Jimmy Carter Had An Early Ally in the Senate: A Young Democrat Named Joe Biden: NPR. Texas

NPR, Dec. 30, 2024.

On Presidents Day 1978, Jimmy Carter boarded Marine One at the White House and flew to Wilmington, Del. He was there to raise money for one of his first national political allies: the state's 35-year-old first-term senator, Joe Biden. It was a joint appearance that underscored the unique relationship Biden developed with Carter early on in his political career — one that will be on display this week when Biden eulogizes Carter at Washington's National Cathedral.

"I've been hanging out with Jimmy Carter for over 50 years, it dawned on me," Biden said in remarks on Sunday from St. Croix, where he was on holiday. "I'll always be proud to say that — he used to kid me about it — that I was the first national figure to endorse him in 1976 when he ran for president. And there was an overwhelming reason for it: his character."

Carter also fundraised for Biden. Back in 1978, Biden and his young sons met Carter's helicopter at the airport, and then Carter gave Biden a lift in the presidential limousine to the Hotel Du Pont. The politics-averse Carter didn't do too many campaign events, let alone fundraising dinners. You could hear the excitement and pride in the young senator's voice as he thanked the crowd, who paid $1,000 a couple for coming out to help him "raise so much damn money."

"My sons, Beau and Hunt, were here, Mr. President," Biden beamed during his introductory remarks. "Met the president at the plane. But priorities are priorities," he told Carter and the donors. "They had their Cub Scout meeting tonight, Mr. President, and they said as far as they'd go was the helicopter. And when they found out Amy wasn't coming, they weren't even sure they were going to do that."...
https://www.npr.org/2024/12/30/1161050106/jimmy-carter-biden-relationship
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'Texans remember Jimmy Carter, the last Democrat to take the state’s presidential election,' Texas Tribune, Dec. 29, 2024
The Georgia peanut farmer turned politician won Texas’ 26 electoral votes in 1976 but couldn’t repeat the feat four years later against Ronald Reagan...
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/12/29/texas-remembers-jimmy-carter/