Chip Pickering

Charles Willis "Chip" Pickering Jr. (born August 10, 1963) is an American businessman and former politician from the U.S. state of Mississippi. He represented Mississippi's 3rd congressional district as a Republican in the United States House of Representatives. First elected in 1996, he chose not to run again in 2008. He is currently the CEO at Incompas.[1]

"Charles Willis Pickering" redirects here. For this former Congressman's father, see Charles W. Pickering.
Chip Pickering
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Mississippi's 3rd district
In office
January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2009
Preceded bySonny Montgomery
Succeeded byGregg Harper
Personal details
Born
Charles Willis Pickering Jr.

(1963-08-10) August 10, 1963
Laurel, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Leisha Jane Pickering (divorced)
Children5
ResidenceJackson, Mississippi
Alma materUniversity of Mississippi, Baylor University

Early life

Pickering was born in Laurel, Mississippi. His father is Judge Charles Pickering Sr., a Mississippi lawyer, former municipal judge, retired Federal judge, and prominent Republican politician. He graduated from the University of Mississippi where he was a legacy member of the Eta chapter of Sigma Chi. He went on to receive a master's degree from Baylor University in 1989.[2][3]

Early political career

Pickering served as a Southern Baptist missionary to Hungary, after the end of Hungarian government persecution of religious believers. In 1989, President George H. W. Bush appointed Pickering as a Department of Agriculture liaison to the former European Communist countries.

From 1992 to 1996, Pickering served on the staff of Senator Trent Lott.[3] Pickering helped shape the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the first major overhaul of US telecoms law since 1934.[4] After a year at the Senate Commerce Committee, Pickering ran for Congress[5] as a family values conservative.[6]

U.S. House of Representatives

Committee assignments
  • Energy and Commerce Committee
    • Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection Subcommittee
    • Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee
    • Telecommunications & the Internet Subcommittee

Elections

Pickering returned to Mississippi to run as the Republican candidate for the 3rd District in 1996 following the retirement of 30-year incumbent Democrat Sonny Montgomery. He finished first in a crowded seven-way primary with 24 percent of the vote, and then defeated Bill Crawford in the runoff with 56 percent of the vote. In the general election, he defeated Democratic attorney John Eaves by a wide margin, taking 61 percent of the vote. The 3rd had been trending Republican for some time; it has only supported the official Democratic presidential candidate for president once since 1956. Although Montgomery usually faced "sacrificial lamb" candidates even in years when Republican presidential candidates carried the district in landslides, it had been considered very likely that he would be succeeded by a Republican once he retired.

Questions were raised by political opponents about whether Pickering was a legal resident of Mississippi and lawfully qualified to run for the office. He claimed his farm in Madison County, outside Madison, as his official residence, but his permanent residence was in the Washington area.

Pickering was reelected five times. He was unopposed for reelection in 1998 and defeated an underfunded Democrat in 2000. He only faced substantive opposition in 2002. Mississippi lost a district after the 2000 census, and the 3rd absorbed a large slice of the Jackson-based 4th district, held by second-term Democrat Ronnie Shows. However, Pickering retained over 60 percent of his former territory, and defeated Shows with 63 percent of the vote. He was reelected without major-party opposition in 2004 and 2006.

Tenure

Pickering had a strongly conservative voting record. From 2003 to 2007, he served as vice-chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

When Lott announced his resignation as Senator in November 2007, Pickering was rumored to be Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's choice to replace him, but those rumors were soon discovered to have been placed by the candidate himself. However, in December of that year, Pickering announced that he was not interested in the post.[7] Fellow Republican Congressman Roger Wicker of Mississippi's 1st congressional district was appointed to Lott's seat. Pickering retired from the House in January 2009 and is currently a lobbyist for Cellular South.

Personal life

Pickering and his ex-wife, Leisha, have five sons. In June 2008, Pickering filed for divorce from his wife citing irreconcilable differences.[8] Leisha Pickering filed a lawsuit against Chip Pickering's alleged mistress for alienation of affection, "claiming their adulterous relationship ruined the Pickerings' marriage and his political career."[9]

On December 7, 2009, Pickering was involved in a dispute with the coach of a youth soccer team that coached against his son's team, and was charged with simple assault.[10] He was sued by the coach in December 2010.[11]

Pickering is the cousin of former Mississippi state auditor Stacey Pickering.

Other ventures

Pickering briefly appeared in the 2006 film Borat, speaking at a church Borat attends.[12]

References
  1. "Chip Pickering". www.incompas.org. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  2. "Chip Pickering Articles – Political Columnist & Commentator". finance.townhall.com. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  3. "110th Congress" (PDF).
  4. Stennis Center, Chip Pickering profile Archived 2009-08-06 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 1 August 2009
  5. "Charles "Chip" Pickering Jr., former Representative for Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District - GovTrack.us". GovTrack.us. Retrieved 2016-02-26.
  7. Mark, David (December 28, 2007). "Pickering Removes Himself From Senate Consideration". CBS News. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  8. "Ex-Miss. politician's wife sues alleged mistress". Clarion Ledger. July 16, 2009. Archived from the original on July 16, 2009. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
  9. Bresnahan, John (July 16, 2009). "Pickering's wife sues alleged mistress". Politico. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  10. "Ex-Mississippi congressman accused of fighting youth soccer coach seeks resolution". Associated Press. December 9, 2009. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  11. "Chip Pickering Sued over Soccer Fight". Associated Press. December 6, 2010. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  12. Sturgis, Sue (July 17, 2009). "Chip Pickering's "Family" affair". Facing South. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by
Sonny Montgomery		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Mississippi's 3rd congressional district
January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2009		 Succeeded by
Gregg Harper
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