Bennie Thompson

Congressman Bennie G. Thompson is now serving his EIGHTH term as the Democratic Congressman from Mississippi's Second District. The Second District stretches from Tunica in the north to Jefferson County in the south and all points in-between, creating a rare blend of agricultural economies and the hustle and bustle of city life. Congressman Thompson has spent his entire adult life giving voice to the voiceless. With 40 years of continuous public service, he is the longest-serving African-American elected official in the state. His reputation as a no-nonsense problem solver has earned him the trust of his constituents and the respect of his colleagues in Washington. In 2000, the Congressman wrote legislation that created the National Center for Minority Health and Health Care Disparities. Long considered a leading voice on civil rights, equal education and healthcare reform, Congressman Thompson has helped to make a real difference in the lives of his constituents. In 1975, he filed a lawsuit to increase funding at Mississippi's historically black universities. With Congressman Thompson as lead plaintiff, the case was settled in 2004. Congressman Thompson served on the Agriculture, Budget and Small Business Committees before assuming the top Democratic position on Homeland Security, where he now serves as Chairman. Born in Bolton, he attended Hinds County public schools before earning degrees from Tougaloo College and Jackson State University. After serving as alderman and mayor in his hometown for 12 years, Bennie Thompson served as Hinds County Supervisor for 13 years before being elected to Congress in 1993. In 2005, Congressman Thompson's colleagues honored him by appointing him Chairman on the Homeland Security Committee. With six district offices , Bolton, Greenville, Greenwood, Jackson, Marks and Mound Bayou, Congressman Thompson is committed to empowering those who gave him an opportunity to represent the Second Congressional District of Mississippi. Congressman Thompson is a lifelong member of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Bolton Mississippi. He has been married to his college sweetheart, London Johnson of Mound Bayou, Mississippi, for 36 years. The couple has one daughter BendaLonne and one granddaughter, Jeanna and one grandson, Thomas Gordon. The Congressman enjoys hunting, gardening, reading and music.