Richard Blumenthal

Richard Blumenthal ( BLOO-mən-thahl; born February 13, 1946) is an American politician and attorney serving as the senior United States senator from Connecticut. A member of the Democratic Party, he has been a member of the Senate since 2011. Blumenthal previously served as U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, as a member of the Connecticut General Assembly, and as the 23rd Connecticut attorney general. Blumenthal graduated from Harvard University, where he was chair of The Harvard Crimson. He then studied for a year at Trinity College, Cambridge, 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 graduating from Yale Law School, he passed the bar and served as administrative assistant and law clerk for several Washington, D.C., figures. He was U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut from 1977 to 1981. 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. He was elected to the Connecticut Senate in 1986 and began service in 1987. In 1990, Blumenthal was elected Attorney General of Connecticut; he served in that capacity for 20 years. Blumenthal announced his 2010 run for the U.S. Senate after incumbent senator Chris Dodd announced his retirement. He defeated Republican nominee Linda McMahon, a professional wrestling magnate, with 55% of the vote. After Joe Lieberman retired from the Senate in 2013, Blumenthal became Connecticut's senior senator. He was reelected in 2016 and 2022. He is expected to be the oldest serving Democratic U.S. senator when Dick Durbin retires in 2027.