Erik R. Fleming facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Erik R. Fleming
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| Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 72nd district |
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| In office 1999–2008 |
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| Preceded by | Tomie Green |
| Succeeded by | Kimberly Campbell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Erik Robert Fleming
February 2, 1965 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Jackson State University (BA) |
Erik Robert Fleming, born on February 2, 1965, is an American politician. He served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1999 to 2008. This job meant he helped make laws for Mississippi. He represented the 72nd District, which covers parts of Hinds and Madison counties.
Mr. Fleming was also a candidate for one of Mississippi's two U.S. Senate seats two times. In 2008, he ran against the Republican Senator Thad Cochran but did not win. Erik also worked as the Director of Policy for the Mississippi branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Today, he lives near Atlanta, Georgia, and talks about important issues for African Americans on his podcast, "A Moment with Erik Fleming."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Erik Fleming was born in Chicago, Illinois. His parents are Joan and Robert Fleming. He went to Lindblom Technical High School. After high school, he studied political science at Jackson State University. He graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at college, he joined the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity.
Early Career in Politics
After college, Erik Fleming worked on political campaigns. In 1987, he helped with Mississippi Governor Ray Mabus's campaign. The next year, in 1988, he worked for Mike Parker when he ran for the U.S. Congress.
Family and Community Involvement
Erik Fleming is married to Linda Pritchett, who is a Councilwoman for the City of South Fulton, Georgia. He has one son named Sean Christopher. Mr. Fleming is a Christian. He has been a member of many groups that help communities. These include the NAACP and the SCLC. He also joined the Mississippi Faith-Based Coalition for Community Renewal. He was part of the Jackson State University National Alumni Association.
Political Career Highlights
Erik Fleming started his time in the Mississippi House of Representatives in January 1999. He won a special election to finish the term of Tomie Green. He represented the 72nd District, which includes parts of Hinds and Madison counties. He served in this role until 2008. In 2007, he lost the primary election to Kimberly Campbell, who then took his place in January 2008.
Running for U.S. Senate
Mr. Fleming ran for a U.S. Senate seat in November 2006. He ran against the Senator at the time, Trent Lott. In the Democratic primary election on June 6, 2006, Erik Fleming received 44 percent of the votes. He then went to a runoff election on June 27, where he won with 65 percent of the votes. However, he lost to Senator Lott in the main election.
He ran for the U.S. Senate again in November 2008. He won the Democratic primary election. Then, he faced Senator Thad Cochran in the general election. Senator Cochran won the election with over 61% of the votes, while Erik Fleming received 38%.
Leadership Roles
Erik Fleming held several important leadership positions in the Democratic Party. From 1991 to 1992, he was the President of the Young Democrats of Mississippi. He also chaired the Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee from 1996 to 1999. He was a National Committeeman for The Young Democrats of America from 1993 to 1995. In 1993, he managed the campaign for Henry J. Kirksey when he ran for Mayor.
Other Work
Before his political roles, Erik Fleming worked as a paralegal for the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance. He also worked as an abstinence educator for the Mississippi Community Development Corporation. This was a non-profit group in his legislative district. He also served as the chief operating officer for New Horizon Ministries, Inc., another non-profit group in Jackson.
See also
- 2006 United States Senate election in Mississippi
- 2008 United States Senate election in Mississippi
- List of African-American United States Senate candidates
