Bennie Thompson

Bennie Gordon Thompson was born on January 28, 1948, in Bolton, Mississippi. He attended Hinds County public schools and graduated from Hinds County Agricultural High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Tougaloo College in 1968. He subsequently received a Master of Science in educational administration from Jackson State University in 1972. Prior to his political career, Thompson worked as a public school teacher in Madison, Mississippi, and was active in the civil rights movement, notably serving as a field organizer for Fannie Lou Hamer's 1964 congressional campaign. Thompson's public service began at the local level, where he served as an alderman in Bolton from 1969 to 1972 and then as the town's mayor from 1973 to 1980. In 1980, he was elected to the Hinds County Board of Supervisors, a position he held until 1993. A member of the Democratic Party, Thompson was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in a special election on April 20, 1993, to represent Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District. He has since become the longest-serving African American elected official in the state of Mississippi. In Congress, Thompson has held significant leadership roles, most notably serving as the Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security during several sessions, making him the first Democrat and the first African American to lead the committee. He also served as the Chairman of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. Throughout his tenure, he has remained the sole Democrat in Mississippi's congressional delegation, focusing his legislative work on civil rights, rural development, and oversight of the Department of Homeland Security.

Bennie Thompson's policy positions are rooted in his background as a civil rights advocate and his focus on rural and minority interests. He is a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act and has worked to address healthcare disparities, famously authoring the legislation that created the National Center for Minority Health and Health Care Disparities. On economic matters, he advocates for the 'Make It in America' agenda to revitalize manufacturing and supports federal investment in small businesses and infrastructure to stimulate middle-class job growth. He has consistently voted for economic recovery packages such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. In the realm of homeland security and immigration, Thompson emphasizes a balanced approach that secures borders and ports while protecting civil liberties and opposing mass deportations. As a ranking member or chair of the Homeland Security Committee, he has pushed for better integration of intelligence and improved emergency response capabilities, particularly following failures seen during Hurricane Katrina. His environmental positions focus on protecting public health and promoting sustainable development in agricultural regions. In foreign policy, he generally supports multilateralism and international aid for democratic institutions, though he has historically opposed some trade agreements and advocated for easing travel restrictions to Cuba.