Hyde-Smith, Cindy

Cindy Hyde-Smith is a Republican member of the House representing Mississippi. Born in Brookhaven, she graduated from Copiah-Lincoln Community College and the University of Southern Mississippi. Before entering federal service, she had a long career in state politics, serving in the Mississippi State Senate from 2000 to 2012 and as the Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce from 2012 to 2018. Originally elected to the state senate as a Democrat, she switched to the Republican Party in 2010, citing her conservative beliefs. During her time in state government, she was known for her work on private property rights and agricultural oversight.

In the House, she holds several significant committee assignments, including the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and the Committee on Appropriations. She serves as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management, and Trade, as well as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. Her policy focus remains heavily centered on the needs of rural communities, agricultural production, and the management of public lands.

Her legislative record includes sponsoring the Rural Health Sustainability Act and the Promoting Access to Capital in Underbanked Communities Act. She has also introduced the Gun Owner Registration Information Protection Act and legislation regarding the preservation of historic sites in Mississippi. Throughout her career, she has consistently supported conservative measures, including legislation related to abortion restrictions and the protection of private property from eminent domain. She was the first woman to serve as Mississippi's agriculture commissioner and the first woman to represent the state in Congress.