Happy New Year, Delaware! 

At midnight last night, Martha and I celebrated the 38th anniversary of our wedding.  It had taken place in a candlelight ceremony at the 300-year-old New Castle Presbyterian Church in Old New Castle along the banks of the Delaware River, just a stone’s throw from where William Penn first set foot on what would become America.

It’s not clear if William Penn fully understood what he was helping to start back then, and – if truth be known – after a four-month courtship, it’s probably fair to say that neither did my bride and I!  Marriages – like countries – have their share of ups and downs, but with a little luck and the grace of God, we’ve survived them all so far and look forward to the future with hope and determination.

Our country has changed in a number of ways over the past four decades. Some good and some deeply troubling. The challenges we face today as a nation are real, but our foundation is strong. Our commitment to the principles on which our democracy was built must remain strong, as well.

I am grateful to be able to serve you for the last 23 years in the Senate, and I look forward to continuing to serve the people of Delaware – along with my staff – over the next year until my last day on January 3, 2025! God bless! 

Sincerely,

Tom Carper