Chip Pickering

Chip Pickering
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 1997
Preceded by	Sonny Montgomery
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Leisha Jane Pickering

Charles Willis Pickering, Jr., usually known as Chip Pickering (born August 10, 1963), has represented Mississippi's third Congressional district (map) as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives since being elected in 1996. The district is based in Meridian and stretches from the Alabama border to the Louisiana border, including areas such as Starkville, Natchez and part of Jackson, the state capital.

In mid August, Pickering announced that he would not seek re-election in 2008 due to insufficient attention to his family. Pickering was considered a top GOP contender should Sen. Trent Lott retire in 2006, and was waiting a decision by Sen. Thad Cochran to make his re-election plans clear in 2008; seeing the latter choosing to run again, it is widely suspected that Pickering decided to leave Congress at the end of his term.

Early Life

Pickering was born in Laurel, Mississippi. His father is Judge Charles Pickering, Sr., a Mississippi lawyer, former municipal judge, retired Federal Court Judge, and prominent Republican politician. Chip graduated from the University of Mississippi where he was a legacy member of the Eta Chapter of Sigma Chi. He went on to receive a Masters degree from Baylor University in 1989. He then very briefly served as a Southern Baptist missionary to Hungary, after the end of Hungarian government persecution of religious believers. In the same year, 1989, President George H.W. Bush appointed Pickering as a Department of Agriculture liaison to the former European Communist countries. This appointment provided Pickering with official diplomatic immunity. After returning to the United States, Pickering served on the staff of Senator Trent Lott, from 1992 to 1996.

U.S. House

After a year as a government employee of the Senate Commerce Committee, Pickering returned to Mississippi to run as the Republican candidate for the 3rd District. Congressman Sonny Montgomery, a 30-year Democratic incumbent, was not running for reelection. Pickering won by a wide margin. This was not surprising, as it had always been a rather conservative district; it actually elected a Republican in 1964 (when it was numbered as the 4th District), when Barry Goldwater won an unheard-of 87 percent of Mississippi's popular vote.

During this and following elections, questions have been raised about whether Pickering was a legal resident of Mississippi and lawfully qualified to run for the office. He owns a farm in Madison County, but his permanent residence is in the Washington area. Nonetheless, Pickering was unopposed for reelection in 1998 and defeated token Democratic opposition in 2000.

In 2002, Pickering was pitted against fellow Congressman Ronnie Shows, a conservative Democrat from the neighboring 4th District, after Mississippi lost a seat in the 2000 Congressional redestricting. Shows' Jackson-based district was merged with Pickering's district in a way that strongly favored Pickering. Pickering soundly defeated Shows with over 60% of the vote in the new 3rd District. In 2004 Pickering faced minor independent candidate Jim Giles and several other candidates.

File:Nonvet.jpg

The above photo previously appeared on Mr. Pickering's official Congressional website. It was removed from Congressman Pickering's website in 2003 after critics charged the photo was intentionally deceptive. This is because Mr. Pickering is not a military pilot and has never served in any capacity in any U.S. military force.

Pickering is arguably one of the more conservative members of the House. He has risen rapidly through the chamber's ranks, and currently serves as vice-chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. He has sometimes been mentioned as a candidate for Lott's Senate seat; indeed, most pundits believed that had Lott opted not to run for reelection in 2006, Pickering would have been drafted to run in his place.

Pickering considered leaving Congress in 2003 to take a lobbying job.

On August 16th, 2007, Roll Call reported that Pickering had decided not to run for re-election in 2008.

PAC money

The Federal Election Commission has revealed that Pickering receives most (two out of every three dollars) of his campaign donations and financing from Political Action Committees (PACs). A large part of the remaining monies are received from individuals outside the 3d District.

Family

Pickering and his wife, Leisha, have five sons.

Appearance in Borat movie

Pickering was one of several politicians to appear in the film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. In the film he briefly speaks at a lively Pentecostal meeting where spoken views against the teachings of evolution are cheered by the congregation [1]. A spokesperson for Pickering said that his boss "hasn't seen the film." The spokesperson added, "[o]f course he doesn't support the offensive nature of the movie" ([2]).

External links

• U.S. Congressman Chip Pickering official House site
• United States Congress. "Chip Pickering (id: p000323)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Federal Election Commission — Charles W Pickering campaign finance reports and data
• On the Issues — Chip Pickering issue positions and quotes
• OpenSecrets.org — Charles W. "Chip" Pickering Jr. campaign contributions
• Project Vote Smart — Representative Charles W. Chip Pickering Jr. (MS) profile
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — Chip Pickering profile
• Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: Chip Pickering voting record

• Financial disclosures Clarion Ledger, June 15, 2006
• Pickering Weighs Bolting for CTIA
• Lawmakers' Help for Drug Firm Tests LimitsThe Washington Post, April 29, 2005

Referances

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