is a member of the Republican Party, who served three terms as U. S. Representative from Delaware and two terms as Governor of Delaware.

Early life and family

Du Pont was born January 22 1935 at Wilmington, Delaware, the son of Pierre S., III and Jane Holcomb du Pont, and great nephew of Pierre S. du Pont, the developer of Longwood Gardens. After an education at the Phillips Exeter Academy, Princeton University, and Harvard Law School, he served in the U.S. Naval Reserve (Seabees) from 1957 until 1960. He is married to Elise Ravenel Wood, heir to the Wawa Food Markets chain of convenience stores, and has four children, Elise, Pierre S., V., Benjamin Franklin, and Eleuthère Irénée. They have a second home at North Haven, Maine and are members of the Episcopal Church.

U.S. House of Representatives

From 1963 until 1970 du Pont was employed by E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. In 1968 he was elected to the 1969/70 session of the Delaware House of Representatives, and then in 1970 was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Democrat John D. Daniello, a New Castle County Councilman and labor leader. Having seriously considered a bid for the United States Senate seat won in 1972 by Democratic U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr., he realized he faced a primary election against former U.S. Representative Harry G. Haskell, Jr., and bowed to the desire of Republican leaders, including U.S. President Richard M. Nixon, to have a reluctant incumbent U.S. Senator J. Caleb Boggs seek a third term. Du Pont won election to the U.S. House of Representatives three times, also defeating Democrats Norma Handloft in 1972 and University of Delaware professor James S. Soles in 1974. In Congress, du Pont supported an attempt to limit presidential authority through the War Powers Act of 1973, but was one of the last to remain loyal to U.S. President Richard M. Nixon during the impeachment process. In all, du Pont served from January 3 1971 until January 3 1977.

Governor of Delaware

Du Pont did not seek another term in the U.S. House of Representatives as he was elected Governor of Delaware in 1976, defeating incumbent Democratic Governor Sherman W. Tribbitt. He was elected to a second term as Governor in 1980, defeating Democratic State House leader, William J. Gordy, and served two terms from January 18 1977 until January 15 1985.

Du Pont’s two terms as Governor were the major watershed in the modern history of the state, resolving the financial and economic uncertainties of previous administrations, and establishing the model for governance followed ever since by his successors in both parties. Following a desperate initial confrontation with the Democratic Delaware General Assembly over the budget, both du Pont and the Delaware General Assembly realized the need for bipartisan cooperation, and gradually developed the consensus approach to decision making so characteristic of Delaware politics to this day. As a result of this cooperation, du Pont was able to reorganize the fiscal basis of state government by signing into law two income tax reduction measures and a constitutional amendment that restrained future tax increases and limited government spending. The Wilmington News Journal praised these policies, saying that "he revived [the] business climate and set the stage for [Delaware's] prosperity. Education and preventing youth unemployment were also important themes of his administration. In 1979, he founded the nonprofit "Jobs for Delaware Graduates," an employment counseling and job placement program for high school seniors not bound for college. This program was the model for other programs currently functioning in many states and foreign countries.

Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of the time was the result of du Pont’s response to the desire of a couple of New York banks to relocate their credit card business to a more convivial business location. Immediately recognizing the opportunity to broaden the economic base of the state, du Pont used his considerable powers of persuasion to make the deal. With the cooperation of the leadership of both parties and many others in state and local government, and working against a deadline, the Financial Center Development Act was passed, effective June 1, 1981. Intended to attract 2 banks that would hire at least 1,000 employees, it actually brought over 30 banks to the state and created some 43,000 new finance related jobs. Down at the heels Wilmington, and the rest of New Castle County, were completely transformed. The irony was that it was a member of the du Pont family that led the state away from its previous dependence on the chemical industry in general and the Du Pont Company, in particular.

Presidential aspirations

With his term as Governor forced by law to end in 1985, du Pont, as the dominant Delaware politician, was expected by many to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. But du Pont never found much interest in the legislative process, and declined to run, preparing instead for a long shot bid for the Republican U.S. Presidential nomination. He declared his intent on September 16, 1986, before anyone else. Coincidentally, Biden was also seeking his party’s nomination.

Running in earnest through the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, du Pont presented an unconventional, but thoughtful program. As described by Celia Cohen in her book, Only in Delaware, du Pont, “wanted to reform Social Security by offering recipients private savings options in exchange for a corresponding reduction in government benefits. He proposed phasing out government subsidies for farmers. He said he would wean welfare clients off their benefits and get them into the workforce, even if government had to provide entry level jobs to get them started. He suggested students be subjected to mandatory, random drug tests with those who flunked losing their drivers licenses.” ^[1] These ideas were unusual enough that they left plenty of opportunity to paint du Pont as a novice and an oddity. In one of the debates future U.S. President George H.W. Bush made gentle fun of du Pont’s first name, and called it “nutty to fool around with the Social Security system.” After finishing next to last in the New Hampshire primary, du Pont left the race.

Later career

In 1984 du Pont served as Chairman of the Education Commission of the States, a national organization of educators dedicated to improving all facets of American education. He has also served as Chairman of the Hudson Institute from 1985 until 1987 and the National Review Institute from 1994 until 1997.

Presently, du Pont is the Chairman of the Board for the National Center for Policy Analysis, a think tank based in Dallas, Texas; he is a director with the Wilmington, Delaware law firm of Richards, Layton, and Finger, and he writes the monthly "Outside the Box" column for OpinionJournal.com (a unit of the Wall Street Journal newspaper).

Delaware General Assembly (sessions while Governor)
Year	Assembly		Senate Majority	President pro tempore		House Majority	Speaker
1977-1978	129th		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Democratic	Kenneth W. Boulden John P. Ferguson
1979-1980	130th		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Robert W. Riddagh
1981-1982	131st		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Republican	Charles L. Hebner
1983-1984	132nd		Democratic	Richard S. Cordrey		Democratic	Orlando J. George, Jr.

Almanac

Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. Members of the Delaware General Assembly take office the second Tuesday of January. State Representatives have a two year term. The Governor takes office the third Tuesday of January and has a four year term. U.S. Representatives take office January 3rd, and have two year terms.

Public Offices
Office	Type	Location	Elected	Term began	Term ended	notes
State Representative	Legislature	Dover	1968	January 14 1969	January 3 1971
U.S. Representative	Legislature	Washington	1970	January 3 1971	January 3 1973
U.S. Representative	Legislature	Washington	1972	January 3 1973	January 3 1975
U.S. Representative	Legislature	Washington	1974	January 3 1975	January 3 1977
Governor	Executive	Dover	1976	January 18 1977	January 20 1981
Governor	Executive	Dover	1980	January 20 1981	January 15 1985

Delaware General Assembly service
Dates	Assembly	Chamber	Majority	Governor	Committees	District
1969-1970	125th	State House	Republican	Russell W. Peterson		New Castle 12th

United States Congress service
Dates	Congress	Chamber	Majority	President	Committees	Class/District
1971-1973	92nd	U.S. House	Democratic	Richard M. Nixon		at-large
1973-1975	93rd	U.S. House	Democratic	Richard M. Nixon Gerald R. Ford		at-large
1975-1977	94th	U.S. House	Democratic	Gerald R. Ford		at-large

Election results
Year	Office	Election		Subject	Party	Votes	%		Opponent	Party	Votes	%
1970	U.S. Representative	General		Pierre S. du Pont, IV	Republican	86,125	54%		John D. Daniello	Democratic	71,429	46%
1972	U.S. Representative	General		Pierre S. du Pont, IV	Republican	141,237	63%		Norma Handloft	Democratic	83,230	37%
1974	U.S. Representative	General		Pierre S. du Pont, IV	Republican	93,826	58%		James S. Soles	Democratic	63,490	40%
1976	Governor	General		Pierre S. du Pont, IV	Republican	130,531	57%		Sherman W. Tribbitt	Democratic	97,480	42%
1980	Governor	General		Pierre S. du Pont, IV	Republican	159,004	71%		William J. Gordy	Democratic	64,217	29%

Notes

1. ^ Cohen, Celia. Only in Delaware, Politics and Politicians in the First State. 

References

• Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6. 
• Boyer, William W. (2000). Governing Delaware. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press. ISBN 1-892142-23-6. 
• Martin, Roger A. (1984). History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press. 
• Martin, Roger A. (1995). Memoirs of the Senate. Newark, Delaware: Roger A. Martin. 
• Cohen, Celia (2002). Only in Delaware, Politics and Politicians in the First State. Newark, Delaware: Grapevine Publishing. 

Images

• A signed photo of Pierre S. du Pont, IV, governor of Delaware. This item is in a private collection.

External links

• Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress [1]
• Delaware’s Governors [2]
• Media Matters for America [3].
• National Center for Policy Analysis [4]
• National Governors Association [5]
• OpinionJournal.com: Outside the box [6]
• OpinionJournal.com: Who we are [7]
• The Political Graveyard [8]

Places with more information

• Historical Society of Delaware [9] 505 Market St., Wilmington, Delaware (302) 655-7161
• University of Delaware Library [10] 181 South College Ave., Newark, Delaware (302) 831-2965

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