View source for Pete du Pont

{{Short description|American politician (1935–2021)}}
{{for|the chemical company|DuPont}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2013}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|image        = DupontPETE (cropped).jpg
|caption      = 
|order        = 68th [[List of governors of Delaware|Governor of Delaware]]
|lieutenant   = [[James D. McGinnis]]<br />Mike Castle
|term_start   = January 18, 1977
|term_end     = January 15, 1985
|predecessor  = [[Sherman W. Tribbitt]]
|successor    = [[Mike Castle]]
|state1       = [[Delaware]]
|district1    = {{ushr|DE|AL|at-large}}
|term_start1  = January 3, 1971
|term_end1    = January 3, 1977
|predecessor1 = [[William Roth]]
|successor1   = [[Thomas B. Evans Jr.]]
|state_house2 = Delaware
|district2    = 12th
|term_start2  = January 7, 1969
|term_end2    = January 3, 1971
|predecessor2 = David Benson
|successor2   = William Poulterer
|birth_name   = Pierre Samuel du Pont IV
|birth_date   = {{birth date|1935|1|22}}
|birth_place  = [[Wilmington, Delaware]], U.S.
|death_date   = {{death date and age|2021|5|8|1935|1|22}}
|death_place  = Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
|party        = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|spouse       = Elise Ravenel Wood
|children     = 4, including [[Ben duPont|Ben]]
|relatives    = ''See [[du Pont family]]''
|education    = [[Princeton University]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])<br />[[Harvard University]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])
|allegiance={{flag|United States}}
|branch={{flag|United States Navy}}
|serviceyears=1957-1960
|unit=[[U.S. Naval Reserve]]
}}
'''Pierre Samuel''' "'''Pete'''" '''du Pont IV''' (January 22, 1935 – May 8, 2021) was an American attorney, businessman, and politician  who served as the [[List of governors of Delaware|68th governor of Delaware]] from 1977 to 1985. A member of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], he was the [[United States representative]] for [[Delaware's at-large congressional district]] from 1971 to 1977.

==Early life and family==
{{see also|Du Pont family}}
Pierre Samuel du Pont IV was born on January 22, 1935, in [[Wilmington, Delaware]].<ref name=nytobit>{{Cite news|last=McFadden|first=Robert D.|date=May 9, 2021|title=Pete du Pont, Ex-Delaware Governor Who Ran for President, Dies at 86|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/09/obituaries/pete-du-pont-dead.html|access-date=May 9, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> A member of the [[Du Pont family]], he was the son of Pierre Samuel du Pont III and Jane Holcomb du Pont, grandson of [[Lammot du Pont II]], and great nephew of [[Pierre S. du Pont]], the developer of [[Longwood Gardens]]. After education at [[Phillips Exeter Academy]], [[Princeton University]], and [[Harvard Law School]], he served in the [[U.S. Naval Reserve]] ([[Seabee (US Navy)|Seabees]]) from 1957 until 1960.<ref name="bdusc" /> He was married to Elise Ravenel Wood and has four children, Elise, Pierre V, [[Benjamin Franklin du Pont|Ben]], and Eleuthère.

==Professional and political career==
From 1963 until 1970 du Pont was employed by [[DuPont (1802–2017)|E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co]]. In 1968, he was elected unopposed to the 12th district seat in the [[Delaware House of Representatives]],<ref name=politicoobit>{{Cite news|agency=[[Associated Press]]|title=Pierre 'Pete' du Pont IV dies; ran for president in 1988|url=https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/09/pierre-pete-du-pont-iv-dies-ran-for-president-in-1988-486256|access-date=2021-05-09|work=[[Politico]]|language=en}}</ref> which he held until 1971.<ref name=bdusc>{{Cite web|title=DU PONT, Pierre Samuel, IV|url=https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/D000558|access-date=May 9, 2021|website=[[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress]]}}</ref> He seriously considered a bid for a [[United States Senate]] seat in 1972 (eventually won by Democrat [[Joe Biden]]), and initially faced a likely primary election against former U.S. Representative [[Harry G. Haskell Jr.]] He then bowed out in accordance with the wish of Republican leaders, including President [[Richard Nixon]], to have a reluctant incumbent U.S. Senator [[J. Caleb Boggs]] seek a third term.

===U.S. House of Representatives===
[[File:Pierre S. du Pont IV.jpg|thumb|left|125px|Du Pont as a U.S. Representative]]
In 1970 du Pont was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating Democrat John D. Daniello, a New Castle County Councilman and labor leader. He won election to the U.S. House of Representatives two more times, defeating Democrats Norma Handloff in 1972 and [[University of Delaware]] professor James R. Soles in 1974. In Congress, du Pont supported an attempt to limit presidential authority through the [[War Powers Resolution|War Powers Act of 1973]], but was one of the last to remain loyal to [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Richard Nixon|Richard M. Nixon]] during the [[Impeachment process against Richard Nixon|impeachment process]].

===Governor of Delaware===
Du Pont did not seek another term in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] and instead ran for [[List of governors of Delaware|Governor of Delaware]] in 1976, defeating incumbent Democratic Governor [[Sherman W. Tribbitt]] by 33,051 votes. He was re-elected to a second term as governor in 1980, defeating Democratic State House leader William J. Gordy by 94,787 votes, and served from January 18, 1977, until January 15, 1985.<ref name="bdusc" /> [[Image:dupontPETE.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Governor du Pont with Adjutant General of Delaware National Guard]]
[[File:Ford A4593 NLGRF photo contact sheet (1975-05-15)(Gerald Ford Library) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Du Pont greeting [[President of the United States|President]] [[Gerald Ford]] in 1975]] 
[[File:Reagan Contact Sheet C16019 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Du Pont with [[President of the United States|President]] [[Ronald Reagan]] and [[Vice President of the United States|Vice President]] [[George H. W. Bush]] in 1983]]
As Governor, du Pont signed into law two income tax reduction measures and a constitutional amendment that restrained future tax increases and limited government spending.<ref name="nytobit" /> The ''[[The News Journal|Wilmington News Journal]]'' praised these policies, saying that du Pont "revived [the] business climate and set the stage for [Delaware's] prosperity".{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}} 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.

In 1981, Du Pont helped establish the credit card industry in Delaware, in a race against [[South Dakota]], which the year before had abolished its [[usury law]] limiting the interest rates that banks can charge consumers for credit.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Shaxson|first=Nicholas|title=Treasure Islands: Tax Havens and the Men who Stole the World|date=2011-02-18|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1-4464-5014-7|language=en|pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=C1NhQyTqnbUC&pg=PA166 166–167]}}</ref> At the time, du Pont's cousin Nathan Hayward III advocated that tiny Delaware aspire to become the "financial [[Luxembourg]] of America" – a tax haven for corporations, yacht owners, and credit card companies permitted to charge unlimited interest.<ref>''Banking Haven,'' by Neil Gilbride, The Washington Post, June 26, 1983.</ref>  Former Du Pont Chairman [[Irving S. Shapiro]], then a lobbyist for [[Citigroup|Citicorp]], helped Gov. du Pont pass the Financial Center Development Act in 1981 with the cooperation of the leadership of both parties and others in state and local government. Intended to attract two New York state banks that would hire at least 1,000 employees, the law eventually drew more than thirty banks to Delaware, creating 43,000 new finance-related jobs and leading the state away from its previous dependence on the chemical industry in general and the [[DuPont|Du Pont Company]] in particular.

{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=12 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly <br />  ''(sessions while Governor)''
|-
!'''Year'''
!'''Assembly'''
!
!'''Senate Majority'''
!'''President<br />''pro tempore'''''
!
!'''House Majority'''
!'''Speaker'''
|-
|1977–1978
|[[Delaware General Assembly|129th]]
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Richard S. Cordrey]]
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Kenneth W. Boulden<br />John P. Ferguson
|-
|1979–1980
|[[Delaware General Assembly|130th]]
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Richard S. Cordrey]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Robert W. Riddagh
|-
|1981–1982
|[[Delaware General Assembly|131st]]
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Richard S. Cordrey]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Charles L. Hebner
|-
|1983–1984
|[[Delaware General Assembly|132nd]]
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Richard S. Cordrey]]
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Orlando J. George Jr.
|-
|}

===Presidential aspirations===
With his second and final term as governor expiring in 1985,<ref name="politicoobit" /> du Pont, as the dominant Delaware politician, was widely expected to challenge the popular incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator and future President, [[Joe Biden]], but du Pont had little interest in legislative politics and declined to run, preparing instead for a long shot bid for the Republican U.S. presidential nomination in the [[1988 United States presidential election|1988 election]]. (His wife, Elise, ran for the U.S. Congressional seat that he had previously held in 1984, but lost to incumbent Democrat [[Tom Carper]].)<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1984/1984Stat.htm]  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227193149/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/1984/1984Stat.htm |date=February 27, 2015 }}</ref> He declared his intent on September 16, 1986,{{Sfn|Koplinski|2000|p=238}} before anyone else. Biden also sought his party's nomination but dropped out of the race after a plagiarism scandal.

Running in the [[Republican Party presidential primaries, 1988|1988 Republican presidential primaries]], du Pont presented an unconventional program. As described by Celia Cohen in her book, ''Only in Delaware,'' du Pont "wanted to reform [[Social Security (United States)|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 {{sic}} licenses."<ref>{{cite book |title=Only in Delaware, Politics and Politicians in the First State |last=Cohen |first=Celia }}</ref> After finishing next to last in the [[New Hampshire primary]], du Pont exited the race.<ref name="AP1988">{{Cite news |date=February 19, 1988 |title=Du Pont drops presidential bid |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/7112863// |newspaper=The Galveston Daily News |location=Galveston, TX |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=October 22, 2016 }} {{Open access}}</ref>

===Later career===
[[File:petedupont.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Du Pont in 2011]]
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 also served as chairman of the [[Hudson Institute]] from 1985 until 1987 and the [[National Review Institute]] from 1994 until 1997.

Du Pont was the chairman of the board for the [[National Center for Policy Analysis]], a think tank based in [[Dallas|Dallas, Texas]]; he was a retired director with the [[Wilmington, Delaware]] law firm of Richards, Layton, and Finger, and until May 2014, he wrote the monthly ''Outside the Box'' column for the ''[[The Wall Street Journal|Wall Street Journal]]''.

==Death==
Du Pont died at his home in Wilmington, on May 8, 2021, following a long illness.<ref name = nytobit/><ref>{{cite news|url = https://baytobaynews.com/stories/former-gov-pete-du-pont-dies-at-86,47523|title = Former Gov. Pete du Pont, praised for tenure. dies at 86|work = Bay to Bay News|last = Bittle|first = Matt|date = May 9, 2021|accessdate = May 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.politico.com/news/2021/05/09/pierre-pete-du-pont-iv-dies-ran-for-president-in-1988-486256| title = Pierre 'Pete' du Pont IV dies; ran for president in 1988 – POLITICO| website = [[Politico]]| date = May 9, 2021}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
<br />
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Public Offices
|-
! '''Office'''
! '''Type'''
! '''Location'''
! '''Began office'''
! '''Ended office'''
! '''notes'''
|-{{Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian}}
|[[Delaware House of Representatives|State Representative]]
|[[Legislature]]
|[[Dover, Delaware|Dover]]
|January 14, 1969
|January 3, 1971
|
|-{{Party shading/Anti-Masonic}}
|[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]
|[[Legislature]]
|[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]
|January 3, 1971
|January 3, 1973
|
|-{{Party shading/Anti-Masonic}}
|[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]
|[[Legislature]]
|[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]
|January 3, 1973
|January 3, 1975
|
|-{{Party shading/Anti-Masonic}}
|[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]
|[[Legislature]]
|[[Washington, D.C.|Washington]]
|January 3, 1975
|January 3, 1977
|
|-{{Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian}}
|[[List of governors of Delaware|Governor]]
|[[Executive (government)|Executive]]
|[[Dover, Delaware|Dover]]
|January 18, 1977
|January 20, 1981
|
|-{{Party shading/Anti-Jacksonian}}
|[[List of governors of Delaware|Governor]]
|[[Executive (government)|Executive]]
|[[Dover, Delaware|Dover]]
|January 20, 1981
|January 15, 1985
|
|}

<br />
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |Delaware General Assembly service
|-
! '''Dates'''
! '''Assembly'''
! '''Chamber'''
! '''Majority'''
! '''Governor'''
! '''Committees'''
! '''District'''
|-{{Party shading/Republican}}
|1969–1970
|[[Delaware General Assembly|125th]]
|[[Delaware House of Representatives|State House]]
|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|[[Russell W. Peterson]]
|
|''New Castle 12th''
|}

<br />
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=7 style="background: #ccccff;" |United States Congressional service
|-
! '''Dates'''
! '''Congress'''
! '''Chamber'''
! '''Majority'''
! '''President'''
! '''Committees'''
! '''Class/District'''
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|1971–1973
|[[92nd United States Congress|92nd]]
|[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House]]
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|[[Richard M. Nixon]]
|
|[[Delaware's At-large congressional district|''at-large'']]
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|1973–1975
|[[93rd United States Congress|93rd]]
|[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House]]
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|[[Richard M. Nixon]]<br />[[Gerald R. Ford]]
|
|[[Delaware's At-large congressional district|''at-large'']]
|-{{Party shading/Democratic}}
|1975–1977
|[[94th United States Congress|94th]]
|[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House]]
|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|[[Gerald R. Ford]]
|
|[[Delaware's At-large congressional district|''at-large'']]
|}

<br />
{|class=wikitable style="width: 94%" style="text-align: center;" align="center"
|-bgcolor=#cccccc
!colspan=13 style="background: #ccccff;" |Election results
|-
!'''Year'''
!'''Office'''
!'''Election'''
!
!'''Subject'''
!'''Party'''
!'''Votes'''
!'''%'''
!
!'''Opponent'''
!'''Party'''
!'''Votes'''
!'''%'''
|-
|[[United States House elections, 1970|1970]]
|[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]
|[[General election|General]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Pierre S. du Pont IV
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |86,125
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |54%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |John D. Daniello
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |71,429
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |46%
|-
|[[United States House elections, 1972|1972]]
|[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]
|[[General election|General]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Pierre S. du Pont IV
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |141,237
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |63%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Norma Handloft
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |83,230
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |37%
|-
|[[United States House elections, 1974|1974]]
|[[United States House of Representatives|U.S. Representative]]
|[[General election|General]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Pierre S. du Pont IV
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |93,826
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |58%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |James R. Soles
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |63,490
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |40%
|-
|1976
|[[List of governors of Delaware|Governor]]
|[[General election|General]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Pierre S. du Pont IV
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |130,531
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |57%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Sherman W. Tribbitt]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |97,480
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |42%
|-
|1980
|[[List of governors of Delaware|Governor]]
|[[General election|General]]
|
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |Pierre S. du Pont IV
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |159,004
|{{Party shading/Republican}} |71%
|
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |William J. Gordy
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |64,217
|{{Party shading/Democratic}} |29%
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==
* {{Cite book|last=Koplinski|first=Brad|url=https://archive.org/details/hatsinringconver00kopl|title=Hats in the ring : conversations with presidential candidates|publisher=Presidential Publishing|year=2000|isbn=0-9678702-3-2|oclc=44945022|url-access=registration}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book |title=Governing Delaware |last=Boyer |first=William W.|publisher=University of Delaware Press |location=Newark, Delaware |year=2000 |isbn=1-892142-23-6}}
* {{cite book |title=Democracy in Delaware |last=Hoffecker |first=Carol E. |publisher=Cedar Tree Books |location=Wilmington, Delaware |year=2004 |isbn=1-892142-23-6}}
* {{cite book |title=History of Delaware Through its Governors |last=Martin |first=Roger A. |publisher=McClafferty Press |location=Wilmington, Delaware |year=1984 }}
* {{cite book |title=Memoirs of the Senate |last=Martin |first=Roger A. |publisher=Roger A. Martin |location=Newark, Delaware |year=1995 }}

==External links==
* {{C-SPAN|2139}}
* {{CongLinks | congbio =D000558 | votesmart = | fec = | congress = }}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-de-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=David Benson}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[Delaware House of Representatives]]<br />from the 12th district|years=1969–1971}}
{{s-aft|after=William Poulterer}}
|-
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[William Roth]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States Representatives from Delaware|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br />from [[Delaware's at-large congressional district]]|years=1971–1977}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Thomas B. Evans Jr.]]}}
|-
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Russell W. Peterson]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] nominee for [[List of governors of Delaware|Governor of Delaware]]|years=[[1976 Delaware gubernatorial election|1976]], [[1980 Delaware gubernatorial election|1980]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Mike Castle]]}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Sherman W. Tribbitt]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of governors of Delaware|Governor of Delaware]]|years=1977–1985}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Mike Castle]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{USRepDE}}
{{Governors of Delaware}}
{{United States presidential election candidates, 1988}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Du Pont, Pete}}
[[Category:1935 births]]
[[Category:2021 deaths]]
[[Category:Episcopalians from Delaware]]
[[Category:American people of French descent]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 1988 United States presidential election]]
[[Category:Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments]]
[[Category:Du Pont family|Pete]]
[[Category:Republican Party governors of Delaware]]
[[Category:Harvard Law School alumni]]
[[Category:Hudson Institute]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the Delaware House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Members of the Philadelphia Club]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Delaware]]
[[Category:People from New Castle County, Delaware]]
[[Category:People from North Haven, Maine]]
[[Category:Politicians from Wilmington, Delaware]]
[[Category:Phillips Exeter Academy alumni]]
[[Category:Princeton University alumni]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Delaware]]
[[Category:United States Navy reservists]]
[[Category:Seabees]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Delaware General Assembly]]
[[Category:20th-century United States representatives]]