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Ben Carson

Benjamin Solomon Carson Sr. (born September 18, 1951) is an American retired neurosurgeon, author, and former government official who served as the 17th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021.^[1]^[2] Raised in poverty in Detroit, Michigan, by a single mother who emphasized reading and self-reliance, Carson overcame early academic struggles and anger issues to earn a psychology degree from Yale University and an MD from the University of Michigan Medical School.^[3] Carson joined Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1984, becoming at age 33 the youngest physician to lead a major division there as Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery, a role he held for nearly 30 years until retiring in 2013.^[2]^[4] His pioneering surgical innovations included hemispherectomies for pediatric epilepsy and, most notably, leading a 70-member team in the first successful separation of craniopagus twins—conjoined at the back of the head—on September 6, 1987, a 22-hour procedure on seven-month-old German infants Patrick and Benjamin Binder that advanced techniques for such high-risk cases.^[5]^[6] Transitioning to public life, Carson authored bestsellers like Gifted Hands detailing his rise, gained prominence with a 2013 National Prayer Breakfast speech critiquing progressive policies, and announced his Republican presidential candidacy on May 4, 2015, briefly leading polls before suspending his bid in March 2016 and endorsing Donald Trump, which paved the way for his Senate-confirmed HUD appointment.^[7]^[2] During his tenure, Carson oversaw budget reductions, regulatory rollbacks, and efforts to promote opportunity zones and fair housing reforms amid debates over departmental priorities.^[8]

Early Life and Education

Childhood and Upbringing

Benjamin Solomon Carson was born on September 18, 1951, in Detroit, Michigan, to Sonya Copeland Carson and Robert Solomon Carson Jr., an autoworker and World War II veteran.^[9]^[10] His older brother, Curtis, had been born two years earlier.^[10] The family initially resided in a modest home in Detroit's inner city, an environment characterized by concentrated poverty, where Carson later described peers engaging in petty crime and violence as normalized survival tactics amid limited economic prospects.^[4]^[11] When Carson was eight years old, his parents separated after Sonya discovered Robert's infidelity and prior family, leaving her to raise the two boys alone as a domestic worker holding multiple low-wage jobs.^[10]^[12] The family briefly relocated to Boston to live with relatives, enduring intensified financial hardship, before returning to Detroit around 1961.^[13] Sonya, who had only a third-grade education and married at age 13, enforced strict discipline, limiting television to three programs per week and requiring her sons to read two library books weekly, followed by verbal summaries she pretended to review despite her illiteracy; this regimen, rooted in her belief that knowledge acquisition precedes opportunity, fostered self-reliance amid the surrounding decay of urban neglect.^[10]^[14] As a youth, Carson exhibited severe temper issues, including physical altercations and, by his account in the autobiography Gifted Hands, a near-fatal attempt to stab a peer with a belt buckle knife during an argument, halted only when the blade struck a metal belt buckle; this incident prompted a crisis of conscience, leading him to embrace Christian faith through Seventh-day Adventist influences and intensive Bible study, which he credits with curbing his aggression and instilling impulse control.^[15]^[10] These self-reported episodes, corroborated in family narratives and early interviews, underscore how personal volition and maternal enforcement of routines interrupted cycles of reactive behavior in a high-risk setting.

Academic Struggles and Turnaround

During his elementary school years in Detroit, Ben Carson performed poorly academically, ranking at the bottom of his fifth-grade class and earning the label of "dumb" from classmates.^[10] His struggles persisted into middle school, where he held the lowest grades in his class and faced teasing from peers.^[16] Carson's mother, Sonya, who had only a third-grade education and was functionally illiterate, imposed strict rules to instill discipline: she limited television viewing, required her sons to read two library books per week, and demanded written reports on them, which she reviewed despite her inability to read.^[17] ^[18] These measures fostered self-reliance and a reading habit, countering Carson's initial disinterest in studies. A turning point came at age 14, when, after a violent altercation in which Carson attempted to stab a friend with a knife that broke on the boy's belt, he retreated home, prayed intensely, and committed his life to Jesus Christ, resolving to control his temper through faith and Bible study.^[19] This mindset shift, combined with disciplined study habits emphasizing repetition and focus, led to marked academic progress; Carson later attributed his improved concentration and perseverance to this religious transformation.^[10] By high school at Southwestern High School in Detroit, Carson's performance had surged, culminating in graduation with honors in 1969, which qualified him for admission to Yale University.^[10] This turnaround demonstrated the causal impact of personal discipline and maternal enforcement over innate ability or external excuses.^[20]

Higher Education

Carson attended Yale University from 1969 to 1973, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.^[21] During his undergraduate studies, he participated in psychology courses that initially aligned with his interest in behavioral sciences before shifting toward medicine.^[9] He enrolled in the University of Michigan Medical School in 1973 and received his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1977.^[21] At Michigan, Carson focused on surgical training prerequisites, completing coursework and clinical rotations that prepared him for specialized residency programs.^[9] Carson began his postgraduate medical training with a surgical internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1977, followed by a neurosurgery residency from 1978 to 1982, during which he became the institution's first African American neurosurgical resident.^[12] He advanced to chief resident and fellow in neurosurgery from 1982 to 1983, gaining hands-on experience in neurological procedures under faculty supervision.^[21] This period marked the foundational development of his expertise in neurosurgical techniques.^[22]

Medical Career

Residency and Early Practice

Following his graduation from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1977, Carson undertook a one-year surgical internship at Johns Hopkins Hospital, followed by a neurosurgical residency there from 1978 to 1982, during which he served as chief resident by 1982.^[23]^[10] In 1982–1983, he pursued additional training as a senior registrar in neurosurgery at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth, Australia.^[6] Upon returning to Johns Hopkins in 1984, Carson joined the neurosurgery faculty as an assistant professor and was appointed director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at age 33, becoming the youngest physician to hold such a position at the institution and among the youngest in the United States.^[21]^[6]^[10] Carson's early practice emphasized pediatric neurosurgery, a subspecialty confronting significant challenges in the 1980s, including poor survival outcomes for infants under age 2 with brain tumors and other neurological conditions, where mortality rates often exceeded 50% for certain high-risk cases.^[24] He focused on complex procedures for children with brain tumors and intractable epilepsy, developing a reputation for meticulous precision in high-stakes operations that demanded advanced microsurgical techniques to minimize risks like hemorrhage and neurological deficits.^[25]^[10] These foundational efforts established his expertise in managing congenital and acquired pediatric brain disorders, laying the groundwork for his subsequent advancements at Johns Hopkins.^[6]

Rise at Johns Hopkins

Carson joined the Johns Hopkins University faculty in 1984 as an assistant professor of neurosurgery and was appointed director of the Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, making him the youngest chief of pediatric neurosurgery in the United States at age 33.^[6]^[21] He simultaneously served as an attending neurosurgeon, advancing protocols for complex pediatric brain procedures through empirical refinements that prioritized measurable reductions in operative risks and postoperative morbidity.^[6] Over the subsequent decades, Carson's leadership expanded the division's capacity, treating thousands of pediatric patients with conditions including intractable epilepsy and cranial malformations, while fostering a data-driven approach to surgical outcomes that emphasized long-term functional recovery over short-term survival alone.^[26] A key contribution was Carson's role in reviving and refining hemispherectomy techniques, a procedure historically associated with high complication rates that had fallen out of favor.^[27] By modifying surgical approaches to minimize blood loss and tissue disruption—such as enhanced hemostatic methods and staged resections—his team achieved seizure freedom or significant reduction in approximately 80 percent of Hopkins hemispherectomy cases, contrasting with earlier abandonment due to excessive perioperative mortality exceeding 30 percent in some series.^[25]^[27] A 1997 analysis of 58 pediatric hemispherectomies at Johns Hopkins under these protocols reported an overall complication rate of 33 percent, predominantly minor or manageable, with most patients demonstrating neurological stabilization or improvement, underscoring causal links between technique modifications and outcome improvements.^[28] Carson contributed to over 150 peer-reviewed publications in neurosurgery, focusing on pediatric innovations such as epilepsy surgery protocols and cranial reconstruction, which disseminated empirical data supporting reduced complication profiles across institutions.^[29] His international efforts included consultative work and surgeon training initiatives, extending Johns Hopkins-derived techniques to resource-limited settings, though specific programs in Africa were more prominently associated with post-retirement philanthropy.^[10] These advancements collectively lowered institutional complication rates for high-risk pediatric neurosurgeries, with Carson's division reporting outcomes superior to national benchmarks for procedures like epilepsy resections.^[6] Carson retired from Johns Hopkins on July 1, 2013, after 29 years, leaving a legacy of protocol-driven risk mitigation that influenced global pediatric neurosurgery standards.^[23]^[26] His tenure as director elevated Johns Hopkins' reputation for empirical rigor in treating intractable pediatric conditions, evidenced by sustained low morbidity in follow-up cohort data.^[28]

Pioneering Surgeries and Innovations

In 1987, Carson led a multidisciplinary team of approximately 70 specialists at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the successful separation of seven-month-old craniopagus twins Patrick and Benjamin Binder, who were joined at the back of the head and shared critical blood vessels.^[30] The operation, culminating on September 6 after a final stage lasting 22 hours, represented the first instance worldwide where both twins survived the procedure, overcoming prior near-zero survival rates for such separations through innovations in vascular management, including staged embolization to reduce blood loss and custom techniques for dividing shared sagittal sinus tissue.^[31] While Patrick recovered sufficiently to attend school, Benjamin entered a persistent vegetative state postoperatively, highlighting the procedure's high risks despite technical success in achieving separation and initial survival.^[31] This case established a precedent for future craniopagus separations, with Carson's team applying refined protocols in at least three additional twin separations, where outcomes varied but demonstrated incremental improvements in operative survival through better preoperative imaging and intraoperative hemostasis.^[32] Carson further advanced pediatric neurosurgery by reviving the hemispherectomy procedure in 1985, entailing the removal of an entire cerebral hemisphere in infants suffering intractable seizures from conditions like Rasmussen's encephalitis, capitalizing on the brain's plasticity to preserve motor and cognitive functions post-resection.^[25] In one documented case, he performed the surgery on a young patient, achieving seizure cessation with subsequent developmental milestones intact, as evidenced by long-term follow-up showing functional independence despite the radical intervention's inherent perils of massive blood loss and infection.^[33] Carson's modifications, including enhanced disconnection techniques to minimize morbidity, contributed to higher postoperative survival and quality-of-life metrics compared to historical attempts, where mortality exceeded 50% in some series; his co-authored review underscored empirical data on over 100 pediatric cases with seizure freedom rates approaching 80% in select cohorts.^[34] These efforts balanced extraordinary risks—such as permanent hemiplegia—with causal evidence of halted epileptogenic foci, enabling patients to avoid otherwise fatal progressive degeneration.^[10]

Authorship and Public Recognition

Key Publications

Ben Carson's first major publication, Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (1990), co-authored with Cecil Murphey and published by Zondervan, chronicles his ascent from poverty in Detroit's inner-city neighborhoods to prominence as a pediatric neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital.^[15] The autobiography emphasizes self-discipline, maternal guidance, and faith as causal factors in overcoming academic failure and behavioral issues, integrating insights from Carson's early surgical experiences to illustrate principles of perseverance applicable beyond medicine. It became a bestseller, with cumulative sales exceeding several hundred thousand copies by the mid-2010s, reflecting its appeal in promoting individual agency over systemic excuses for disadvantage.^[35] In Think Big: Unleashing Your Potential for Excellence (1992), also co-authored with Murphey and published by Zondervan, Carson expands on motivational strategies derived from his career, advocating a framework of talent, honesty, insight, niceness, knowledge, books, in-depth learning, and reliance on God (T.H.I.N.K. B.I.G.) to achieve outsized goals.^[36] The book blends autobiographical medical anecdotes—such as managing high-stakes surgeries—with first-principles advice on goal-setting and risk assessment, arguing that expansive thinking, grounded in empirical self-improvement rather than external validation, drives causal success in professional and personal domains.^[37] The Big Picture: Getting Perspective on What's Really Important in Life (1999), published by Zondervan, shifts toward a philosophical overview, drawing from Carson's neurosurgical innovations to underscore spiritual foundations for decision-making and societal contribution.^[38] It posits that viewing challenges through a long-term, faith-informed lens—rather than short-term material pursuits—fosters resilience and ethical action, using Carson's career trajectory as evidence that principled vision correlates with tangible outcomes like pioneering hemispherectomies.^[39] Carson's America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great (2012), co-authored with his wife Candy Carson and published by Zondervan, applies self-reliance tenets to national policy, critiquing welfare systems for incentivizing dependency over work ethic, with references to statistics indicating that prolonged government aid correlates with multi-generational poverty cycles among 70-80% of long-term recipients in certain urban cohorts.^[40] The work contrasts this with historical American exceptionalism rooted in entrepreneurial individualism and moral accountability, incorporating Carson's medical perspective on personal responsibility as a prerequisite for societal health.^[41]

Media Adaptations and Speaking Engagements

The autobiography Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story was adapted into a biographical television film of the same name, which aired on TNT on February 7, 2009. Directed by Thomas Carter and starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as Carson alongside Kimberly Elise as his mother Sonya, the production portrayed Carson's transformation from a low-achieving student prone to anger in inner-city Detroit to a leading pediatric neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins, underscoring the causal impact of enforced reading habits—two nonfiction books per week imposed by his mother—and rigorous self-discipline in reversing academic failure and socioeconomic disadvantage.^[42]^[43]^[44] Prior to his entry into politics, Carson delivered extensive motivational speeches at schools, churches, and youth assemblies, drawing on his experiences to advocate for personal accountability, intellectual curiosity through reading, and perseverance as empirically validated pathways out of poverty, in contrast to reliance on external blame or systemic excuses. These engagements, often linked to the Carson Scholars Fund he co-founded in 1994 to award scholarships for academic excellence and community service, reached thousands and reinforced data from his own trajectory: from 148th in a class of 148 at age 10 to valedictorian by high school, achieved via deliberate habit formation rather than innate talent alone.^[45]^[46] Carson's public profile was further elevated by the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, awarded by President George W. Bush on June 19, 2008, citing his neurosurgical innovations separating conjoined twins and his commitment to inspiring youth through example over entitlement. The White House ceremony highlighted Carson's demonstration of character in daily practice, amplifying media coverage of his story as a model of merit-based achievement.^[47]^[48]

Entry into Politics

National Prayer Breakfast Speech

On February 7, 2013, Ben Carson delivered the keynote address at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama in attendance.^[49] In the speech, Carson critiqued political correctness as a stifling force that silences open discourse, warned of the national debt's scale—then exceeding $16.5 trillion—through a parable illustrating fiscal irresponsibility, and addressed healthcare inefficiencies, noting the U.S. spent twice per capita compared to other nations yet achieved poor outcomes.^[49] He proposed an alternative system providing every newborn with an electronic medical record and health savings account, supplemented by government contributions for the indigent to promote personal responsibility over bureaucratic expansion.^[49] Carson advocated a simplified proportional tax akin to biblical tithing, where income determines a flat percentage payment without loopholes, exemplified by paying one dollar on ten or one billion on ten billion.^[49] On education, he drew parallels to historical oppression under slavery, where literacy was prohibited to maintain control, and promoted his Carson Scholars Fund, which had awarded over 5,000 scholarships by then, focusing on Title I schools to incentivize academic excellence through financial aid and reading initiatives.^[49] The address elicited polarized responses, elevating Carson's profile beyond medicine. Conservatives lauded its forthright challenges to government overreach, fiscal profligacy, and policy alternatives presented directly before the president, with The Washington Times reporting it overshadowed Obama's remarks and resonated as a bold conservative critique.^[50] Figures on the right, including some Fox News commentators like Juan Williams, contended the venue's non-partisan, faith-focused nature made policy advocacy—implicitly targeting the Affordable Care Act and progressive taxation—inappropriate, though this view was minority among conservative audiences.^[51] Liberal-leaning outlets and critics highlighted the speech's deviation from the event's apolitical tradition, framing it as partisan lecturing under religious cover.^[52] The speech catalyzed Carson's transition from apolitical neurosurgeon to national conservative figure, sparking immediate speculation about his viability as a 2016 Republican presidential contender and boosting grassroots enthusiasm among Republicans wary of establishment politicians.^[49] While no contemporaneous national polls captured an instant surge, it generated viral attention and positioned Carson as an outsider voice emphasizing personal agency over systemic dependency, laying groundwork for his later political activism.^[53]

Political Activism Pre-Candidacy

Carson emerged as a prominent conservative voice following his February 2013 National Prayer Breakfast speech, frequently appearing on Fox News to critique the Affordable Care Act (ACA), arguing that it represented socialized medicine that would erode individual liberties and drive up costs through government overreach.^[54] In a March 2014 interview, he described the U.S. approach to healthcare under the ACA as "the completely wrong way," emphasizing that excessive government involvement stifled innovation and personal responsibility rather than fostering efficient markets.^[55] He cited empirical data on rising premiums and deductibles post-ACA implementation, projecting long-term fiscal burdens exceeding $1 trillion annually by the mid-2010s, while advocating for market-based alternatives like health savings accounts to empower consumers.^[56] Carson extended his advocacy to education reform, championing school choice programs informed by his own ascent from inner-city poverty in Detroit, where he credited strict discipline and access to quality reading materials for his success. In October 2014, during a speech at Faulkner's annual benefit dinner, he highlighted failing public schools in urban areas, arguing that voucher systems and charter expansions could break cycles of underachievement by allowing parental control over educational options.^[57] He opposed entrenched teachers' unions and bureaucratic monopolies, pointing to stagnant national test scores despite trillions in federal spending since the Department of Education's creation in 1979, and drew from first-hand observation that competition among schools improved outcomes for disadvantaged students. Criticizing political correctness as a barrier to honest discourse, Carson published an op-ed in March 2014 decrying its "insidious effect" on society, recounting personal experiences of stereotyping in high school that he overcame through resilience rather than enforced sensitivity.^[58] He argued that suppressing debate on issues like welfare dependency or cultural pathologies hindered problem-solving, particularly in minority communities, and warned that it prioritized feelings over facts, leading to policy failures. Amid growing Tea Party enthusiasm—evidenced by over $12 million in donations to a pro-Carson super PAC by January 2015—Carson initially declined a 2016 presidential bid in late 2014, citing his lack of political experience and preference for influencing policy through authorship and speeches, though he acknowledged the movement's appeal to fiscal conservatives disillusioned with establishment figures.^[59]

2016 Presidential Campaign

Announcement and Rise in Polls

Ben Carson announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination on May 4, 2015, during an event at the Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts in Detroit, Michigan, his hometown. Lacking prior experience in elected office, the retired pediatric neurosurgeon highlighted his medical background and outsider status as qualifications to address national challenges, framing his bid as a departure from conventional political campaigns dominated by career insiders.^[60]^[61]^[7] Carson's entry tapped into growing anti-establishment sentiment among Republican voters, propelling him to prominence in subsequent months. By August 2015, he had risen to second place in Iowa caucus polling at 18%, trailing only Donald Trump, with national surveys showing similar gains driven by his non-confrontational style and life story of rising from urban poverty through self-reliance. This momentum peaked in October 2015, when Carson led national polls in several surveys and topped Iowa preferences at 28% versus Trump's 20%, appealing particularly to evangelical conservatives who valued his emphasis on faith-based principles over partisan experience.^[62]^[63]^[64]^[65] The campaign's viability was bolstered by robust grassroots fundraising, including over $20 million raised in the three months ending September 30, 2015, largely from small individual contributions that reflected widespread donor enthusiasm for his unorthodox profile. This financial surge, reported by the campaign, enabled expanded outreach and sustained visibility amid the crowded primary field.^[66]

Policy Positions and Debates

Carson advocated for a flat tax system to simplify the U.S. tax code and promote economic fairness, initially proposing a 10 percent rate inspired by biblical tithing principles before refining it to 14.9 percent with minimal deductions to ensure broad contributions while reducing rates for most taxpayers.^[67]^[68] He argued this approach would eliminate loopholes favoring the wealthy and stimulate growth by incentivizing work and investment, contrasting it with progressive taxation that he viewed as punitive and inefficient.^[69] For deficit reduction, Carson emphasized spending cuts over tax increases, targeting entitlement reforms and discretionary programs while preserving core defense and Social Security commitments, asserting that unchecked federal expansion fueled unsustainable debt exceeding $19 trillion by 2015.^[70] In foreign policy, Carson supported a robust military buildup to deter adversaries, including increased defense spending to modernize forces and maintain U.S. superiority amid threats from China, Russia, and Iran.^[71] He expressed skepticism toward prolonged interventions, favoring targeted actions backed by clear objectives and alliances rather than nation-building, as evidenced by his critique of Middle East engagements lacking exit strategies that entangled resources without decisive victories.^[72] On Iran, he demanded verifiable nuclear disarmament through rigorous inspections and opposed the 2015 deal for insufficient safeguards against proliferation.^[72] Carson also prioritized economic leverage to contain rogue states like North Korea, combining sanctions with diplomatic pressure over military adventurism.^[73] Carson held firm pro-life positions, stating life begins at conception and opposing abortion except in cases of maternal health risks, which he noted occur rarely based on medical data from his neurosurgical practice.^[74]^[75] He supported traditional marriage as between one man and one woman, viewing same-sex unions as a choice influenced by environment rather than innate orientation, drawing from observations in prison populations where behaviors shifted.^[76] On poverty alleviation, Carson criticized expansive government programs as fostering dependency, arguing empirical outcomes from welfare expansions showed persistent cycles of unemployment and family breakdown, and advocated personal responsibility—exemplified by education, work ethic, and family structure—as causal drivers of upward mobility over redistributive policies.^[77]^[78] During Republican primary debates in 2015 and 2016, Carson defended his lack of elected experience by analogizing his surgical career—separating conjoined twins in high-stakes, irreversible operations—to the precision required in governance, dismissing political tenure as often yielding flawed compromises rather than principled outcomes.^[79] He clashed with rivals like Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio on fiscal conservatism, reiterating cuts to bureaucratic overreach, and faced left-leaning media critiques for perceived foreign policy naivety, such as unfamiliarity with historical precedents, which he countered by emphasizing strategic thinking over rote expertise.^[80]^[81] Critics from progressive outlets portrayed his social conservatism as regressive, yet Carson maintained these stances aligned with data on family stability correlating to lower poverty rates, prioritizing causal self-reliance over state-centric interventions.^[78]

Withdrawal and Endorsement of Trump

On March 4, 2016, Ben Carson suspended his presidential campaign after securing no delegates on Super Tuesday (March 1), where Donald Trump and Ted Cruz dominated the results across multiple states.^[82] ^[83] Carson cited a mathematical assessment of the delegate math, stating that continuing was no longer viable given the path to the nomination.^[84] One week later, on March 11, 2016, Carson endorsed Trump at a press conference in Palm Beach, Florida, declaring that the two had "buried the hatchet" following earlier primary tensions.^[85] ^[86] He praised Trump's "guts" and "energy," emphasizing his outsider perspective as essential for challenging entrenched political systems, and described Trump as a "very intelligent man" who deeply cared about the country.^[87] ^[88] Carson positioned the endorsement as a strategic alignment, arguing that Trump's leadership style represented the disruption needed to address national issues, and he committed to supporting Trump's campaign efforts.^[89] The decision reflected ideological and voter-base overlaps, as both candidates drew significant support from Republican voters disillusioned with establishment figures, with national polls throughout late 2015 showing them frequently trading the lead among non-politician preferences.^[90] ^[91] Carson later defended Trump against media scrutiny, including accusations of racism and personal misconduct allegations in October 2016, accusing outlets of selective outrage and bias in amplifying unverified claims while ignoring broader context.^[92] ^[93] This support underscored Carson's view of Trump as a resilient outsider capable of withstanding institutional opposition.^[94]

Tenure as HUD Secretary

Appointment and Confirmation

President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate Ben Carson as Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development on December 5, 2016.^[95] The nomination followed Carson's withdrawal from the 2016 Republican presidential race and his subsequent endorsement of Trump.^[96] The Senate confirmed Carson on March 2, 2017, by a vote of 58-41, with most Republicans in support and Democrats largely opposed, citing his absence of prior experience in housing policy or government administration.^[97]^[98] During his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee on January 12, 2017, senators questioned Carson's readiness to oversee a $50 billion agency addressing complex issues like affordable housing and urban development, given his background as a neurosurgeon without direct policy expertise.^[99] Critics, including several Democratic senators, argued that Carson's lack of professional involvement in housing, zoning, or federal bureaucracy rendered him unqualified, emphasizing the need for specialized knowledge in managing programs under the Fair Housing Act and community development block grants.^[100] In response, Carson highlighted his personal experiences growing up in poverty in inner-city Detroit, where he witnessed firsthand the challenges of urban decay, single-parent households, and limited opportunities, asserting that such lived understanding provided unique insight into the root causes of housing instability beyond bureaucratic metrics.^[101] Supporters, including some committee members, countered that Carson's success rising from public housing to national prominence demonstrated practical comprehension of self-reliance and community needs, potentially offering a fresh perspective unencumbered by entrenched policy failures.^[102] No disqualifying ethics violations emerged during the vetting process, despite routine scrutiny of Carson's finances and potential conflicts from his prior speaking engagements and book deals; preliminary concerns were addressed without impeding confirmation.^[103] Carson pledged to recuse himself from matters involving personal interests and committed to upholding ethical standards, facilitating his approval by the committee on January 24, 2017, along party lines.^[103]

Policy Reforms and Deregulation Efforts

During his tenure as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Ben Carson oversaw the termination of the Obama-era Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule on July 23, 2020, replacing it with the Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice rule. Carson contended that the original AFFH imposed excessive bureaucratic burdens on local governments, describing it as "complicated, costly, and ineffective" while arguing it stifled private investment in distressed communities by prioritizing disparate impact analyses over direct enforcement of individual discrimination.^[104] ^[105] This rollback aimed to restore local decision-making authority, with Carson asserting that federal mandates under AFFH diverted resources from practical housing solutions and risked exacerbating community divisions through top-down redistribution of residents based on race or income demographics.^[105] Carson also advanced broader deregulation initiatives to address housing supply constraints, leading the White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing Supply established by executive order on June 25, 2019. The council's subsequent report identified zoning restrictions, rent controls, and permitting delays as primary impediments to private development, recommending their reduction to incentivize construction in high-demand areas.^[106] Carson publicly criticized exclusionary zoning practices for inflating costs—citing examples where regulations limited density and drove up prices by 30-50% in restricted markets—and supported upzoning reforms modeled after Minneapolis's 2019 plan, which eliminated single-family zoning mandates to boost multifamily housing supply.^[107] ^[108] He opposed extensions of rent control policies, viewing them as distortions that discouraged investment and maintenance, and tied these efforts to complementary programs like Opportunity Zones, which by 2019 had designated 8,761 distressed census tracts to attract private capital through tax incentives, with Carson emphasizing reduced regulatory hurdles as key to realizing their potential for revitalization.^[109] ^[110] These reforms elicited polarized responses, with conservative analysts praising Carson's focus on market-driven efficiency and local autonomy for potentially increasing housing stock through supply-side incentives rather than subsidies, arguing that deregulation could lower costs via empirical evidence from less-regulated markets showing higher development rates.^[111] ^[112] In contrast, progressive housing advocates and civil rights organizations, often aligned with institutional interests favoring expansive federal oversight, criticized the changes as undermining anti-discrimination enforcement and perpetuating segregation by easing disparate impact standards, though such claims overlooked the rule's limited implementation success prior to rollback, with fewer than 1,000 assessments completed by 2018 amid widespread local noncompliance.^[113] ^[114] The causal emphasis on deregulation posited that easing barriers enabled $29 billion in reported Opportunity Zone commitments by mid-2020, correlating with upticks in construction permits in targeted distressed areas, though long-term outcomes remained debated due to confounding factors like broader economic conditions.^[115]

Achievements in Housing and Urban Development

During his tenure as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021, Ben Carson prioritized initiatives aimed at fostering private investment and reducing regulatory burdens to stimulate urban revitalization and housing supply. A key effort involved promoting Opportunity Zones, established by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, through HUD guidance that made all such zones eligible for federal rehabilitation incentives under Section 220 of the National Housing Act, facilitating investments in multifamily properties, hospitals, and single-family homes. By December 2020, these zones had attracted approximately $75 billion in capital investments and generated around 500,000 jobs, according to estimates from the Council of Economic Advisers cited in HUD announcements, targeting economically distressed communities for development.^[116]^[110] Carson also advanced the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, which converted distressed public housing into private-market partnerships with Section 8-like vouchers, resulting in the preservation or renovation of over 17,000 public housing units by the end of 2019. This streamlining reduced administrative inefficiencies in legacy public housing operations, allowing for targeted upgrades without expanding federal bureaucracy. Complementing these efforts, HUD under Carson eliminated more than 600 outdated subregulatory guidance documents, aiming to lower compliance costs for developers and local housing authorities, which proponents argued would correlate with increased housing production by alleviating barriers to construction.^[117] In addressing homelessness, Carson's HUD allocated $2.45 billion in funding for supportive services and awarded 5,000 new HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers specifically for homeless veterans, while the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) initiative housed 166 former foster youth using Housing Choice Vouchers within eight months. These targeted metrics demonstrated progress in niche areas, even as national homelessness figures rose 2.2% in 2019, largely attributed to surges in high-cost states like California rather than federal policy failures. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) investments of $3.4 billion further supported urban job creation, yielding 19,933 positions through local projects. Critics from progressive outlets highlighted potential risks like increased evictions from proposed work requirements in rental assistance programs—which were advanced but faced congressional resistance—yet official data underscored tangible outputs in investment and unit preservation without evidence of widespread displacement tied to deregulation.^[117]^[118]

Post-Administration Activities

American Cornerstone Institute

The American Cornerstone Institute (ACI), founded by Ben Carson in 2021, operates as a conservative think tank aimed at reinforcing foundational American principles through policy advocacy and public education.^[119] Its mission emphasizes strengthening societal bonds via the cornerstones of faith, liberty, community, and life, with a focus on self-governance, family integrity, and free-market mechanisms to counter government overreach and dependency.^[120] ACI produces analytical outputs including Cornerstone Papers, which address topics such as economic liberty, constitutional protections in Supreme Court cases, and legislative proposals designed to limit federal expansion.^[121] For instance, the organization has filed amicus briefs defending the Framers' design against perceived encroachments on individual liberty.^[122] In education policy, ACI critiques progressive curricula that it argues promote division by labeling students as "victims" or "oppressors" and foster reliance on state intervention.^[123] The Little Patriots Program, a key initiative, seeks to instill self-reliance and patriotic values in youth by countering racial essentialism and bureaucratic control in public schools, advocating instead for curricula rooted in American founding ideals and personal responsibility.^[123] This aligns with broader outputs challenging welfare expansions and housing policies perceived as entrenching dependency, drawing on empirical patterns of long-term government aid correlating with reduced economic mobility in urban communities.^[121] ACI's publications and programs prioritize causal links between policy choices and outcomes, such as how centralized interventions undermine family structures and market incentives, evidenced by data on persistent poverty cycles in subsidized housing despite trillions in federal spending since the 1960s.^[124] Through events like Cornerstone Conversations and amicus advocacy, the institute pushes for reforms favoring decentralized solutions, including school choice expansions and deregulation to empower local communities over federal mandates.^[125]

Involvement in Recent Conservative Initiatives

In 2023, Ben Carson contributed the chapter on the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to Project 2025, a policy blueprint compiled by the Heritage Foundation and conservative allies outlining priorities for a potential Republican administration. In the chapter, Carson advocated for reversing what he described as progressive ideological influences within HUD, including the rollback of Obama-era fair housing regulations that he argued imposed excessive federal mandates on local zoning and lending practices, potentially stifling economic freedom and community self-determination.^[126] He proposed redirecting many HUD functions to states and localities, emphasizing deregulation to prioritize self-reliance over centralized welfare programs, while maintaining core assistance for the truly needy without expanding bureaucratic oversight.^[127] Through the American Cornerstone Institute (ACI), which Carson founded in 2021 but has since advanced key conservative policy efforts, he has championed initiatives promoting school choice and parental rights in education from 2022 onward. ACI's advocacy contributed to legislative wins, such as expanded education savings accounts in states like Arizona and Iowa by 2024, framing these as essential to preserving the American Dream against government overreach.^[120] The organization also launched the Little Patriots Program in recent years, providing free online curricula on American founding principles and civics to counter perceived ideological indoctrination in public schools.^[123] Carson actively supported Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign through speeches at events like the Republican National Convention in July 2024, where he stressed the preservation of Judeo-Christian values and national unity amid cultural shifts.^[128] He joined Trump at campaign rallies, including in North Carolina in October 2024, urging voters to defend traditional family structures and economic opportunity.^[129] In 2025, Carson spoke at the National Conservative Student Conference in August, reinforcing narratives of personal responsibility and the American Dream as antidotes to collectivism, and at Turning Point USA's summit in July, advocating for policies that sustain merit-based success.^[130]^[131]

Personal Life and Beliefs

Family and Marriage

Ben Carson married Lacena "Candy" Rustin, whom he met while attending Yale University, on July 6, 1975.^[23] The couple has remained married without divorce or separation, maintaining a stable partnership throughout Carson's medical career and public life.^[23] Candy Carson, a former concert violinist and author, provided essential support during his demanding neurosurgery residency and practice, often managing family responsibilities while he focused on professional obligations. They have three sons: Murray, Rhoeyce, and Benjamin Jr.^[23] ^[132] All three pursued professional careers; Murray works in business and engineering fields, Rhoeyce operates in commercial real estate and investment, and Benjamin Jr. is involved in finance and venture capital as a partner at a lower-middle market equity firm.^[9] The family has avoided major personal scandals, with the sons establishing independent lives distinct from their father's political activities.^[132]

Religious Faith and Personal Philosophy

Ben Carson was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church at age eight, though he later described developing a deeper personal commitment to Christianity through consistent Bible study and prayer, influenced heavily by his mother's emphasis on faith amid their family's poverty.^[133]^[134] As a member of this denomination, which emphasizes Sabbath observance, health principles, and biblical prophecy, Carson has integrated Adventist teachings into his worldview, viewing them as foundational to moral and personal discipline.^[135] Carson attributes much of his professional and personal achievements to faith as a causal force, recounting how reliance on prayer preceded complex surgeries and how scriptural principles provided resilience during his transformation from a low-achieving, temper-prone youth to a renowned neurosurgeon.^[136]^[137] He critiques secular humanism as a competing ideology that undermines individual agency by prioritizing material explanations over divine purpose, arguing in public statements that Judeo-Christian values foster societal stability and personal success where secular alternatives lead to moral decay.^[138] This perspective frames faith not as mere belief but as a practical mechanism for overcoming adversity, evidenced by his own ascent from inner-city Detroit poverty—where a third-grade-educated single mother enforced reading and reliance on God to break cycles of dependency.^[4] Central to Carson's philosophy is self-reliance rooted in mindset over external excuses, positing that internal attitudes causally determine life outcomes more than socioeconomic barriers, as illustrated by his rejection of victimhood narratives in favor of disciplined effort and faith-driven perseverance.^[45] In works like Think Big, he advocates viewing limitations as self-imposed, drawing from empirical patterns in successful individuals who transcend disadvantages through proactive habits rather than systemic blame, a view he applies to broader societal issues like poverty alleviation.^[139] Carson opposes moral relativism, defending biblical literalism on issues like sexuality, where he has stated that homosexuality constitutes a sin per scriptural definitions of marriage as between one man and one woman, though he has clarified support for constitutional protections of individual rights while prioritizing traditional family structures.^[140] These positions, expressed in speeches and interviews, have drawn criticism for rigidity, prompting partial apologies for analogies like equating certain practices to bestiality, yet he maintains that relativism erodes objective truth derived from religious texts.^[141]^[142]

Controversies and Criticisms

Medical and Autobiographical Claims

In his 1990 autobiography Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, Carson described being offered a full scholarship to the United States Military Academy at West Point after a high school meeting with General William Westmoreland, attributing the offer to his JROTC performance and implying it was denied due to racial considerations before he chose Yale instead.^[143] No records exist of Carson applying to or receiving admission from West Point, which operates on congressional nominations rather than merit- or athletic-based scholarships, with tuition fully covered for all cadets upon enrollment.^[144] Carson conceded he never formally applied but maintained the Westmoreland encounter occurred, framing the account as an informal assurance of potential entry rather than a binding offer, which he did not pursue.^[145] While personal recollections from Carson's youth support elements of the interaction, the portrayal as a "full scholarship" offer constitutes an exaggeration unsupported by institutional documentation, though not a complete fabrication given West Point's nomination process could involve recommendations like Westmoreland's.^[146] Carson's medical achievements, such as performing the first successful pediatric hemispherectomy on a patient named Patrick in 1985—removing half the brain to treat intractable seizures without resulting paralysis—align with Johns Hopkins Hospital records and remain empirically validated in neurosurgical history.^[5] Similarly, his leadership in the 22-hour 1987 separation of occipital craniopagus twins Patrick and Benjamin Binder at Johns Hopkins, the first such procedure where both survived surgery, is corroborated by operative reports and medical accounts, marking a breakthrough in managing sagittal sinus sharing.^[30] Post-operative outcomes were mixed, with one twin achieving normal development and the other suffering severe deficits, but the core surgical success—demonstrating feasibility for this rare conjunction—has not been empirically disputed, despite later cases like the 2003 Bijani sisters' fatal separation involving Carson yielding poorer results.^[31] Minor timeline variances in Gifted Hands, such as sequencing of preparatory research, exist but do not undermine the documented feats, which peer-reviewed literature attributes to Carson's innovations in vascular management.^[32] Scrutiny of these narratives intensified during Carson's 2015 presidential campaign, with outlets emphasizing potential embellishments in Gifted Hands—including unverified details like a Yale psychology class where Carson was named the "most honest" student—while contemporaneous interviews yielded no contradictory institutional records for the professor or course as described.^[147] Childhood anecdotes of violent rage, such as attempting to stab a friend with a knife (averted by a belt), lack police reports but are affirmed by multiple high school classmates in statements, suggesting selective media focus on absences of formal documentation over testimonial evidence.^[148] This pattern reflects incentives in left-leaning journalistic coverage to amplify autobiographical discrepancies for conservative figures, often prioritizing narrative inconsistencies over holistic verification, as seen in coordinated 2015 reporting that downplayed corroborative personal accounts in favor of archival gaps.^[149]

Political Statements and Gaffes

In September 2015, during his Republican presidential campaign, Carson stated that he would not support electing a Muslim president, reasoning that adherence to Sharia law, which he described as incompatible with the U.S. Constitution, would prevent such a leader from fully upholding American governance principles.^[150] He elaborated that any Muslim candidate would need to reject core Islamic tenets in favor of constitutional supremacy, a position grounded in his view of causal conflicts between theocratic systems and secular republicanism.^[151] Progressive media and groups like the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the remarks as discriminatory, demanding Carson's withdrawal and framing them as Islamophobic rhetoric amid post-9/11 tensions.^[152] Conservatives, however, defended the statement as a truthful assessment of ideological incompatibilities, citing empirical instances of Sharia-influenced governance in Muslim-majority nations restricting freedoms, and praised Carson for resisting pressures to self-censor.^[153] In November 2015, Carson reaffirmed a longstanding personal theory, originally expressed in a 1998 speech, that the Great Pyramids of Giza were built under the direction of the biblical Joseph to store grain during famine, as described in Genesis 41, rather than serving primarily as royal tombs.^[154] This interpretation, derived from literal biblical exegesis and historical theories tracing to early Christian and medieval sources, contradicted archaeological consensus dating the pyramids to circa 2580–2560 BCE, predating Joseph's era by over a millennium.^[155] Egyptologists and Egyptian officials dismissed the claim as pseudohistorical, with the Antiquities Minister publicly mocking it as uninformed.^[156] Mainstream outlets amplified the ridicule, portraying it as a factual gaffe undermining Carson's credibility, while his supporters countered that empirical dismissal ignored interpretive pluralism in religious texts and defended it as intellectual independence from elite consensus.^[157] At the October 2013 Values Voter Summit, Carson likened the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to slavery, calling it "the worst thing that has happened in this nation since slavery" for imposing government dependency through mandates that coerced individuals into subsidizing others, eroding self-reliance.^[158] He argued from first principles that the ACA's individual mandate—upheld as a tax by the Supreme Court in 2012 and affecting non-compliant individuals with penalties up to 2.5% of household income or $695 per adult by 2016—created causal parallels to historical coercion by forcing labor-like contributions without consent.^[159] Critics in academia and left-leaning media decried the analogy as inflammatory and racially insensitive given Carson's background, ignoring data on premium increases (averaging 105% in individual markets from 2013–2017 per some analyses) and underemphasizing subsidies for low-income groups.^[160] Conservative voices upheld the critique as prescient, noting the mandate's role in distorting markets and personal autonomy until its 2017 nullification, and lauded Carson's refusal to retract amid cancellation attempts as emblematic of free discourse.^[159]

HUD Tenure Scrutiny

During Ben Carson's tenure as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), from March 2017 to January 2021, his administration faced ethics complaints primarily centered on office redecorations and family involvement in agency activities. In late 2017, HUD approved the purchase of a $31,561 dining room set intended for Carson's West Wing office suite, which drew criticism for extravagance amid proposed agency budget cuts.^[161] A 2019 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report determined that the expenditure violated federal law requiring congressional notification for cabinet-level office redecorations exceeding $5,000, though Carson stated he was unaware of the details and had not personally ordered the item.^[161] The order was canceled in May 2018 following media scrutiny, with funds refunded, and a HUD Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigation in September 2019 cleared Carson of any misconduct, finding no evidence of personal involvement or intent to misuse funds.^[162] ^[163] Family-related ethics probes also arose, particularly regarding Carson's son, Ben Carson Jr., who participated in a 2017 HUD "listening tour" in Baltimore despite internal ethics advice against involving relatives in official events to avoid conflicts of interest.^[164] Additional reports highlighted potential influence from Carson's wife, Lacena, and daughter-in-law, Merlynn, in agency matters, prompting calls for investigation from groups like Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW).^[165] A HUD OIG inquiry launched in 2018 examined whether Carson misused his office for private family gain, including the son's event role and related travel, but the September 2020 report found no substantiated evidence of official actions taken to personally benefit relatives in violation of federal ethics rules.^[166] No criminal charges resulted from these reviews, though critics, often from progressive outlets, portrayed the episodes as indicative of nepotism.^[167] Policy decisions, such as the 2020 rescission of the Obama-era Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule, attracted accusations of undermining anti-discrimination efforts by reducing data collection and planning requirements for grant recipients.^[168] Carson defended the move as eliminating bureaucratic overreach—the rule's assessments were deemed overly prescriptive and resource-intensive without demonstrably reducing segregation—shifting focus to direct enforcement of the Fair Housing Act.^[105] Post-rollout data from the period showed no measurable uptick in housing discrimination complaints or segregation indices attributable to the change, as tracked by HUD's own Fair Housing Assistance Program metrics, countering claims of policy-driven harm.^[117] Critiques of incompetence, amplified in mainstream media narratives, contrasted with agency performance indicators under Carson, including a 5% reduction in veteran homelessness from 2018 to 2019 via expanded HUD-VA supportive housing vouchers serving over 85,000 individuals.^[169] Overall HUD accomplishments encompassed assisting 990,000 single-family homebuyers through FHA programs and streamlining regulations to cut processing times for certain grants by up to 30%, despite a budget reduction from $49.3 billion in FY2016 to $47.9 billion in FY2020.^[117] These metrics suggest operational efficiencies amid fiscal constraints, challenging portrayals of systemic dysfunction.^[170]

Legacy and Impact

Contributions to Medicine and Self-Reliance Narratives

Carson pioneered advancements in pediatric neurosurgery, most notably leading the first successful separation of craniopagus twins, Patrick and Benjamin Binder, on September 6, 1987, at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The procedure, involving a 70-member team and lasting 22 hours, employed innovative circulatory interruption techniques to minimize brain damage, enabling both infants to survive initially despite subsequent complications for one twin.^[171]^[10] As the youngest person appointed chief of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins in 1984, he performed over 300 to 500 operations annually, focusing on high-risk cases such as brain-stem tumors, traumatic injuries, and congenital disorders, which contributed to refined protocols for improved surgical precision and patient recovery.^[172]^[173]^[174] These efforts yielded tangible outcomes, including the revival of hemispherectomy for severe epilepsy—where Carson adapted the technique to remove or disconnect damaged brain hemispheres in children, achieving seizure control in a majority of cases that previously faced dismal prognoses.^[175] His development of methods for intrauterine neurosurgery, such as the first successful fetal procedure, further expanded interventions for congenital anomalies, directly preserving neurological function in neonates who might otherwise have succumbed to untreatable conditions.^[176] Beyond clinical metrics, Carson's narrative of overcoming inner-city poverty in Detroit—raised by a single mother who mandated reading two nonfiction books weekly despite her third-grade education—exemplifies causal agency through discipline and intellect over environmental determinism. In Gifted Hands (1990), he details transforming academic underperformance and anger issues into Yale and Michigan State admissions via self-imposed study regimens, rejecting victimhood narratives tied to socioeconomic status.^[10] This account posits that individual choices, not systemic aid, drive upward mobility, as evidenced by his progression from welfare-dependent upbringing to professional eminence without governmental crutches.^[77] Carson has critiqued expansive welfare systems for inducing dependency, arguing from personal observation that such programs disincentivize the self-reliance his mother instilled, which propelled his achievements amid comparable urban disadvantages. He frames poverty primarily as a "state of mind" amenable to mindset shifts, citing empirical contrasts between aid-reliant peers who stagnated and his trajectory of volitional effort yielding independence.^[177]^[178] His story has demonstrably motivated underprivileged youth toward STEM pursuits, with accounts from African American medical students crediting Carson's example for inspiring career aspirations in fields where representation remains low, fostering a model of agency that empirical biographies link to reduced resignation in disadvantaged cohorts.^[179]^[180]

Influence on Conservative Politics

Carson has served as a prominent exemplar of black conservatism, embodying principles of personal responsibility and self-reliance that challenge the Democratic Party's historical dominance among minority voters. Rising from poverty in Detroit to become a pioneering neurosurgeon, his narrative underscores conservative ideals of individual achievement over systemic excuses, influencing a tradition that includes figures like Clarence Thomas and Colin Powell.^[181]^[182] This visibility has helped normalize conservative viewpoints within black communities, where Carson has argued that Republicans treat black members equitably, contrasting with what he describes as Democratic emphasis on racial identity over policy substance.^[183] His 2016 presidential campaign further amplified outsider candidacies in the Republican primaries, briefly surpassing Donald Trump in national polls and demonstrating appeal for non-politicians grounded in real-world accomplishments rather than electoral experience.^[184] Launching on May 3, 2015, the bid peaked with strong evangelical and conservative support, contributing to a broader GOP shift toward anti-establishment figures despite Carson's eventual withdrawal on March 2, 2016, and endorsement of Trump.^[185] This trajectory highlighted how conservative voters valued substantive expertise over traditional credentials, paving the way for subsequent outsider successes. In the Trump administration, as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from March 2, 2017, to January 20, 2021, Carson advanced deregulation efforts to reduce federal barriers in housing, including rolling back an Obama-era rule on affirmative furthering fair housing and promoting opportunity zones to incentivize investment in distressed areas.^[170]^[106] These initiatives aligned with conservative priorities of market-driven solutions over expanded government intervention, yielding tangible policy shifts like streamlined regulations to boost affordable housing supply.^[186] Post-administration, Carson founded the American Cornerstone Institute in 2019, a think tank advancing conservative policies on education, healthcare, and economic opportunity, including contributions to Project 2025's blueprint for executive reform.^[120]^[127] His work there rebuts accusations of tokenism—often leveled by critics viewing black conservatives as outliers—through substantive policy advocacy that emphasizes empirical outcomes like deregulation's role in poverty reduction, rather than symbolic representation.^[187] By bridging racial perceptions in the GOP, Carson has acknowledged the party's delayed outreach to minorities while modeling how conservative principles can appeal across demographics, fostering incremental gains in minority voter engagement.^[188]^[189]

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Oct 31, 2015 · He spent much of his youth in what he has described as "dire poverty," but his neighbors kept their lawns trimmed, and parents called other ...
[78]
Ben Carson on the Issues - OnTheIssues.org
Ben Carson on Abortion. Click here for 11 full quotes on Abortion OR background on Abortion. Need civil discussion between pro-life and pro-choice.
[79]
Carson aide warns: We'll respond to unfair attacks at debate - Politico
Nov 10, 2015 · Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, often criticized for his low-key demeanor, is ready to punch back to any kind of attack that comes his way ...Missing: arguments | Show results with:arguments
[80]
Carson Slams 'Hypocrisy' of His Doubters on Foreign Policy
Nov 24, 2015 · DAVENPORT-- Dropping in the polls amid questions over the extent of his foreign policy knowledge, Ben Carson told an Iowa crowd on Sunday night ...
[81]
5th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and ...
Dec 15, 2015 · Nine Republican candidates participated in Tuesday's 2016 presidential debate in Las Vegas: Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), former Florida ...
[82]
Ben Carson ends campaign, will lead Christian voter group - CNN
Mar 4, 2016 · Ben Carson on Friday officially ended his presidential campaign and revealed his next move: chairing a group focused on getting out the Christian vote in ...
[83]
Ben Carson drops out of presidential race: 'I'm leaving the campaign ...
Mar 4, 2016 · The soft-spoken former neurosurgeon ends once-promising Republican presidential bid after series of disappointing primary and debate ...
[84]
Ben Carson suspends his 2016 presidential campaign - CBS News
Mar 4, 2016 · The retired neurosurgeon said he looked at the delegate count, "did the math" and "simply realized it wasn't going to happen"
[85]
Ben Carson endorses Donald Trump | CNN Politics
Mar 11, 2016 · Ben Carson threw his support behind Donald Trump Friday morning, saying the two men had “buried the hatchet” and praising the Republican ...
[86]
Ben Carson Endorses Donald Trump, Saying 'We Buried the Hatchet'
Mar 11, 2016 · Ben Carson, the retired pediatric neurosurgeon who ended his own presidential bid last week, endorsed Donald J. Trump at Mar-a-Lago, ...
[87]
Ben Carson Endorses Donald Trump, Praises His 'Guts' And 'Energy'
Mar 11, 2016 · Ben Carson, the former neurosurgeon who dropped out of the presidential race last week, endorsed Trump Friday, praising his "guts" and ...
[88]
Carson tweets praise for Trump ahead of endorsement - The Hill
Mar 11, 2016 · Ben Carson praised Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in a tweet Friday morning, calling him a “a leader with an outsider's ...
[89]
Donald J. Trump Receives Endorsement From Dr. Ben Carson and ...
Mar 11, 2016 · Trump received the coveted endorsement of Dr. Ben Carson during a press conference in Palm Beach, Florida. Dr. Carson ended his Presidential bid ...
[90]
Trump and Carson: contrasting styles, bombastic rhetoric, similar ...
Oct 5, 2015 · Two Republican presidential candidates have gone top of the polls and stayed there by offering aggressive, if vague, foreign policy and ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[91]
Poll Watch: Ben Carson Edges Ahead Nationally in Times/CBS ...
Oct 27, 2015 · Ben Carson has dislodged Donald J. Trump from the front of the Republican presidential pack for the first time in months, according to a New ...Missing: overlap | Show results with:overlap
[92]
Ben Carson defends Donald Trump amid new groping allegations
Oct 13, 2016 · Ben Carson defended Donald Trump amid new sexual misconduct allegations on Thursday. During a “Fox & Friends” interview, Carson accused the ...
[93]
Ben Carson: 'Be careful with the messages we send out' on social ...
Jul 5, 2016 · Following the uproar over Donald Trump's tweet attacking Hillary Clinton and picturing a six-pointed star, former rival Ben Carson has a ...
[94]
Ben Carson Struggles to Defend Trump Endorsement in Combative ...
Mar 24, 2016 · Former GOP presidential contender Ben Carson offered a lukewarm defense of Donald Trump's many controversies on Thursday.
[95]
President-Elect Donald J. Trump Intends to Nominate Dr. Ben ...
Dec 5, 2016 · Ben Carson was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 18, 1951. While his mother lacked access to a quality education, she encouraged her sons ...
[96]
Trump Taps Ben Carson For Secretary Of Housing And Urban ... - NPR
Dec 5, 2016 · President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Dr. Ben Carson to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development in his incoming administration.
[97]
Roll Call Vote 115 th Congress - 1 st Session - Senate.gov
Mar 2, 2017 · On the Nomination (Confirmation Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., of Florida, to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development ). Vote Number: 77. Vote ...
[98]
PN34 — Benjamin S. Carson Sr. — Department of Housing and ...
03/02/2017 - Confirmed by the Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 58 - 41. Record Vote Number: 77. Date Received from President. 01/20/2017. Committee.
[99]
Senate Banking Committee Grills HUD Nominee Ben Carson In ...
Jan 12, 2017 · Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has been chosen by President-elect Trump to be his secretary of housing and urban development.
[100]
Van Hollen Statement in Opposition to Confirmation of Dr. Ben Carson
Feb 3, 2017 · "Mr. President, Congress created the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1965 to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities ...
[101]
What Will Ben Carson Mean For Housing and Urban Policy?
Dec 6, 2016 · Carson himself points to his low-income upbringing in Detroit as a qualification for the job. But how does that prepare him for the ...
[102]
What Qualifies Ben Carson To Run HUD? 'His Life,' Says Longtime ...
Dec 5, 2016 · He understands much more than you can imagine about finance and zoning and tax laws and banking policies, urban planning and these anti- ...<|separator|>
[103]
Banking Committee approves Ben Carson nomination - POLITICO
Jan 24, 2017 · The Senate Banking Committee today approved the nomination of Dr. Ben Carson to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
[104]
Trump Administration's Rollback of Federal Fair Housing Act ...
Aug 7, 2020 · ... fair housing laws.”[1]. When announcing its termination, HUD Secretary Ben Carson said the 2015 rule was “complicated, costly, and ineffective.
[105]
Ben Carson moves to roll back Obama-era fair housing rule
Aug 13, 2018 · Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson is taking new steps to roll back an Obama-era rule intended to combat housing segregation. On ...
[106]
[PDF] Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing - GovInfo
This report examines a wide range of regulations for potential regulatory barriers, including zoning and growth management controls, rent controls, building and ...
[107]
Ben Carson Calls Out Zoning Regulations for Driving Up Housing ...
Aug 14, 2018 · The HUD Secretary wants to revise Obama-era housing regulations he says do too little to address the real drivers of housing costs.
[108]
HUD Secretary Carson Supports Minneapolis-Style Upzoning
Jun 25, 2019 · US Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson, in Minneapolis last week, expressed support for the planning reforms included in the Minneapolis 2040 ...
[109]
Ben Carson takes aim at red tape blamed for soaring housing costs
Jun 10, 2019 · Critics point to assorted zoning, rent control, permitting and environmental regulations as the culprit for high prices. During remarks at a ...
[110]
Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., 2019 Opportunity Zone Expo Remarks
Aug 9, 2019 · As you know, the purpose of Opportunity Zones is to spur private investments into economically distressed communities through powerful tax ...Missing: deregulation | Show results with:deregulation
[111]
Secretary Carson Gets Housing Affordability Right - Cato Institute
Aug 15, 2018 · For fiscal conservatives that care about efficiently using government dollars, attaching pro-market zoning requirements to HUD grants is ...
[112]
The New Conservative Housing Push | National Review
Jul 29, 2019 · Secretary Carson showed leadership by crossing the aisle and praising a major deregulatory plan championed by Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey, a ...
[113]
Under Ben Carson, HUD Scales Back Fair Housing Enforcement
Mar 28, 2018 · Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, and his political appointees have begun weakening the department's fair housing division at a critical moment.Missing: reforms achievements
[114]
Trump Administration Eliminates Affirmatively Furthering Fair ...
Jul 27, 2020 · President Trump's final rule strips away that façade and completely abandons the obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. In its final ...
[115]
White House Opportunity Zone Council Report Released
The White House Opportunity Zone Council, lead by HUD Secretary Ben Carson, delivered a report to the Administration outlining best practices and examples of ...<|separator|>
[116]
HUD Archives: News Releases
Dec 18, 2020 · The CEA estimates that Opportunity Zones have already generated approximately half a million jobs, attracted $75 billion in capital investments, ...Missing: achievements homelessness
[117]
HUD Archives: News Releases
Jan 2, 2020 · HUD's achievements in 2019 include: Advancing Economic Opportunity, Protecting Taxpayers, Reducing Regulatory Barriers, Helping Disaster Victims Recover.
[118]
HUD Archives: SECRETARY CARSON CERTIFIES ANNUAL DATA
Dec 20, 2019 · SECRETARY CARSON CERTIFIES ANNUAL DATA: HOMELESSNESS TICKED UP IN 2019, DRIVEN BY MAJOR INCREASES IN CALIFORNIA
[119]
About - American Cornerstone Institute
Guided by our cornerstones of faith, liberty, community, and life, the American Cornerstone Institute (ACI) will strengthen the bonds that hold our country ...
[120]
American Cornerstone Institute: Home
ACI is standing guard to protect American families and communities. Senator Mike Lee. The American Cornerstone Institute has established itself at the forefront ...AboutLittle Patriots ProgramContact UsCommon Sense With Dr. Ben ...What We Do
[121]
What We Do - American Cornerstone Institute
Supreme Court cases, proposed legislation, and topics like economic liberty in America have all been subjects of our Cornerstone Papers. Our More Perfect Union ...Missing: mission | Show results with:mission
[122]
[PDF] amicus brief - Supreme Court of the United States
Jul 24, 2023 · Defending the Framers' constitutional design and the liberty it was designed to protect is one of the Institute's primary objectives. In ...
[123]
Little Patriots Program - American Cornerstone Institute
What is the mission? The racial divide and government overreach are impacting our public schools. Children are being labeled as “victims” and “oppressors.
[124]
Cornerstone Papers Archives
The American Cornerstone Institute filed an amicus brief with the US Supreme Court arguing that it's time the American people took back our power.Missing: mission | Show results with:mission
[125]
Cornerstone Conversations Archives
Dr. Carson sits down with former Department of Interior Secretary, Ryan Zinke, to discuss the importance of advancing our nation's founding principles.Missing: reform | Show results with:reform<|control11|><|separator|>
[126]
How Project 2025 Would Dismantle HUD - Shelterforce
Sep 26, 2024 · These HUD policies were written by Ben Carson, who served in his administration and is now campaigning with him. Sorry to burst your bubble ...
[127]
[PDF] (2024-04-25) Research on Ben Carson Project 2025 Chapter
Carson's Project 2025 Chapter Proposed A Task Force To Reverse “Progressive Ideology” At HUD, Repealing The Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule, And ...Missing: achievements criticisms
[128]
Ben Carson speech at Republican National Convention - USA Today
Jul 16, 2024 · He and Trump both ran during the 2016 Republican primaries. Carson endorsed Trump for the 2024 presidency in October 2023 during a speech in ...
[129]
Former President Trump Campaigns with Dr. Ben Carson ... - C-SPAN
Oct 21, 2024 · 2024 Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump spoke at a campaign event in Concord, North Carolina. Dr. Ben Carson ...
[130]
[PDF] 2025 NCSC Agenda - Young America's Foundation
Aug 5, 2025 · Ben Carson. (-3 Level). 17th Secretary of Housing and Urban Development,. Neurosurgeon, and Author. Page 3. Wednesday, August 6. *Dress for ...
[131]
Ben Carson Speaks at Turning Point USA Summit | Video - C-SPAN
Jul 11, 2025 · Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson spoke during this portion of the Turning Point USA student action summit in Tampa, Florida.<|control11|><|separator|>
[132]
10 Things You Didn't Know About Ben Carson
Jan 13, 2017 · 7. Dr. Carson is married to Candy Carson, and together they have three sons: Murray, Ben Jr. (B.J.) and Rhoeyce.
[133]
Dr. Ben Carson's Life Story Rests on a Deep Adventist Faith
Sep 20, 2015 · The future brain surgeon told his pastor that the first time he underwent the ritual, at age 8, he didn't yet understand what being a Christian meant.Missing: conversion | Show results with:conversion
[134]
Ben Carson: My Personal Relationship With God - FaithGateway
Gradually over the years, by regularly reading, studying, and depending on the advice in God's Word, I've gained a more accurate picture of God.
[135]
All Your Questions About Seventh-Day Adventism And Ben Carson ...
Oct 27, 2015 · When did the Seventh-day Adventist Church begin? The Adventist movement can trace its influences back to William Miller, a farmer turned Bible ...Missing: conversion | Show results with:conversion
[136]
Ben Carson and the road to succes | The Faith of a Surgeon
Sep 11, 2023 · Carson strongly believes God gives him the talents and wisdom to do what he does. He prays before every surgery and asks the families of his ...Missing: influence | Show results with:influence
[137]
How Ben Carson's Seventh Day Adventist faith has helped his ...
Oct 27, 2015 · The famous physician has successfully cast himself as a staunch conservative whose actions and views are significantly influenced by his faith.
[138]
National Unity Under God: Ben Carson's Manifesto
Carson's program, then, is the embrace of an identity centered on religious faith: Americans have “a heritage of Judeo-Christian morality,” he writes, and he ...
[139]
[PDF] Dr Ben Carson Think Big
At the heart of this mindset lies the conviction that limitations are often self ... Ben. Carson's motivational approach in 'Think Big' from other self-help books ...Missing: reliance | Show results with:reliance
[140]
Carson explains his stance on same-sex marriage - POLITICO
Oct 28, 2015 · I believe that our Constitution protects everybody," Carson explained. "I also believe that marriage is between one man and one woman."Missing: relativism biblical literalism
[141]
https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/04/ben-carson-apologizes-for-comment-on-homosexuality
[142]
Dr. Ben & Candy Carson's post - Facebook
Feb 9, 2015 · When embracing traditional Christian values is equated to hatred, we are approaching the stage where wrong is called right and right is called ...Missing: literalism | Show results with:literalism
[143]
Exclusive: Carson claimed West Point 'scholarship' but never applied
Nov 6, 2015 · Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Friday conceded that he never applied nor was granted admission to West Point.Missing: Lippincott | Show results with:Lippincott
[144]
Fact-checking Ben Carson's defense of his West Point scholarship ...
Nov 8, 2015 · Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson stuck to his story about being offered a scholarship to West Point after a Politico arti.
[145]
Ben Carson: West Point controversy "a matter of semantics"
Nov 6, 2015 · The GOP candidate said in his memoir that he had been "offered a full scholarship to West Point"Missing: verification | Show results with:verification
[146]
Questions over Ben Carson's West Point story - BBC News
Nov 6, 2015 · US Republican presidential contender Ben Carson admits he never applied to join the US military academy at West Point.
[147]
Wall Street Journal Says Ben Carson Lied About Being Most Honest ...
Nov 7, 2015 · Ben Carson may have fabricated a story about being the 'most honest' student while at Yale. By Abby Jackson. Abby Jackson (1). Follow Abby ...Missing: high performance GPA improvement
[148]
Ben Carson stands by stories of childhood rage - BBC News
Nov 6, 2015 · Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson's autobiography is scrutinised, leading the candidate to rail against liberal media bias.Missing: debunked | Show results with:debunked
[149]
Ben Carson Pushes Back On Questions About His West Point Story
Nov 6, 2015 · Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson says he never applied to West Point, although in his book, he had written that he was "offered ...Missing: verification | Show results with:verification
[150]
Ben Carson: U.S. shouldn't elect a Muslim president | CNN Politics
Sep 21, 2015 · Ben Carson says the United States should not elect a Muslim president. “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation.
[151]
Ben Carson says Muslim president would have to 'subjugate' beliefs
Sep 27, 2015 · Neurosurgeon now one point behind Trump in Republican presidential polls says Muslim candidates must 'subjugate beliefs to our constitution'
[152]
Ben Carson Campaign Stands Its Ground Over Muslim Comments ...
Sep 21, 2015 · Council on American-Islamic Relations called for Carson to drop out of the race.
[153]
Ben Carson: America's president can't be Muslim - POLITICO
Sep 20, 2015 · The president of the United States should not be a Muslim, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson declared during an interview airing Sunday morning.Missing: comments | Show results with:comments<|separator|>
[154]
Ben Carson stands by statement that Egyptian pyramids built ... - PBS
Nov 5, 2015 · Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson on Thursday stood by his belief that Egypt's great pyramids were built by the biblical figure Joseph to store ...
[155]
Why do some people think the pyramids were grain stores? - BBC
Nov 7, 2015 · US presidential hopeful Ben Carson is sticking to his view that Egypt's pyramids were built to store grain. Where did this idea originate, ...
[156]
Egyptian antiquities officials mock Ben Carson's claims that ...
Nov 10, 2015 · Egypt's Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el-Damaty briefs journalists after a press conference held in front of the Khufu pyramid in Giza, Egypt, on ...
[157]
Fact check: Ben Carson's claim that the pyramids were used to store ...
Nov 5, 2015 · Ben Carson claims that the Egyptian pyramids were constructed by the biblical Joseph to store huge quantities of grain and were not, as is commonly believed, ...
[158]
Carson likens Obamacare to slavery - POLITICO
Oct 11, 2013 · “Obamacare is really, I think, the worst thing to happen to the nation since slavery,” Carson said, speaking at the Values Voter Summit. “And it ...
[159]
Ben Carson: Obamacare worst thing 'since slavery'
Oct 11, 2013 · Dr. Ben Carson, a rising star in conservative circles, on Friday compared President Obama's health-care law to slavery.
[160]
Dr. Ben Carson Making Waves Again: Obamacare 'Worst Thing ...
Dr. Ben Carson Making Waves Again: Obamacare 'Worst Thing Since Slavery'. October 11, 2013 / 5:47 PM EDT / CBS Baltimore. WASHINGTON (WJZ) -- World-renowned ...
[161]
Government audit concludes Carson's $40K office purchases broke ...
May 17, 2019 · The dining set cost more than $31,000 and the dishwasher cost nearly $9,000. Carson told lawmakers last year that he was unaware of the purchase ...Missing: outcome | Show results with:outcome
[162]
Ben Carson Cleared by HUD Inspector General of Misconduct in ...
Sep 12, 2019 · “We found no evidence indicating that either Secretary or Mrs. Carson exerted improper influence on any departmental employee in connection with ...Missing: payments | Show results with:payments<|separator|>
[163]
Ben Carson cleared of misconduct in furniture episode - POLITICO
Sep 12, 2019 · HUD Secretary Ben Carson has been cleared of misconduct allegations stemming from the 2017 purchase of a $31,561 dining table set for his ...Missing: outcome | Show results with:outcome
[164]
Ben Carson's family ethics drama, explained - Vox
Feb 3, 2018 · A scandal is brewing around the retired neurosurgeon amid reports he allowed his son, Ben Carson Jr., to help organize an agency “listening tour” in Baltimore.
[165]
CREW requests HUD investigate Ben Carson and family
Feb 14, 2018 · HUD Secretary Ben Carson's family appears to have reaped the benefits of using his position to advance their own business interests.Missing: trips | Show results with:trips
[166]
[PDF] Investigation into Alleged Misuse of Office by the Secretary for the ...
Sep 29, 2020 · The OIG found further that Carson Jr.'s business interests did not affect HUD decision-making related to Baltimore's Poppleton neighborhood.
[167]
HUD IG looking at role Ben Carson's family has played | CNN Politics
Feb 20, 2018 · The Department of Housing and Urban Development's inspector general is looking into the role HUD Secretary Ben Carson's family has played at the agency.
[168]
Ben Carson Moves Forward With Push To Change Fair Housing Rule
Aug 13, 2018 · The HUD secretary is moving to overhaul an Obama-era rule intended to strengthen the 1968 Fair Housing Act and combat housing segregation.
[169]
HUD, VA Efforts Lead to 5 Percent Reduction in Veteran ...
Nov 1, 2018 · HUD Secretary Ben Carson pointed to the HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program as playing a key role in the progress, which combines HUD's rental ...
[170]
The Ben Carson Years at HUD: Did He Make a Difference?
Jan 19, 2021 · Four years, one pandemic, and a recession later, the secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's tenure is about to come ...
[171]
Ben Carson | Biography & Facts | Britannica
Sep 20, 2025 · ... Carson became director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins. He was one of the youngest doctors in the United States to earn such a ...<|separator|>
[172]
16 Things to Know About…Ben Carson - PBS
Dec 5, 2016 · Before retirement, Carson was reported to have performed over 300 surgeries a year, almost three times the average of any neurosurgeon. He is a ...
[173]
This Is Brain Surgery - Fast Company
Jan 31, 1998 · In this procedure, Carson treats children suffering from debilitating seizures by removing half their brain.
[174]
The Doctor's Saving Grace - The Washington Post
Aug 6, 2002 · In fact, the famed Johns Hopkins pediatric neurosurgeon, who performs more than 400 operations a year, saving children's lives and alleviating ...
[175]
Dr. Benjamin Carson | NeuLine Health
In 1985, Dr. Carson revived the Hemispherectomy, which is a surgery that involves separating or entirely removing an entire hemisphere of the brain. The purpose ...
[176]
On this day in history • September 6, 1987 • Dr. Ben Carson led a 70 ...
Sep 6, 2024 · After medical school he became a neurosurgery resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Starting off as an adult neurosurgeon Carson ...Missing: staff residency date
[177]
Housing Secretary Ben Carson Clarifies Comment That Poverty Is A ...
Jun 5, 2017 · Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson is standing by his controversial comment that poverty is a "state of mind," but he says ...Missing: big solutions
[178]
Don't Make Housing for the Poor Too Cozy, Carson Warns
May 3, 2017 · During a tour in Ohio, the housing secretary was resolute in his belief that too much government assistance has led to too much dependence.
[179]
Ben Carson inspired a generation of black doctors. Now we don't ...
Oct 8, 2015 · Carson's impact on other African American students who aspired to become physicians was equally profound. In every group of black pre-meds or ...Missing: narrative studies
[180]
Ben Carson a Story of Accomplishment Against the Odds
Oct 24, 2012 · Describing his life of accomplishment, world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson advises setting distant goals and resolving to achieve them.
[181]
Ben Carson and the Legacy of Black Conservatism
Dec 6, 2015 · Ben Carson is the latest example in a long line of black conservative politicians – which include Colin Powell, Clarence Thomas, and Edward Brooke.
[182]
What explains Ben Carson? The long tradition of black conservatism.
Sep 10, 2015 · Some have attributed Carson's switch from ardent Democrat to conservative Republican as a matter of opportunism. That may very well be true, but ...
[183]
Ben Carson: 'Democrats tend to look more at the color of their skin'
Sep 23, 2015 · “I find black Republicans are treated extremely well in the Republican Party. In fact, I don't hear much about being a black Republican,” he ...Missing: bridging | Show results with:bridging
[184]
An unlikely outsider could be the one who takes down Donald Trump
Sep 5, 2015 · ... outsider on the biggest of stages. With millions watching, retired neurosurgeon and Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson delivered ...
[185]
Ben Carson says 'no path forward' in 2016 race | PBS News
Mar 2, 2016 · Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson said he is effectively ending his bid for the White House Wednesday, concluding a roller-coaster campaign.Missing: appeal | Show results with:appeal
[186]
Ben Carson Makes the Case For Housing Deregulation
Carson is correct in calling attention to the fact that a government response would not be the antidote to California's housing problems.
[187]
Ben Carson compares criticism of Black conservatives to 'runaway ...
Mar 15, 2021 · Ben Carson likened himself and Black conservatives to runaway slaves who were abused and made examples of in order to instill fear into others ...<|separator|>
[188]
Ben Carson admits Republicans were "late to the game ... - CBS News
Aug 28, 2016 · Carson told CBS's "Face the Nation" that "We should have been into this a long time ago"
[189]
Many African-Americans see two sides to Ben Carson | PBS News
Nov 28, 2015 · Carson rose to prominence in the tea party movement after repudiating the president's health care law in front of Obama during the 2013 National ...