American politician Bennie Thompson currently serves as the U.S. representative for Mississippi’s 2nd congressional district.
It’s a position he has held since 1993 and as a Blackman that says a lot about his competence. A member of the Democrat Party, he is the first African-American to chair the Committee on Homeland Security.
A long-serving politician, Thompson’s story inspires many black people in America, especially those who hold aspirations of venturing into politics.
Wikipedia & Biography
Bennie Thompson is a native of Bolton, Mississippi, where he was born. And his political career started in his hometown after serving as an alderman for four years.
Thompson then became the Mayor of Bolton, serving from 1973 to 1980. Between 1980 and 1993, he was elected to the Hinds County Board of Supervisors – a role which he excelled in.
His first rain in mainstream politics came in 1993 when he ran in a special election to succeed the resigned Mike Espy as Secretary of Agriculture at the United States House of Representatives.
Despite falling behind the Republicans’ Hayes Dent in the primary election, Thompson beat Dent in a runoff, before retaining it ever since after getting re-elected 12 times. He also served on the Homeland Security Committee at some point.
Age and birthday
Bennie Thompson was born on January 28, 1948, and is, therefore, 74 years old currently.
Height and weight
He is 1.83 meters tall and weighs 95 kilograms.
Nationality & Ethnicity
Bennie Thompson is of American nationality, while his ethnicity is African-American.
Education
He is a graduate of Hinds County Agricultural High School and had his college education at Tougaloo College, where he earned a degree in political science.
He furthered his education at Jackson State University, graduating with a Master of Science in educational administration.
Political party and views
Bennie Thompson is a member of the Democrats and was an outspoken advocate for the Gulf Coast in 2005 when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita hit.
As Homeland Security Committee Chairman, he pushed for a review of the role of the Red Cross in times of disaster. He is also credited with writing the legislation that created the National Center for Minority Health and Health Care Disparities.
Parents and siblings
The politician was born to Will Thompson (father) and Annie Thompson (mother). There is, however, not much information on his siblings.
Wife and children
Bennie Thompson is married to London Johnson and the couple are blessed with a daughter called BendaLonne Thompson.
Salary and net worth
Bennie Thompson is said to be on a salary of $174,000 per year. He is also estimated to have a net worth of around $6 million.
Social media: Instagram & Twitter
Bennie Thompson has over 80,000 followers on Twitter and over 6,500 followers on Instagram.
