Richard Blumenthal
Richard Blumenthal (/ˈbluːmənθɑːl/ BLOO-mən-thahl; born February 13, 1946) is an American lawyer and politician who is the senior United States senator from Connecticut, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he is one of the wealthiest members of the Senate, with a net worth over $100 million. He was Attorney General of Connecticut from 1991 to 2011.
Richard Blumenthal | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2011 | |
| United States Senator from Connecticut | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Chris Dodd |
| 23rd Attorney General of Connecticut | |
| In office January 9, 1991 – January 5, 2011 | |
| Governor | Lowell Weicker John Rowland Jodi Rell |
| Preceded by | Clarine Nardi Riddle |
| Succeeded by | George Jepsen |
| Member of the Connecticut Senate from the 27th district | |
| In office November 4, 1987 – January 3, 1991 | |
| Preceded by | Anthony Truglia |
| Succeeded by | George Jepsen |
| Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 145th district | |
| In office April 11, 1984 – November 4, 1987 | |
| Preceded by | Anthony Truglia |
| Succeeded by | Nicholas Pavia |
| United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut | |
| In office 1977–1981 | |
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Peter Dorsey |
| Succeeded by | Alan Nevas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 13, 1946 New York City, New York, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Cynthia Malkin (m. 1982) |
| Children | 4, including Matt |
| Education | Harvard University (AB) Trinity College, Cambridge Yale University (JD) |
| Signature | |
| Website | Senate website |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1970–1976 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | U.S. Marine Corps Reserve |
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Blumenthal attended Riverdale Country School, a private school in the Bronx. He graduated from Harvard College, where he was chair of the editorial board of The Harvard Crimson. He studied for a year at Trinity College, Cambridge, in England before attending Yale Law School, where he was editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal. From 1970 to 1976, Blumenthal served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve, attaining the rank of sergeant. After law school, Blumenthal passed the bar and served as administrative assistant and law clerk for several Washington, D.C. figures. From 1977 to 1981, he was United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. In the early 1980s he worked in private law practice, including as volunteer counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
Blumenthal served one term in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1985 to 1987; in 1986 he was elected to the Connecticut Senate and began service in 1987. He was elected Attorney General of Connecticut in 1990 and served for 20 years. During this period political observers speculated about him as a contender for governor of Connecticut, but he never pursued the office. Blumenthal announced his 2010 run for the U.S. Senate after incumbent Senator Chris Dodd announced his retirement. He faced Linda McMahon, a professional wrestling magnate, in the 2010 election, winning with 55% of the vote. He was sworn in on January 5, 2011. After Joe Lieberman retired in 2013, Blumenthal became Connecticut's senior senator. He was reelected in 2016 with 63.2% of the vote, becoming the first person to receive more than a million votes in a statewide election in Connecticut, and reelected again in 2022.