Richard Swett Biography
Richard Swett also known as Dick is an American politician from the U.S. state of New Hampshire. He served as the U.S. Representative for New Hampshire’s 2nd congressional district from 1991 to 1995. From 1998 to 2001, Swett served as the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark.
Richard Swett Education
Swett attended Yale University and then he became an architect in San Francisco. Swett has shared his design plans for optimal office spaces for APCO Worldwide. Swett is a licenced architect in both California and New Hampshire, and a member of the American Institute of Architects.
He has also shared his design plans for optimal office spaces for APCO Worldwide. As an architect, Dick was a contributing author to the book A Nation Reconstructed: A Quest for Cities That Can Be. In 2015, he penned his own book, titled Leadership by Design: Creating an Architecture on Trust.
Richard Swett Age
Richard Nelson Swett was born on 1 May 1957 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He is 62 years old as of 2019.
Richard Swett Family
Swett moved to New Hampshire with his family as a child.
Richard Swett Wife
Swett has been married to Katrina Lantos since 1980. The couple met while studying at Yale University. Katrina is the daughter Congressman Tom Lantos and unsuccessful congressional candidate, who had previously converted to the LDS Church while a student at Yale. Lantos died in 2008.
At school, Katrina was very bright that she skipped college to study at Yale. She earned a political science degree and earned her Juris Doctor at University of California, Hastings College of Law. Swett earned a Ph.D in History with a focus on Human Rights and U.S. Foreign Policy from University of Southern Denmark.
Lantos has also been involved in politics. She ran for Congress in 2002 and 2010, and then withdrew her bid for the Senate in 2008 after Governor Jeanne Shaheen announced that she was running. She now works as the President of the Lantos Foundation for Human Rights and Justice.
Richard Swett Children
Katrina and Richard have seven children together and they live in Bow, New Hampshire. The couple also has over seven grandchildren.
Richard Swett Religion
Swett and his wife Katrina are members of the Jesus Christ Church of Latter-Day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormon Church. The couple has also raised they children as Mormons as well.
Richard Swett Politics
Richard became active in the Democratic party and finally began a political career. He was then elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 1990 but was defeated at the election in November 1994.
Former Governor of New Hampshire Meldrim Thomson, Jr. complained unsuccessfully in the run up to Swett’s 1990 campaign. He said that listing him on the ballot as “Dick Swett” would be unlawfully misleading, since he was listed as “Lantos-Swett” in the telephone book, voter registration, deed to real property, and business.
Businessman Mitt Ronmey donated $250 to his 1992 campaign. They were fellow Mormons with homes on Lake Winnipesaukee. Dick voted for a bill to ban assault weapons that narrowly passed by two votes in the United States House of Representatives in 1994. Dick’s stand resulted in numerous threats against his life.
He ran as the Democratic Party candidate for a seat in the United States Senate from New Hampshire in 1996, against incumbent Republican Bob Smith, but was narrowly defeated. He had established himself as the most conservative Senator from the Northeast, and Bill Clinton’s coattails nearly caused his defeat. During the night of the election, American media networks incorrectly projected that Swett had won.
Bill Clinton appointed Swett to be United States Ambassador to Denmark in 1998. Sewtt served in that position until 2001, and then moved back to New Hampshire. Dick and Larry Coben wrote the national energy policy for Senator Joseph Lieberman’s 2004 presidential campaign.
He returned to the field of architecture, assuming the position of Managing Principal for the Washington office of Leo A. Daly. He co-founded Climate Prosperity Enterprise Solutions where he also serves as CEO. He is also a member
of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.
Richard Swett Joe Biden
Swett came into the public in August 2019 endorsing Joe Biden for president. In an interview, Dick shared his thoughts about Biden saying: “I think the Vice President has the ability to bring together the country to heal the wounds that seem to be dividing us so deeply. It’s absolutely imperative that we bring back civic civility, that we respect in our political system, and most importantly, that we are able to restore the bonds of civic affection this nation. This is a great country, and Joe loves it more than anyone alive in this country. I think he’s the man to bring that forward and to help understand that this country is worth saving and worth making better.”
