Mike Espy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Espy
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Espy in 2012
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| 25th United States Secretary of Agriculture | |
| In office January 22, 1993 – December 31, 1994 |
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| President | Bill Clinton |
| Preceded by | Edward Madigan |
| Succeeded by | Dan Glickman |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 2nd district |
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| In office January 3, 1987 – January 22, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Webb Franklin |
| Succeeded by | Bennie Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Alphonso Michael Espy
November 30, 1953 Yazoo City, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Portia Ballard |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Chuck Espy (nephew) Henry Espy (brother) |
| Education | Howard University (BA) Santa Clara University (JD) |
Alphonso Michael Espy (born November 30, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician. He served as the 25th United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1993 to 1994. This important role meant he was in charge of farming and food programs for the whole country.
Mike Espy was the first African American and the first person from the Deep South to hold this position. Before that, he was a U.S. representative for Mississippi's 2nd congressional district from 1987 to 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
In 2018 and 2020, Espy ran for a seat in the United States Senate for Mississippi. He did not win, but he received a lot of support in both elections.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mike Espy was born in Yazoo City, Mississippi. His grandfather, Thomas J. Huddleston Sr., was a very important person in his community. He started a group called the Afro-American Sons and Daughters. This group ran the Afro-American Hospital, which provided healthcare for Black people in Mississippi for many years.
Espy went to Howard University in Washington, D.C. While there, he was very involved in student politics and held several leadership roles. He then studied law at Santa Clara University School of Law in California. He earned his law degree, called a Juris Doctor, in 1978. Today, he helps lead the Mississippi Center for Justice.
Mike Espy's Career in Public Service
Starting His Career as a Lawyer
From 1978 to 1980, Espy worked as a lawyer for Central Mississippi Legal Services. This organization helps people who cannot afford legal help. He then became an Assistant Secretary of State for Mississippi Legal Services.
From 1980 to 1984, he worked as an Assistant Secretary of State for the Public Lands Division. This role involved managing public land in Mississippi. From 1984 to 1985, he served as an Assistant State Attorney General. This meant he helped the state's top lawyer.
Serving in Congress and the Cabinet
In November 1986, Mike Espy was elected to the 100th United States Congress. He became a U.S. Representative for Mississippi. He was the first African American to represent Mississippi at the federal level since the Reconstruction era. He was reelected three times, serving until 1993.
In December 1992, President-elect Bill Clinton chose Espy to be the United States Secretary of Agriculture. After the Senate approved him in January 1993, Espy left his seat in the House of Representatives.
As Secretary of Agriculture, Espy was in charge of many programs related to farming, food safety, and nutrition. He was the first African American and the first person from the Deep South to hold this important job. He served from 1993 to 1994.
After leaving his government role, Espy returned to working as a lawyer. In 2008, he joined a national law firm called Morgan & Morgan. He worked on cases involving general law, large group lawsuits, and international relations. One important case he worked on was the Pigford lawsuit, which helped Black farmers.
Running for the U.S. Senate
2018 Senate Campaign
On March 5, 2018, Senator Thad Cochran announced he would leave his Senate seat. Mike Espy quickly announced he would run for the open spot. He spoke respectfully of Senator Cochran.
During his campaign, Espy described himself as a moderate politician. This means he tries to find common ground and work with people from different political parties. He wanted to show that he could work with both Democrats and Republicans. For example, he had supported former Republican Governor Haley Barbour in the past.
The special election was held on November 6, 2018. No candidate won more than half the votes, so a second election, called a runoff, was held on November 27. Espy ran against Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith and lost, but he received more than 46% of the votes. This was a very close election for Mississippi.
2020 Senate Campaign
Just three days after the 2018 runoff, on his 65th birthday, Mike Espy decided to run for the Senate seat again in 2020. He faced Cindy Hyde-Smith again in the general election. He lost this election as well, receiving 44% of the votes.
Mike Espy's Political Views
Economy
Mike Espy supports cutting the government's budget. He also supports free trade, which means making it easier for countries to buy and sell goods from each other. In 2018, he said he would likely have supported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which lowered taxes for many people and businesses.
Guns
Espy believes in the right to own guns. In 1988, he received an award from the National Rifle Association (NRA) for supporting their views on gun laws. However, in his 2018 Senate campaign, the NRA supported his opponent. In 2019, Espy said that a delay in passing a gun control bill was a "failure of leadership" that put children's lives at risk.
Health Care
Espy thinks that many rural hospitals in Mississippi have closed because Republicans decided not to expand Medicaid. Medicaid is a government program that helps people with low incomes get health care.
Immigration
Espy does not support building a wall along the border, mainly because of the high cost. He also disagreed with the policy that separated families at the border.
Social Issues
During his Senate campaigns, Espy said he would work with everyone. He believes in treating all people fairly, no matter their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or if they have a disability.
Legal Review and Outcome
In 1997, Mike Espy faced questions about whether he had received gifts that were not allowed. These gifts included things like sports tickets, places to stay, and airplane tickets. Espy chose not to make a deal with the prosecutors. In 1998, he was found not guilty of all charges in a trial.
The legal process involved many witnesses and a lot of money. However, the jury decided that the evidence did not prove he had done anything wrong. One juror said the case was "the weakest, most bogus thing I ever saw."
Personal Life
Mike Espy was married to Sheila Bell, and they had two children before they divorced. In 1999, he married Portia Ballard.
Images for kids
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Espy with President Bill Clinton in 1993
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Espy as Secretary of Agriculture
See also
In Spanish: Mike Espy para niños
- List of African-American United States Cabinet members
- List of African-American United States representatives
- List of African-American United States Senate candidates
