Roger Wicker
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| Roger Wicker | |
| Image:Roger Wicker, official Congressional photo portrait.jpg
| |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office December 31, 2007 Serving with Thad Cochran | |
| Preceded by | Trent Lott |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Incumbent |
| In office January 4 1995 – December 31 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Jamie Whitten |
| Succeeded by | TBD |
| Born | July 5 1951 Pontotoc, Mississippi |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Gayle Wicker |
| Religion | Southern Baptist |
Roger F. Wicker (born July 5, 1951) is an American politician. He is a member of the Republican Party in the United States Senate.
Wicker previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing Mississippi's 1st congressional district, which includes much of the northern portion of the state including Columbus, Oxford, Southaven, and Tupelo.
Wicker was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science and a law degree from the University of Mississippi where he was a brother of Sigma Nu. Wicker practiced law for several years before entering politics.
Contents |
[edit] United States House of Representatives
Wicker served as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1976 to 1980.[1] He served in the Mississippi State Senate from 1987 to 1994, representing a district that included Tupelo. In 1994, Democrat Jamie Whitten, who had represented the 1st District for 54 years, declined to seek re-election, and Wicker triumphed in the Republican primary, defeating a host of candidates including former U.S. Attorney Bob Whitwell, and businessmen Clyde Whitaker and Larry Cobb. In the general election, Wicker defeated Fulton attorney Bill Wheeler, capturing 63 percent of the vote, making him the first Republican to represent the 1st District in over a century. The large victory margin was not surprising, since the 1st had been increasingly friendly to Republicans since the 1960s, even though Democrats still have a substantial majority of registered voters. It has supported the official Democratic candidate for President only once since 1956.
In the subsequent six re-election campaigns, Wicker has cruised to re-election. Most recently, in 2006, he was reelected with over 66 percent of the vote. He was formerly a member of the House Appropriations Committee. He was also Deputy Republican Whip.
[edit] United States Senate
At a press conference on December 31, 2007, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour appointed Wicker to fill the Senate seat vacated by retiring United States Senator Trent Lott.[2] He was sworn in by the clerk of the U.S. Senate just prior to that news conference.[3]
Wicker is running for the remainder of Lott's term with the special election date in dispute.[4] Wicker's resignation from the House will also trigger a special election to fill his House seat.
[edit] Family
Wicker and his wife Gayle have three children: Margaret, a Capitol Hill staffer in Washington, D.C.; Caroline, an alum of Ole Miss, who also currently works in D.C.; and McDaniel, an upperclassman at Ole Miss. The Wickers reside in Tupelo, where he is a deacon at First Baptist Church.
[edit] References
- ^ Rupp, Leah. "Barbour names Wicker to Senate seat", Clarion Ledger, 2007-12-31. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
- ^ Congressman Named to Fill Lott’s Senate Seat
- ^ "Wicker launches Senate campaign", Clarion Ledger, 2008-01-01. Retrieved on 2007-01-01.
[edit] External links
- Office of U.S. Senator Roger Wicker
- Official Campaign Website
- Roger Wicker at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Federal Election Commission — Roger F. Wicker campaign finance reports and data
- On the Issues — Roger Wicker issue positions and quotes
- OpenSecrets.org — Roger Wicker campaign contributions
- Project Vote Smart — Representative Roger F. Wicker (MS) profile
- SourceWatch Congresspedia — Roger Wicker profile
- Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Roger Wicker voting record
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jamie Whitten | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 1st congressional district 1995 – 2007 | Succeeded by TBD |
| United States Senate | ||
| Preceded by Trent Lott | United States Senator (Class 1) from Mississippi December 31, 2007 – present Served alongside: Thad Cochran | Incumbent |
United States Senators from Mississippi | |
|---|---|
| Class 1: Leake • Holmes • Ellis • Reed • Ellis • Black • Trotter • T. Hickman Williams • Henderson • Speight • Davis • McRae • S. Adams • Davis • Ames • Pease • Bruce • George • Money • J. Williams • Stephens • Bilbo • Stennis • Lott • Wicker Class 2: T. Hill Williams • Reed • R. Adams • Poindexter • Walker • Chalmers • Foote • Brooke • Brown • Revels • Alcorn • Lamar • Walthall • McLaurin • Walthall • Sullivan • McLaurin • Gordon • Percy • Vardaman • Harrison • Eastland • Doxey • Eastland • Cochran | Image:Senate cap.PNG |
| Mississippi's current delegation to the United States Congress | |
|---|---|
| Senators | Thad Cochran (R), Roger Wicker (R) |
| Representative(s) | Vacant, Bennie Thompson (D), Charles Pickering, Jr. (R), Gene Taylor (D) |
| All delegations | Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming — American Samoa • District of Columbia • Guam • Puerto Rico • U.S. Virgin Islands |
Categories: Future election candidates | 1951 births | Living people | Mississippi Republicans | United States Senators from Mississippi | Members of the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi | Mississippi State Senators | Delegates to the Republican National Convention | United States Air Force officers | Baptists from the United States
