Thompson, Bennie G.

Bennie G. Thompson has represented Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District since 1993, making him the longest-serving African American elected official in the state. Born in Bolton, Mississippi, in 1948, he began his career as a schoolteacher after graduating from Tougaloo College and Jackson State University. His political roots trace back to the civil rights movement, where he organized voter registration drives with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Before entering Congress, he served as an alderman and mayor of Bolton, followed by thirteen years as a Hinds County supervisor.

In the House, Thompson is a prominent leader on national security and civil rights. He currently serves as the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, a panel he previously chaired for several terms. He gained significant national attention as the Chairman of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. His legislative focus includes disaster response, rural development, and expanding access to healthcare and education for underserved communities.

Thompson has sponsored numerous bills aimed at improving federal preparedness and protecting civil liberties, such as the Nonprofit Security Grant Program Transparency Act and the DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act. He also authored the legislation that established the National Center for Minority Health and Health Care Disparities. As the only Democrat in Mississippi's congressional delegation, he remains a key voice for progressive policies and rural infrastructure in the South.