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Senator Tom Carper

Senator Tom Carper

Having been elected to state-wide public office a record 12 times — as a Senator, Representative, Governor and state treasurer — Senator Tom Carper is the winningest politician in Delaware history.

Senator Carper serves as chairman of three subcommittees: Homeland Security's Federal Financial Management, Government Information, Federal Services, and International Security Subcommittee, Banking's Economic Policy Subcommittee, and EPW's Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee. Senator Carper and his wife Martha Ann reside in Wilmington with their youngest son, Ben, who attends a public charter high school in New Castle County. Their oldest son, Chris, attends college in Boston.

This month, Classical WETA 90.9 FM talked with Senator Carper about classical music, his likes and interests, and how he divides his time between Washington, D.C. and Delaware.

What is your favorite classical music piece?
Aaron Copland’s "Appalachian Spring Suite"

What is your favorite D.C. area restaurant or chef?
Bistro Bis on the Hill

Which is your favorite local museum?
As an old naval flight officer, my favorite museum in Washington, D.C., is the Air and Space Museum.

Where do you like to go on your day off?
After sleeping in on a summer day, work out at in the morning at the YMCA in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; have a late breakfast with my family; and then spend the afternoon reading on the beach and going body surfing at Bethany Beach with my teenage sons and their friends before heading for dinner at Bethany’s Cottage Cafe. It doesn’t get any better than that.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
A big glass of chocolate milk late in the evening. Every evening.

Which three people would you most like to have dinner with?
My mom, her dad and her brother Jim, all of whom are deceased.

What is your favorite sports team?
Detroit Tigers

What is your favorite local arts venue?
Kennedy Center

What is one thing you'd like everyone to know about your home state?
Delaware is known today as "The First State" because we were the first state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 7, 1787 and, as a result, Delaware was the entire United States of America for one whole week!