Roger Wicker facts for kids

Roger Frederick Wicker (born July 5, 1951) is an American politician who serves as a U.S. Senator for Mississippi. He has held this important role since 2007. Before becoming a senator, Wicker was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2007. He also served in the Mississippi State Senate from 1988 to 1995. Wicker is a member of the Republican Party. He also served in the United States Air Force and the Air Force Reserve.

Quick facts for kids Roger Wicker
Official portrait, 2018
United States Senator from Mississippi
Incumbent
Assumed office December 31, 2007 Serving with Cindy Hyde-Smith
Preceded by	Trent Lott
Senate positions Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee Incumbent Assumed office January 3, 2025 Preceded by Jack Reed Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee In office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025 Preceded by Jim Inhofe Succeeded by Jack Reed Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 Preceded by Maria Cantwell Succeeded by Ted Cruz Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee In office January 3, 2019 – February 3, 2021 Preceded by John Thune Succeeded by Maria Cantwell Chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 Leader Mitch McConnell Preceded by Jerry Moran Succeeded by Cory Gardner
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 1st district
In office January 3, 1995 – December 31, 2007
Preceded by	Jamie Whitten
Succeeded by	Travis Childers
Member of the Mississippi Senate from the 6th district
In office January 5, 1988 – January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Constituency established
Succeeded by	Alan Nunnelee
Personal details
Born	Roger Frederick Wicker (1951-07-05) July 5, 1951 (age 74) Pontotoc, Mississippi, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Gayle Long ​ (m. 1975)​
Children	3
Education	University of Mississippi (BA, JD)
Website
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Air Force Air Force Reserve
Years of service	1976–1980 (active) 1980–2004 (reserve)
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Unit	Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps

Early Life and Education

Roger Wicker was born on July 5, 1951, in Pontotoc, Mississippi. His father, Fred Wicker, was a lawyer and also served as a state senator. When he was 16, Roger Wicker worked as a page for U.S. Representative Jamie L. Whitten. A page helps members of Congress with their daily tasks.

College and Military Service

Wicker attended the University of Mississippi. He was very active in student life, becoming student body president. He earned two degrees from the university: a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science in 1973, and a law degree in 1975.

After college, Wicker joined the United States Air Force. He served as a Judge Advocate, which means he was a lawyer in the military, from 1976 to 1980. He then joined the Air Force Reserve and served there until 2003. He retired with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Early Political Career

Representative Roger Wicker, 1995

Wicker started his political career in 1980. He worked as a legal advisor for U.S. Representative Trent Lott on the House Rules Committee.

In 1987, Wicker was elected to the Mississippi State Senate. He represented the 6th district, which included the city of Tupelo. He served in the state senate from 1988 to 1994.

Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives

In 1994, Roger Wicker ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. He was elected to represent Mississippi's 1st congressional district. This district had been represented by Jamie Whitten for 53 years. Wicker was the first Republican to represent this district in over 100 years.

Key Roles in the House

Wicker served in the House of Representatives from 1995 until 2007. During his time there, he was president of his freshman class, which included many new Republican representatives. He was also a member of the House Appropriations Committee. This committee decides how the government spends money. He also served as a deputy Republican whip, helping to gather votes for his party's goals.

Focus Areas in Congress

In the House, Wicker worked on several important issues. He focused on medical research and helping Mississippi's economy grow. He supported partnerships between private companies and the government to bring investments to rural areas. Wicker also worked on issues important to veterans. He was a member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.

Serving in the U.S. Senate

In 2007, Senator Trent Lott resigned from his Senate seat. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour appointed Roger Wicker to fill the empty seat. Wicker was sworn in as a U.S. Senator on December 31, 2007.

Senate Elections

Wicker ran for the remainder of Lott's term in a special election in November 2008. He won this election against Democrat Ronnie Musgrove. He was then reelected to a full term in 2012. In 2018, he won reelection again, defeating David Baria. Most recently, in 2024, he was reelected, defeating Ty Pinkins.

Important Committee Work

U.S. Senator Roger F. Wicker meets with U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi in the Dirksen Senate Office building.

As a U.S. Senator, Roger Wicker serves on several important committees. In the 119th Congress, he is the Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. This committee oversees the military and national defense. He also serves on:

• Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
• Committee on Environment and Public Works
• Committee on Rules and Administration

He also chairs the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, which monitors human rights and other issues.

Key Actions and Policies

Supreme Court Nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and U.S. Senator Roger Wicker

Senator Wicker has worked on many different issues.

• He supported allowing Amtrak passengers to carry firearms in checked baggage.
• He worked to allow people with federal flood insurance to add wind coverage, which is helpful in hurricane-prone Mississippi.
• In 2012, he worked on a bill to penalize Russians accused of human rights violations.
• In 2014, Wicker supported the Bipartisan Sportsmen's Act of 2014 (S. 2363; 113th Congress). This bill aimed to improve public access to outdoor activities like hunting and fishing.
• He also supported the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. This act aimed to support freedom and democracy in Hong Kong.
• In 2020, he helped introduce a privacy bill related to data collected by coronavirus contact tracing apps. This bill aimed to give Americans more control over their personal health data.
• In 2021, Wicker voted to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election. He called for those who attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, to be prosecuted.

Political Views

Roger Wicker is known as a fiscal conservative. This means he generally supports lower taxes and less government spending. However, he has also voted to increase federal spending for agriculture, infrastructure, and military projects in Mississippi.

Foreign Policy

Wicker has strong views on foreign policy.

• He supported the Iraq War and the 2001 United States invasion of Afghanistan. He called the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 "one of the biggest foreign policy catastrophes."
• In 2021, he suggested the U.S. should consider a preemptive nuclear strike against Russia.
• He has been a strong supporter of Ukraine, voting for aid to the country multiple times.
• Wicker is a strong supporter of Israel. He has voted against the Iran Nuclear Deal and supported bills that provide military funding for Israel.

Climate Change

In 2015, Wicker was the only U.S. senator to vote against an amendment that stated "climate change is real and not a hoax." In 2017, he was one of 22 senators who urged President Trump to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement.

Gun Laws

Wicker strongly supports gun rights. He has an A+ rating from the NRA Political Victory Fund. He has said he would try to stop any bill that he feels limits the Second Amendment. In 2009, he introduced a bill that allowed Amtrak passengers to check unloaded firearms in their luggage.

Mississippi Flag

From 2015 until 2020, Wicker worked to change the Mississippi state flag. He felt the old flag was offensive to many citizens. In 2020, the flag was changed.

Personal Life

Official photo as U.S. Representative

Roger Wicker has been married to Gayle Long since 1975. They have three children and six grandchildren. The Wickers live in Tupelo. Wicker is a deacon and sings in the choir at the First Baptist Church Tupelo.

See also

In Spanish: Roger Wicker para niños