[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 48 (Thursday, March 25, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2111-S2112]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                       REMEMBERING MIDGE COSTANZA

 Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, today I ask my colleagues to join 
me in paying tribute to Midge Costanza, a dear friend and great 
American who passed away this week. This woman of

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great passion, compassion, vitality, kindness, and commitment died 
after a long battle with cancer in San Diego, CA, where she had lived 
and worked for the past 20 years.
  I first heard of Midge in 1976, when President-elect Jimmy Carter 
made history by making her the first woman ever named Assistant to the 
President. As President Carter's public liaison, she reached out to 
Americans who had previously been denied access to the White House.
  By the time I first ran for Senate in 1992, Midge had moved to San 
Diego, where she worked tirelessly on behalf of my campaign. She ran 
our San Diego office, introduced me to local leaders, and often spoke 
on my behalf at rallies and other speaking engagements. She was a 
riveting speaker who inspired even the toughest crowd.
  The daughter of Sicilian immigrants, Midge was born in 1932 in LeRoy, 
NY, and grew up in Rochester. After high school, she went to work and 
became active in several community organizations. Soon she was 
volunteering for Democratic political campaigns, including Averell 
Harriman's successful campaign for governor of New York. In 1964, she 
served as the Monroe County director for Robert F. Kennedy's Senate 
campaign.
  Midge served a member of the Democratic National Committee from 1972 
to 1977. In 1973, she ran for an at-large seat on the Rochester City 
Council and won in a landslide. In 1974, she lost a congressional race 
to a popular Republican incumbent. Two years later, she served as State 
cochair for Jimmy Carter's Presidential campaign. At the 1976 
Democratic National Convention, she gave an inspiring speech seconding 
Carter's nomination.
  After leaving the White House, Midge served on the board of directors 
for several organizations, including the National Gay Rights Advocates 
and the AIDS research group Search Alliance.
  Following my 1992 campaign, Midge worked on the 1994 campaigns of 
gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Brown and Congresswoman Lynn Schenk. 
Over the years, she also coached many candidates in strategy and public 
speaking.
  In 2000, she was appointed Special Assistant to the Governor by 
California Governor Gray Davis and served as his liaison for women's 
groups and issues.
  Since 2003, Midge has been an adjunct professor at San Diego State 
University and established the Midge Costanza Institute for the Study 
of Politics and Public Policy at SDSU.
  For the past 5 years, Midge has served as public affairs officer for 
San Diego district attorney Bonnie Dumanis. Last year, when she and the 
district attorney visited my Washington office, we shared some laughs 
and stories about our early days together.
  Shortly before Midge died, she received a call from President Carter, 
who expressed his love for her and his gratitude for her outstanding 
service to the Nation. Today I want to echo those sentiments and bid a 
fond farewell to my dear friend Midge Costanza. Midge was a great role 
model for women in public service. Her insight and wit will be missed 
by all of us who knew her.

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