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Roger Wicker

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Article Genealogy
Parent: United States Senate Committee on Armed Services Hop 4
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Roger Wicker
NameRoger Wicker
CaptionOfficial portrait, 2023
StateMississippi
Jr/srSenior Senator
AlongsideCindy Hyde-Smith
Term startDecember 31, 2007
PredecessorTrent Lott
PartyRepublican
Birth date5 July 1951
Birth placePontotoc, Mississippi, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Mississippi (BA, JD)
SpouseGayle Long, 1976
BranchUnited States Air Force, United States Air Force Reserve
Serviceyears1976–2004
RankLieutenant Colonel

Roger Wicker is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi, serving since his appointment in 2007. A member of the Republican Party, he previously represented Mississippi's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2007. Wicker is known as a staunch conservative and holds significant leadership roles, including serving as the chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Early life and education

He was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi, and grew up in the nearby town of Tupelo. His father, former Circuit Judge Fred Wicker, was a prominent local figure. He attended public schools and was an active participant in the Boy Scouts of America, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. For his higher education, he enrolled at the University of Mississippi, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and political science. He remained at the university to attend the University of Mississippi School of Law, receiving his Juris Doctor degree.

Early career

Following law school, he served on active duty in the United States Air Force as a judge advocate from 1976 to 1980. He continued his military service in the United States Air Force Reserve, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2004. His early political career included serving as an aide to Congressman Trent Lott. He was later elected to the Mississippi Senate, where he served from 1988 to 1995, representing Lee and Pontotoc counties.

U.S. Senate career

He was appointed to the United States Senate in December 2007 by then-Governor Haley Barbour following the resignation of Senator Trent Lott. He won a special election in 2008 to serve the remainder of Lott's term and has since been reelected in 2012 and 2018. In the Senate, he holds a seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee and chairs the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. He also serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Veterans' Affairs Committee. He is a member of the Senate Republican Conference and has served as the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Political positions

He maintains a consistently conservative voting record, as measured by organizations like the American Conservative Union and the Americans for Prosperity. He is a strong supporter of a robust national defense, advocating for increased funding for the United States Department of Defense and the United States Navy. On social issues, he opposes abortion and has voted for conservative judicial nominees to courts including the Supreme Court of the United States. He is a proponent of energy independence policies favoring the fossil fuel industry in the Gulf of Mexico. He voted against the certification of the 2020 presidential election results from both Pennsylvania and Arizona.

Electoral history

He was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1994, representing Mississippi's 1st congressional district, and was reelected six times. In the 2008 special Senate election, he defeated former Governor Ronnie Musgrove. He won his first full term in 2012 against former Hattiesburg Mayor Albert Gore. In the 2018 election, he was reelected by a wide margin over state representative David Baria. He is currently a candidate in the 2024 Senate election.

Personal life

He married Gayle Long in 1976; she is the daughter of former Tupelo mayor James G. Long. The couple has three adult children and are members of the First Presbyterian Church in Tupelo. He maintains residences in both Tupelo and Oxford, Mississippi. An avid supporter of collegiate athletics, he is a longtime fan of the Ole Miss Rebels sports teams.

Category:1951 births Category:Living people Category:United States senators from Mississippi Category:Mississippi Republicans