Percy Watson (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Percy Watson
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| Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 103rd district |
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| Assumed office January 8, 1980 |
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| Born | June 5, 1951 Hattiesburg, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
Percy Willis Watson (born June 5, 1951) is an American politician. He is a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives. This is where laws are made for the state of Mississippi.
Watson represents the 103rd District. He was first elected to this role in 1980. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Percy Willis Watson was born on June 5, 1951. His hometown is Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He was one of 11 children in his family.
In 1969, he graduated from L. J. Rowan High School. He was the top student in his class, known as the valedictorian.
Watson then received a full scholarship to the University of Iowa. After just three years, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. He studied political science and graduated with special honors in May 1972. While at the University of Iowa, he was invited to join the Phi Beta Kappa society. This is a very old and respected academic honor society.
He continued his studies at the University of Iowa College of Law. He finished his law degree (called a Juris Doctor or J.D.) in only two years, graduating in 1974.
After law school, Watson moved to Alaska. He passed the state bar exam, which allowed him to work as a lawyer. He worked for a law firm in Anchorage, Alaska. Later, he decided to move back to his hometown of Hattiesburg to practice law there.
Political Career
Percy Watson has had a long and important career in politics. He has worked to represent the people of Mississippi.
Starting in the House (1979-1983)
In June 1979, Watson announced he would run for office. He wanted to represent a part of Hattiesburg. This area was called the 104th district. It was a new district created after a court order changed the voting map.
During his campaign, Watson faced unfair treatment. Despite these challenges, he won the Democratic primary election. He defeated another lawyer, Michael B. McMahan. Since there was no Republican candidate, winning the primary meant he won the election. Watson believed he won because most people in the district were Black.
From 1980 to 1984, Watson served on several important committees. These included Agriculture, Judiciary "A", and Universities & Colleges. He also led the House's Black Caucus. This group represented the interests of Black members of the House.
Re-election and Rule Changes (1983-1987)
Watson ran for re-election for the 103rd District and had no opponents. In 1984, Watson and 25 other representatives tried to change the rules. They wanted to reduce the power of the House's Speaker, C. B. Newman. However, their effort did not succeed.
Speaker Newman responded by assigning these 26 representatives to less important committees. Watson was moved from the Universities & Colleges committee. He was placed on the Penitentiaries and Game & Fish Committees.
In 1984, Watson was chosen as a delegate. This meant he represented Mississippi at the 1984 Democratic National Convention. This is where the Democratic Party chooses its candidate for president.
By 1986, Watson joined a group of 20 representatives. This group had the support of 65 other representatives. They wrote a new bill with different rules for the House. This bill would allow leaders of certain committees to be elected by House members. Before, the Speaker chose them. This bill passed, and the Speaker retired after that term.
Leading a Committee (1987-1991)
Watson won re-election again, defeating Charles L. Davis in the primary. He was the only candidate in the general election.
At the start of the 1988-1992 term, Watson was chosen to lead the Judiciary "A" Committee. This was a very important role. He became the first Black person to chair this committee. This made him the highest-ranking Black delegate in the House.
As the chair, Watson worked on important laws. In 1988, he helped negotiate a bill about "tort reform." This bill aimed to change rules about lawsuits. However, they couldn't agree on the bill, and it did not pass that year. In 1989, a tort reform bill did pass, but it was a close vote.
Watson also tried to introduce new laws about landlords and tenants. These laws would help define the rights and duties of people who rent homes. He proposed this bill in 1988 and 1990, but it did not pass either time.
