Bennie Thompson

Bennie Thompson

Democratic Party

U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Tenure

1993 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

30

Prior offices

Board of Aldermen Bolton Mississippi

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Mayor of Bolton Mississippi

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Hinds County Mississippi Board of Supervisors

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Report an officeholder change

Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Net worth

(2012) $647,014.50

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 8, 2022

Education

Bachelor's

Tougaloo College

Graduate

Jackson State University

Personal

Religion

Christian: Methodist

Profession

Teacher

Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Official YouTube

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Personal Facebook

Bennie Thompson (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. House, representing Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District. He assumed office on April 20, 1993. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.

Thompson (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. House to represent Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Thompson defeated Hayes Dent (R) by 10.4 percentage points in the special election runoff to replace Rep. Mike Espy (D).

Prior to his election to the U.S. House, Thompson served as an alderman and then as the mayor of Bolton, Mississippi. He also served as a Hinds Country supervisor.

Thomas served as the Permanent Chair of the 2020 National Democratic Convention.

Biography

Thompson was born in 1948 in Bolton, Mississippi. He earned his B.A. from Tougaloo College and his M.S. from Jackson State University in 1968 and 1972, respectively.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Thompson's political career:

• 1993-Present: U.S. Representative from Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District
• 1980-1993: Hinds County, Mississippi, Board of Supervisors
• 1973-1979: Mayor, Bolton, Mississippi
• 1969-1973: Board of Aldermen, Bolton, Mississippi

Prior to his political career, Thompson worked as a school teacher.

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2023-2024

Thompson was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Ways and Means
• Tax, Ranking Member

2021-2022

Thompson was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Homeland Security, Chair
• Transportation and Maritime Security, Ex Officio
• Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery, Ex Officio
• Border Security, Facilitation, and Operations, Ex Officio
• Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection, and Innovation, Ex Officio
• Oversight, Management, and Accountability, Ex Officio
• Intelligence and Counterterrorism, Ex Officio

2019-2020

Thompson was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Homeland Security, Chair

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Thompson was assigned to the following committees:

• Committee on Homeland Security

2015-2016

Thompson served on the following committees:

• Homeland Security Committee, Ranking Member

2013-2014

Thompson serves on the following committee:

• Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member

2011-2012

Thompson served on the following House committee:

• Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023

The 117th United States Congress began on January 3, 2021 and ended on January 3, 2023. At the start of the session, Democrats held the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives (222-213), and the U.S. Senate had a 50-50 makeup. Democrats assumed control of the Senate on January 20, 2021, when President Joe Biden (D) and Vice President Kamala Harris (D), who acted as a tie-breaking vote in the chamber, assumed office. We identified the key votes below using Congress' top-viewed bills list and through marquee coverage of certain votes on Ballotpedia.

Key votes: 117th Congress, 2021-2023
Vote	Bill and description	Status
Yea	Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act   The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R. 3684) was a federal infrastructure bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on November 15, 2021. Among other provisions, the bill provided funding for new infrastructure projects and reauthorizations, Amtrak maintenance and development, bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, clean drinking water, high-speed internet, and clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (228-206)
Yea	American Rescue Plan Act of 2021   The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 11, 2021, to provide economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Key features of the bill included funding for a national vaccination program and response, funding to safely reopen schools, distribution of $1,400 per person in relief payments, and extended unemployment benefits. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Yea	Inflation Reduction Act of 2022   The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 16, 2022, to address climate change, healthcare costs, and tax enforcement. Key features of the bill included a $369 billion investment to address energy security and climate change, an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, allowing Medicare to negotiate certain drug prices, a 15% corporate minimum tax, a 1% stock buyback fee, and enhanced Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement, and an estimated $300 billion deficit reduction from 2022-2031. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-207)
Yea	Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act   The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (H.R. 3617) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to decriminalize marijuana, establish studies of legal marijuana sales, tax marijuana imports and production, and establish a process to expunge and review federal marijuana offenses. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (220-204)
Nay	For the People Act of 2021   The For the People Act of 2021 (H.R. 1) was a federal election law and government ethics bill approved by the House of Representatives. The Congressional Research Service said the bill would "expand voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It [would also limit] removing voters from voter rolls. ... Further, the bill [would address] campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices." The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-210)
Yea	Assault Weapons Ban of 2022   The Assault Weapons Ban of 2022 (H.R. 1808) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that sought to criminalize the knowing import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons (SAW) or large capacity ammunition feeding devices (LCAFD). The bill made exemptions for grandfathered SAWs and LCAFDs. It required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (217-213)
Yea	National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022   The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 (S. 1605) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 27, 2021, authorizing Department of Defense acitivities and programs for fiscal year 2022. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (363-70)
Yea	James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023   The James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (H.R. 7776) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022, authorizing Department of Defense activities and programs for fiscal year 2023. The bill required a 2/3 majority in the House to suspend rules and pass the bill as amended.	Passed (350-80)
Yea	American Dream and Promise Act of 2021   The American Dream and Promise Act of 2021 (H.R. 6) was an immigration bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed a path to permanent residence status for unauthorized immigrants eligible for Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure, among other immigration-related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (228-197)
Yea	Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022   The Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (S. 3373) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 10, 2022, that sought to address healthcare access, the presumption of service-connection, and research, resources, and other matters related to veterans who were exposed to toxic substances during military service. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (342-88)
Yea	Chips and Science Act   The Chips and Science Act (H.R. 4346) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on August 9, 2022, which sought to fund domestic production of semiconductors and authorized various federal science agency programs and activities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (243-187)
Yea	Women’s Health Protection Act of 2021   The Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 (H.R. 3755) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives. The bill proposed prohibiting governmental restrictions on the provision of and access to abortion services and prohibiting governments from issuing some other abortion-related restrictions. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (218-211)
Yea	SAFE Banking Act of 2021   The SAFE Banking Act of 2021 (H.R. 1996) was a bill passed by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting federal regulators from penalizing banks for providing services to legitimate cannabis-related businesses and defining proceeds from such transactions as not being proceeds from unlawful activity, among other related proposals. Since the House moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill in an expedited process, it required a two-thirds majority vote in the House.	Passed (321-101)
Yea	Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022   The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (H.R. 2471) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on March 15, 2022, providing for the funding of federal agencies for the remainder of 2022, providing funding for activities related to Ukraine, and modifying or establishing various programs. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (260-171)
Yea	Equality Act   The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that proposed prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas including public accommodations and facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system, among other related proposals. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (224-206)
Yea	Respect for Marriage Act   The Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404) was a bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 13, 2022. The bill codified the recognition of marriages between individuals of the same sex and of different races, ethnicities, or national origins, and provided that the law would not impact religious liberty or conscience protections, or provide grounds to compel nonprofit religious organizations to recognize same-sex marriages. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (258-169)
Yea	Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023   The Continuing Appropriations and Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023 (H.R. 6833) was a bill approved by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on September 30, 2022. It provided for some fiscal year 2023 appropriations, supplemental funds for Ukraine, and extended several other programs and authorities. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (230-201)
Yea	Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act   The Consumer Fuel Price Gouging Prevention Act (H.R. 7688) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit individuals from selling consumer fuels at excessive prices during a proclaimed energy emergency. It would have also required the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether the price of gasoline was being manipulated. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (217-207)
Yea	Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021   The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 (H.R. 8) was a bill approved by the House of Representatives that sought to prohibit the transfer of firearms between private parties unless a licensed firearm vendor conducted a background check on the recipient. The bill also provided for certain exceptions to this requirement. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House.	Passed (227-203)
Yea	Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act   The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act was a federal elections bill approved by the House of Representatives and voted down by the Senate in a failed cloture vote that sought to, among other provisions, make Election Day a public holiday, allow for same-day voter registration, establish minimum early voting periods, and allow absentee voting for any reason, restrict the removal of local election administrators in federal elections, regulate congressional redistricting, expand campaign finance disclosure rules for some organizations, and amend the Voting Rights Act to require some states to obtain clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice before implementing new election laws. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (220-203)
Yea	Bipartisan Safer Communities Act   The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (S. 2938) was a firearm regulation and mental health bill passed by the 117th Congress and signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on June 25, 2022. Provisions of the bill included expanding background checks for individuals under the age of 21, providing funding for mental health services, preventing individuals who had been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or felony in dating relationships from purchasing firearms for five years, providing funding for state grants to implement crisis intervention order programs, and providing funding for community-based violence prevention initiatives. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (234-193)
Yea	Impeaching Donald John Trump, President of the United States, for high crimes and misdemeanors.   This was a resolution before the 117th Congress setting forth an article of impeachment saying that Donald Trump (R) incited an insurrection against the government of the United States on January 6, 2021. The House of Representatives approved the article of impeachment, and the Senate adjudged that Trump was not guilty of the charges. The article of impeachment required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (232-197)
Yea	Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022   The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act was a bill passed by the 117th Congress in the form of an amendment to a year-end omnibus funding bill that was signed into law by President Joe Biden (D) on December 23, 2022. The bill changed the procedure for counting electoral votes outlined in the Electoral Count Act of 1887. Elements of the bill included specifying that the vice president's role at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes is ministerial, raising the objection threshold at the joint session of congress to count electoral votes to one-fifth of the members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, identifying governors as the single official responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying that state’s electors, and providing for expedited judicial review of certain claims about states' certificates identifying their electors. The bill required a simple majority vote in the House. Click here to read more.	Passed (225-201)

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2020 Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018 For detailed information about each vote, click here. Votes on domestic policy (click to expand) Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conference report) (HR 2)  Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023. Voted Nay on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2 (second vote))  Bill Passed (213-211) on June 21, 2018 Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance. It also proposed modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as the food stamp program. Voted Nay on: Securing America’s Future Act of 2018 (HR 4760)  Bill Failed (193-231) on June 21, 2018 Proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status, and preventing separation of families at the border. Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)  Bill Passed (369-47) on December 12, 2018 Reauthorizes through FY2023 and modifies some Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (HR 36)  Bill Passed (237-189) on October 3, 2017 Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill provided exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest. Voted Nay on: Kate's Law (HR 3004)  Bill Passed (257-167) on June 29, 2017 Proposed increasing criminal penalties for individuals in the country illegally who were convicted of certain crimes, deported, and then re-entered the U.S. illegally. Voted Nay on: No Sanctuary for Criminals Act (HR 3003)  Bill Passed (228-195) on June 29, 2017 Proposed withholding federal funds from states and localities that chose not to follow federal immigration laws. Voted Nay on: American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)  Bill passed (217-213) on May 4, 2017 Proposed modifying the budgetary and fiscal provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare. Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand) Voted Yea on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 6157)  Bill Passed (361-61) on September 26, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Voted Yea on: Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (Conference report) (HR 5895)  Bill Passed (377-20) on September 13, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Did not vote on: Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 6157)  Bill Passed (359-49) on June 28, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education. Voted Nay on: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019 (HR 5895)  Bill Passed (235-179) on June 8, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs. Voted Nay on: Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (S 2155)  Bill Passed (258-159) on May 22, 2018 Proposed exempting some banks from the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)  Bill Passed (256-167) on March 22, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)  Bill Passed (240-186) on February 9, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Extension Of Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1892)  Bill Passed (245-182) on February 6, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations through March 23, 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)  Bill Passed (266-150) on January 22, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018, and for other purposes. (HR 195)  Bill Passed (230-197) on January 18, 2018 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 16, 2018. Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)  Bill Passed (231-188) on December 21, 2017 Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018. Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Bill Passed (227-203) on December 19, 2017 Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018. Voted Nay on: Making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes (HJ Res 123)  Bill Passed (235-193) on December 7, 2017 Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017. Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)  Bill Passed (227-205) on November 16, 2017 Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses. Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)  Bill Passed (216-212) on October 26, 2017 Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. (This bill proposed adopting the Senate's budget resolution.) Voted Nay on: Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)  Bill Passed (219-206) on October 5, 2017 Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2018 and setting forth budgetary levels for FY2019-FY2027. Voted Nay on: Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3354)  Bill Passed (211-198) on September 14, 2017 Proposed providing FY2018 appropriations for the federal government. It combined 12 appropriations bills. Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)  Bill Passed (316-90) on September 8, 2017 Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts. Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 601)  Bill Passed (419-3) on September 6, 2017 Proposed providing $7.85 billion for disaster relief requirements, including response and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey. Voted Nay on: Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (HR 10)  Bill passed (233-186) on June 8, 2017 Proposed amending the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, among other acts. Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)  Bill passed (309-118) on May 3, 2017 Proposed a $1.2 trillion budget to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017. Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand) Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 (HR 5515)  Bill Passed (351-66) on May 24, 2018 Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities Voted Nay on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)  Bill Passed (250-166) on January 30, 2018 Proposed providing appropriations for military functions administered by the Department of Defense and for other purposes, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2018. Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018—Conference report (HR 2810)  Bill Passed (356-70) on November 14, 2017 Proposed authorizing FY2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. Voted Nay on: Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 3219)  Bill Passed (235-192) on July 27, 2017 Proposed making appropriations for defense, military construction, Veterans Affairs, the Legislative Branch, energy and water development, and for other purposes for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2018. Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)  Bill Passed (419-3) on July 25, 2017 Proposed providing congressional review and measures to counter aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180, second vote)  Bill Passed (380-35) on July 28, 2017 Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. Voted Nay on: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 3180)  Bill Failed (241-163) on July 24, 2017 Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes. Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)  Bill Passed (344-81) on July 14, 2017 Proposed authorizing fiscal year 2018 appropriations and setting forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It did not provide budget authority. Voted Yea on: Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2017 (HR 1301)  Bill passed (371-48) on March 8, 2017 The $577.9 billion fiscal year 2017 defense spending bill proposed $516.1 billion in base budget funding and $61.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations/ Global War on Terrorism funding. 114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Thompson's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 Trade adjustment assistance On June 12, 2015, the House rejected the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015—by a vote of 126-302. Trade adjustment assistance (TAA) is a federal program providing American workers displaced by foreign trade agreements with job training and services. The measure was packaged with trade promotion authority (TPA), also known as fast-track authority. TPA is a legislative procedure that allows Congress to define "U.S. negotiating objectives and spells out a detailed oversight and consultation process for during trade negotiations. Under TPA, Congress retains the authority to review and decide whether any proposed U.S. trade agreement will be implemented," according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Thompson was one of 144 Democrats to vote against the bill. Trade promotion authority On June 12, 2015, the House passed the trade promotion authority (TPA) measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015 —by a vote of 219-211. TPA gives the president fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements sent to Congress without the opportunity for amendment or filibuster. Although the House approved TPA, it was a largely symbolic vote given the measure was part of a package trade bill including trade adjustment assistance (TAA), which was rejected earlier the same day. Thompson was one of 157 Democrats to vote against the measure. Trade promotion authority second vote After the trade adjustment assistance (TAA) and trade promotion authority (TPA) did not pass the House together on June 12, 2015, representatives voted to authorize TPA alone as an amendment to HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—on June 18, 2015. The amendment passed by a vote of 218-208, with all voting members of the House maintaining his or her original position on TPA except for Ted Yoho (R-Fla.). Thompson was one of 158 Democrats to vote against the amendment. Trade adjustment assistance second vote The House passed HR 1295—the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015—on June 25, 2015, by a vote of 286-138. The Senate packaged trade adjustment assistance (TAA) in this bill after the House rejected the TAA measure in HR 1314—the Trade Act of 2015. Along with trade promotion authority (TPA), which Congress passed as part of HR 2146—the Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act—TAA became law on June 29, 2015. Defense spending authorization On May 15, 2015, the House passed HR 1735—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 269-151. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Thompson voted with 142 other Democrats and eight Republicans against the bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015, by a vote of 71-25. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. On November 5, 2015, the House passed S 1356—the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016—by a vote of 370-58. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included $5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Thompson voted with 134 other Democrats and 235 Republicans to approve the bill. On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 91-3, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On April 30, 2015, the House voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 226-197. The non-binding resolution was designed to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. All 183 Democrats who voted, including Thompson, voted against the resolution. 2015 budget On October 28, 2015, the House passed HR 1314—the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015—by a vote of 266-167. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Thompson voted with 186 Democrats and 79 Republicans in favor of the bill. It passed the Senate on October 30, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 14, 2015, the House approved HR 1191—the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 400-25. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove, or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Thompson voted with 176 Democrats to approve the bill. Approval of Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action On September 11, 2015, the House rejected HR 3461—To approve the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, signed at Vienna on July 14, 2015, relating to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 162-269. The legislation proposed approving the nuclear agreement with Iran. Thompson voted with 161 Democrats for the bill. Suspension of Iran sanctions relief On September 11, 2015, the House approved HR 3460—To suspend until January 21, 2017, the authority of the President to waive, suspend, reduce, provide relief from, or otherwise limit the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran—by a vote of 247-186. HR 3460 prohibited "the President, prior to January 21, 2017, from: limiting the application of specified sanctions on Iran or refraining from applying any such sanctions; or removing a foreign person (including entities) listed in Attachments 3 or 4 to Annex II of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) from the list of designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Asset Control of the Department of the Treasury." Thompson voted with 185 Democrats against the bill. Presidential non-compliance of section 2 On September 10, 2015, the House passed H Res 411—Finding that the President has not complied with section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015—by a vote of 245-186. Section 2 of the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 required the president to submit all materials related to the nuclear agreement for congressional review. House Republicans introduced the resolution because two agreements between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iran were not submitted to Congress. Thompson voted with 185 Democrats against the resolution. Export-Import Bank On October 27, 2015, the House passed HR 597—the Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015—by a vote of 313-118. The bill proposed reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank and allowing it to resume offering assistance in the form of loans and insurance to foreign companies that wanted to buy U.S. goods. Thompson voted with 185 Democrats and 127 Republicans in favor of the bill. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 2048—the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015—by a vote of 338-88. The legislation revised HR 3199—the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005—by ending the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Thompson voted with 141 Democrats and 196 Republicans to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act On May 13, 2015, the House passed HR 36—the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act—by a vote of 242-184. The bill proposed prohibiting abortions from being performed after a fetus was determined to be 20 weeks or older. The bill proposed exceptions in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. Thompson voted with 179 Democrats against the bill. Cyber security On April 23, 2015, the House passed HR 1731—the National Cybersecurity Protection Advancement Act of 2015—by a vote of 355-63. The bill proposed creating an information sharing program that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. It also proposed including liability protections for companies. Thompson voted with 134 Democrats and 220 Republicans to approve the bill. On April 22, 2015, the House passed HR 1560—the Protecting Cyber Networks Act—by a vote of 307-116. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Thompson voted with 104 Democrats and 202 Republicans in favor of the bill. Immigration On November 19, 2015, the House passed HR 4038—the American SAFE Act of 2015—by a vote of 289-137. The bill proposed instituting additional screening processes for refugees from Iraq and Syria who applied for admission to the U.S. Thompson voted with 134 Democrats and two Republicans against the bill. 113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. For more information pertaining to Thompson's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security NDAA Thompson voted in opposition of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote. DHS Appropriations Thompson voted in opposition of HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines. Keystone Pipeline Amendment Thompson voted in favor of House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines. CISPA (2013) Thompson voted in support of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans, but divided the Democratic Party. Economy Farm Bill See also: United States Farm Bill 2013 Thompson voted against the Farm Bill on July 11, 2013. The bill passed in a 216-208 vote. The bill passed included farm policy, but did not include food stamps. SNAP funding Thompson signed a letter addressed to House Speaker John Boehner that asked for any future farm bills to include SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Thompson voted against the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate. The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Thompson voted for HR 2775. Immigration Morton Memos Prohibition Thompson voted against House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines. Healthcare Repealing Obamacare Thompson has voted against all attempts to repeal or delay the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Social issues Abortion Thompson voted against HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization. Previous congressional sessions Fiscal Cliff Thompson voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was one of 172 Democrats who voted in favor of the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257-167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Issues

First Amendment

Usage of Confederate flags

Following the 2015 shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, Thompson asked that his colleagues to remove all the Confederate flags from the U.S. House. Thompson on the House floor:

“

Continuing to display a symbol of hatred, oppression, and insurrection that nearly tore our union apart and that is known to offend many groups throughout the country would irreparably damage the reputation of this august institution and offend the very dignity of the House of Representatives.

”

Earmarks

A Washington Post investigation in February 2012 revealed that 33 members of Congress helped direct more than $300 million in earmarks to public projects in close proximity to commercial and residential real estate owned by the lawmakers or their family members. According to the report, Thompson helped secure $900,000 that was used to resurface about two dozen roads in Hinds County, Mississippi. One of those was a quarter-mile residential loop in Bolton, where Thompson owned a home and two lots, and his daughter also owned a home.

Elections

2022

See also: Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District election, 2022

General election

General election for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Incumbent Bennie Thompson defeated Brian Flowers in the general election for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bennie Thompson (D)	60.1	108,285
		Brian Flowers (R)	39.9	71,884

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 180,169
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Brian Flowers defeated Ronald Eller in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on June 28, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brian Flowers	58.5	6,224
		Ronald Eller	41.5	4,418

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,642
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Incumbent Bennie Thompson defeated Jerry Kerner in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bennie Thompson	96.3	49,907
		Jerry Kerner	3.7	1,927

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 51,834
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Brian Flowers and Ronald Eller advanced to a runoff. They defeated Michael Carson and Stanford Johnson in the Republican primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on June 7, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brian Flowers	43.2	6,087
✔		Ronald Eller	32.4	4,564
		Michael Carson	21.0	2,966
		Stanford Johnson	3.5	487

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 14,104
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Jeffrey Keuneke (R)

2020

See also: Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020

Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (March 10 Republican primary)

Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District election, 2020 (March 10 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Incumbent Bennie Thompson defeated Brian Flowers in the general election for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bennie Thompson (D)	66.0	196,224
		Brian Flowers (R)	34.0	101,010

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 297,234
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary runoff election

Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Brian Flowers defeated Thomas Carey in the Republican primary runoff for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on June 23, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brian Flowers	70.0	3,822
		Thomas Carey	30.0	1,638

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 5,460
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Incumbent Bennie Thompson defeated Sonia Rathburn in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on March 10, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bennie Thompson	94.0	97,921
		Sonia Rathburn	6.0	6,256

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 104,177
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Brian Flowers and Thomas Carey advanced to a runoff. They defeated B.C. Hammond in the Republican primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on March 10, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Brian Flowers	37.8	9,883
✔		Thomas Carey	36.2	9,456
		B.C. Hammond	26.0	6,812

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 26,151
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2018

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Mississippi, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Incumbent Bennie Thompson defeated Troy Ray and Irving Harris in the general election for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bennie Thompson (D)	71.8	158,921
		Troy Ray (Independent)	21.7	48,104
		Irving Harris (Reform Party)	6.5	14,354

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 221,379 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2

Incumbent Bennie Thompson advanced from the Democratic primary for U.S. House Mississippi District 2 on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bennie Thompson	100.0	31,203

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 31,203
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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2016

See also: Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Democratic. Incumbent Bennie Thompson (D) defeated John Bouie, II (R) Libertarian Johnny McLeod, and Independent Party candidate Troy Ray in the general election. Each of the candidates was unopposed in their respective primary elections.

U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 2016

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Bennie Thompson Incumbent	67.1%	192,343
	Republican	John Bouie II	29.1%	83,542
	Independent	Troy Ray	2.4%	6,918
	Reform	Johnny McLeod	1.3%	3,823
Total Votes				286,626
Source: Mississippi Secretary of State

2014

See also: Mississippi's 1st Congressional District elections, 2014

Thompson ran for re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. He won the Democratic nomination in the primary election on June 3, 2014, before winning the general election on November 4, 2014.

U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Bennie Thompson Incumbent	67.7%	100,688
	Independent	Troy Ray	24.5%	36,465
	Reform	Shelley Shoemake	7.7%	11,493
Total Votes				148,646
Source: Mississippi Secretary of State Official Results

U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 Democratic Primary, 2014

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Bennie Thompson Incumbent	95.7%	41,618
Damien Fairconetue	4.3%	1,860
Total Votes		43,478
Source: Mississippi Secretary of State - Official Democratic primary results

2012

See also: Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2012

In 2012, Thompson successfully ran for re-election. He defeated Heather McTeer in the March 13, 2012, Democratic primary. He faced Bill Marcy (Republican), Cobby Williams (Independent) and Lajena Williams (Reform) in the November 2012 general election.

U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Bennie Thompson Incumbent	67.1%	214,978
	Republican	Bill Marcy	31%	99,160
	Independent	Cobby Williams	1.4%	4,605
	Reform	Lajena Williams	0.5%	1,501
Total Votes				320,244
Source: Mississippi Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Bennie Thompson Incumbent	87.5%	49,083
Heather McTeer	12.5%	7,040
Total Votes		56,123

Endorsements

Thompson was endorsed by the organizations below for the 2012 election.

• AFSCME
• Air Line Pilots Association PAC
• American Federation of Government Employees
• American Federation of Teachers
• American Maritime Officers Voluntary PAF
• American Postal Workers Union
• Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen PAC
• Committee on Letter Carriers
• Communications Workers of America
• International Association of Bridge Structual & Ornamental Ironworkers; Boilermakers; Electrical Works; and Teamsters
• International Union of Operating Engineers
• Laborers’ International Union North
• MEBA Political Action Fund
• National Air Traffic Controllers Association
• National Education Association
• National Postal Mail Handlers Union
• National Treasury Employees PAC
• Seafarers International Union
• Sheet Metal Workers International
• Transport Workers Union
• United Association of Journeymen and APP; Auto Workers; Food and Commercial Workers; Auto Workers
• United Mine Workers of America; Steel Workers of America PAF; United Transportation Union

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Bennie Thompson, click [show] to expand the section.

2010 On November 2, 2010, Bennie Thompson won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Bill Marcy (R) and Ashley Norwood (Reform) in the general election. U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bennie Thompson incumbent 61.5% 105,327      Republican Bill Marcy 37.6% 64,499      Reform Ashley Norwood 0.9% 1,530 Total Votes 171,356 2008 On November 4, 2008, Bennie Thompson won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Richard Cook (R) in the general election. U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 2008 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bennie Thompson incumbent 69.1% 201,606      Republican Richard Cook 30.9% 90,364 Total Votes 291,970 2006 On November 7, 2006, Bennie Thompson won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Yvonne Brown (R) in the general election. U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 2006 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bennie Thompson incumbent 64.3% 100,160      Republican Yvonne Brown 35.7% 55,672 Total Votes 155,832 2004 On November 2, 2004, Bennie Thompson won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Clinton LeSueur (R) and Shawn O'Hara (Reform) in the general election. U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 2004 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bennie Thompson incumbent 58.4% 154,626      Republican Clinton LeSueur 40.6% 107,647      Reform Shawn O'Hara 1% 2,596 Total Votes 264,869 2002 On November 5, 2002, Bennie Thompson won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Clinton LeSueur (R) and Lee Dilworth (Reform) in the general election. U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 2002 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bennie Thompson incumbent 55.1% 89,913      Republican Clinton LeSueur 42.8% 69,711      Reform Lee Dilworth 2.1% 3,426 Total Votes 163,050 2000 On November 7, 2000, Bennie Thompson won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Hardy Caraway (R), William Chipman (L) and Lee Dilworth (Reform) in the general election. U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 2000 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bennie Thompson incumbent 65.1% 112,777      Republican Hardy Caraway 31.2% 54,090      Libertarian William Chipman 2.5% 4,305      Reform Lee Dilworth 1.2% 2,135 Total Votes 173,307 1998 On November 3, 1998, Bennie Thompson won re-election to the United States House. He defeated William Chipman (L) in the general election. U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 1998 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bennie Thompson incumbent 71.2% 80,284      Libertarian William Chipman 28.8% 32,533 Total Votes 112,817 1996 On November 5, 1996, Bennie Thompson won re-election to the United States House. He defeated Danny Covington (R) and William Chipman (L) in the general election. U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 1996 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bennie Thompson incumbent 59.6% 102,503      Republican Danny Covington 38% 65,263      Libertarian William Chipman 2.4% 4,167 Total Votes 171,933 1994 On November 8, 1994, Bennie Thompson won election to the United States House. He defeated Bill Jordan (R) and Vince Thornton (T) in the general election. U.S. House, Mississippi District 2 General Election, 1994 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Bennie Thompson 53.7% 68,014      Republican Bill Jordan 38.9% 49,270      Mississippi Taxpayers Vince Thornton 7.4% 9,408 Total Votes 126,692

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Bennie Thompson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Bennie Thompson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

2012

Thompson highlighted the following issues on his campaign website:

“	Civil Rights Excerpt: "It has been Congressman Thompson’s charge to support the fairness and equity as expressed in the Titles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Congressman Thompson believes providing for fair and non-discriminatory practices in our schools, job sectors, and communities will prove to be vital in this country’s plans for a future where we out build, out educate and out innovate the rest of the world." Education Excerpt: "While Congressman Thompson supports the ideal of high standards for measuring students and teachers, he believes it is imperative that public school districts receive the necessary funding that would provide innovative and educational tools to teachers, parents and students in their efforts to close the achievement gaps and raise achievement for all children." Economic Recovery Excerpt: "The American Recovery and Reinvestment act (“Recovery Act”) is creating jobs and strengthening the economy. It is making a real difference for families, providing new resources to local governments and business, and helping to end the economic free fall that has gripped the country for more than 18 months." Energy And Environment Excerpt: "To create the next generation of clean energy jobs, make our nation more secure and reduce the pollution that causes global warming, Congressman Thompson and Congressional Democrats are committed to investing in our nation’s clean energy future." Healthcare Excerpt: "Mississippi continues to face tremendous challenges as we confront our health care needs...To help address these challenges Democrats introduce the Affordable Care Act of 2010."	”
—Bennie Thompson, http://www.benniethompson.com/issues/

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage and endorsements scopes.

Notable endorsements by Bennie Thompson

Endorsee	Election	Stage	Outcome
Barbara Lee  source  (D)	U.S. Senate California (2024)	Primary	–
Lori Lightfoot  source  (Nonpartisan)	Mayor of Chicago (2023)	General	Lost General
Joe Biden  source  (D)	President of the United States (2020)	Primary	Won General
Hillary Clinton  source  (D)	President of the United States (2016)	Primary	Lost General

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor history

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Bennie Thompson campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions
2022	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$1,515,666
2020	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$1,379,892
2018	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$1,020,602
2016	U.S. House, Mississippi District 2	Won general	$1,021,341
2014	U.S. House (Mississippi, District 2)	Won general	$1,202,666
2012	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$1,208,367
2010	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$1,808,681
2008	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$2,147,392
2006	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$1,375,701
2004	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$756,391
2002	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$542,798
2000	U.S. House Mississippi District 2	Won general	$536,455
Grand total raised			$14,515,952
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission * This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

2018

U.S. House Mississippi District 2 2018 election - Campaign Contributions
Top industry contributors to Bennie Thompson's campaign in 2018
Labor	$230,000.00
Transportation	$86,000.00
General Business	$84,901.17
Energy & Natural Resources	$73,750.00
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate	$73,630.25
Total Raised in 2018	$0.00
Total Spent	$1,034,483.93
Source: Follow the Money

2020

U.S. House Mississippi District 2 2020 election - Campaign Contributions
Top individual contributors to Bennie Thompson's campaign in 2020
RON, AVISHAI MR	$10,986.00
Teamsters Union	$10,000.00
United Mine Workers of America	$10,000.00
Seafarers International Union	$10,000.00
UNITE HERE	$10,000.00
Bayer Corp	$10,000.00
Laborers Union	$10,000.00
Transport Workers Union	$10,000.00
American Federation of Government Employees	$10,000.00
Osi Systems	$10,000.00
Total Raised in 2020	$1,379,164.28
Total Spent	$1,099,404.11
Source: Follow the Money

2018

U.S. House Mississippi District 2 2018 election - Campaign Contributions
Top individual contributors to Bennie Thompson's campaign in 2018
GRAIN, DAVID	$4,901.25
EDWARDS, MR JABARI	$4,000.00
JONES, BOOKER T	$3,000.00
THOMAS, WORTH	$3,000.00
Total Raised in 2018	$0.00
Total Spent	$1,034,483.93
Source: Follow the Money

2016

Thompson won re-election to the U.S. House in 2016. During that election cycle, Thompson's campaign committee raised a total of $1,021,341 and spent $1,001,935. This is less than the average $1.46 million spent by U.S. House winners in 2016.

Cost per vote

Thompson spent $5.21 per general election vote received in 2016.

U.S. House, Mississippi District 2, 2016 - Bennie Thompson Campaign Contributions

Total Raised	$1,021,341
Total Spent	$1,001,935
Total Raised by Election Runner-up	$0
Total Spent by Election Runner-up	$0
Top contributors to Bennie Thompson's campaign committee
Osi Systems	$14,250
Air Line Pilots Assn	$10,000
American Assn for Justice	$10,000
American Crystal Sugar	$10,000
AT&T Inc	$10,000
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Transportation Unions	$72,500
Electric Utilities	$65,500
Lawyers/Law Firms	$59,400
Industrial Unions	$54,000
Public Sector Unions	$52,000
Source: Open Secrets

2014

Thompson won re-election to the U.S. House in 2014. During that election cycle, Thompson's campaign committee raised a total of $1,202,666 and spent $1,138,673. This is less than the average $1.45 million spent by House winners in 2014.

Cost per vote

Thompson spent $11.31 per general election vote received in 2014.

U.S. House, Mississippi District 2, 2014 - Bennie Thompson Campaign Contributions

Total Raised	$1,202,666
Total Spent	$1,138,673
Total Raised by Election Runner-up	$0
Total Spent by Election Runner-up	$0
Top contributors to Bennie Thompson's campaign committee
Crawford Group	$10,250
Air Line Pilots Assn	$10,000
American Assn for Justice	$10,000
American Crystal Sugar	$10,000
Deloitte LLP	$10,000
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$68,069
Transportation Unions	$60,000
Electric Utilities	$52,500
Industrial Unions	$50,000
Railroads	$46,500
Source: Open Secrets

To view the breakdown of campaign funding by type click [show] to expand the section.
Breakdown of the source of Thompson's campaign funds before the 2014 election.

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Thompson's reports.

Bennie Thompson (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
April Quarterly	April 15, 2013	$1,192,547.83	$80,101.98	$(71,497.34)	$1,201,152.47
July Quarterly	July 15, 2013	$1,201,152.47	$198,445.56	$(131,049.54)	$1,268,548.49
October Quarterly	October 11, 2013	$1,268,548.49	$174,354.99	$(107,647.08)	$1,335,256.40
Year-End Quarterly	December 31, 2013	$1,335,256	$138,159	$(126,524)	$1,345,846
April Quarterly	April 14, 2014	$1,345,846.73	$95,849.15	$(65,483.24)	$1,376,212.64
July Quarterly	July 15, 2014	$1,372,470	$120,432	$(136,111)	$1,356,796
			Running totals
			$807,342.68	$(638,312.2)

2012

Thompson won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. During that election cycle, Thompson's campaign committee raised a total of $1,208,368 and spent $1,765,172.

Cost per vote

Thompson spent $8.22 per vote received in 2012.

U.S. House, Mississippi District 2, 2012 - Bennie Thompson Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$1,208,368
Total Spent	$1,765,172
Total Raised by Election Runner-up	$18,213
Total Spent by Election Runner-up	$25,927
Top contributors to Bennie Thompson's campaign committee
Northrop Grumman	$16,000
Air Line Pilots Assn	$10,000
American Crystal Sugar	$10,000
American Maritime Officers	$10,000
Boeing Co	$10,000
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$71,446
Transportation Unions	$69,500
Public Sector Unions	$51,500
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products	$48,000
Industrial Unions	$46,500

To view the breakdown of campaign funding by type click [show] to expand the section.
Breakdown of the source of Thompson's campaign funds for the 2012 election.

2010

Thompson won re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. During that re-election cycle, Thompson's campaign committee raised a total of $1,808,681 and spent $1,343,456.

U.S. House, Mississippi District 2, 2010 - Bennie Thompson Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$1,808,681
Total Spent	$1,343,456
Total Raised by General Election Opponent	$47,933
Total Spent by General Election Opponent	$40,847
Top contributors to Bennie Thompson's campaign committee
American Assn for Justice	$15,000
SAIC Inc	$11,600
Air Line Pilots Assn	$10,000
Amalgamated Transit Union	$10,000
American Crystal Sugar	$10,000
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$166,939
Transportation Unions	$85,000
Sea Transport	$64,798
Public Sector Unions	$61,500
Casinos/Gambling	$59,307

To view the breakdown of campaign funding by type click [show] to expand the section.
Breakdown of the source of Thompson's campaign funds before the 2010 election.

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Thompson's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $287,029 and $1,007,000. That averages to $647,014.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic representatives in 2012 of $5,700,168.36. Thompson ranked as the 249th most wealthy representative in 2012. Between 2004 and 2012, Thompson's calculated net worth decreased by an average of 6 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Bennie Thompson Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2004	$1,166,214
2012	$647,014
Growth from 2004 to 2012:	−45%
Average annual growth:	−6%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). In the 113th Congress, Thompson is the ranking member of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security. Thompson received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry.

From 1993-2014, 26.45 percent of Thompson's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Bennie Thompson Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$11,008,093
Total Spent	$9,651,296
Ranking member of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$980,273
Transportation Unions	$591,850
Industrial Unions	$546,314
Public Sector Unions	$481,550
Casinos/Gambling	$311,618
% total in top industry	8.91%
% total in top two industries	14.28%
% total in top five industries	26.45%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Thompson was a moderate Democratic follower as of July 2014. Thompson was rated as a "rank-and-file Democrat" in June 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Thompson most often votes with:

• Robert Brady
• Chris Gibson

Thompson least often votes with:

• Jim Matheson
• Jeff Duncan

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Thompson missed 566 of 15,047 roll call votes from April 1993 to September 2015. This amounted to 3.8 percent, which was higher than the median of 2.2 percent among representatives as of September 2015.

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Thompson paid his congressional staff a total of $1,024,403 in 2011. Overall, Mississippi ranked 41st in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.

Staff bonuses

According to an analysis by CNN, Thompson was one of nearly 25 percent of House members who gave their staff bonuses in 2012. Thompson's staff was given an apparent $31,500.00 in bonus money.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Thompson ranked 148th in the liberal rankings in 2013.

2012

Thompson ranked 146th in the liberal rankings in 2012. This was the most liberal ranking earned by a representative from Mississippi in 2012.

2011

Thompson ranked 91st in the liberal rankings in 2011. This was the most liberal ranking earned by a representative from Mississippi in 2011.

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Thompson voted with the Democratic Party 93.0 percent of the time, which ranked 108th among the 204 House Democratic members as of July 2014.

2013

Thompson voted with the Democratic Party 96.2 percent of the time, which ranked 28th among the 201 House Democratic members as of June 2013.

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Thompson has been married to his wife, London (née Johnson) for over 40 years. They have one grown daughter.

Thompson is a member of Asbury United Methodist Church.

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	U.S. House Mississippi District 2 1993-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Hinds County Mississippi Board of Supervisors 1980-1993	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Mayor of Bolton Mississippi 1973-1979	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Board of Aldermen Bolton Mississippi 1969-1973	Succeeded by -

[show]

Mississippi's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Cindy Hyde-Smith (R)

Roger Wicker (R)

Representatives

District 1

Trent Kelly (R)

District 2

Bennie Thompson (D)

District 3

Michael Guest (R)

District 4

Mike Ezell (R)

Republican Party (5)

Democratic Party (1)