Mike Espy
Mike Espy | |
---|---|
Edward Madigan | |
Succeeded by | Dan Glickman |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 2nd district | |
In office January 3, 1987 – January 22, 1993 | |
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) |
Website | Campaign website |
Alphonso Michael Espy (born November 30, 1953)
In March 2018, Espy announced his candidacy for the
Early life and education
Espy was born in
Career
Early years
Espy was an attorney with Central Mississippi Legal Services between 1978 and 1980 and was later the Assistant Secretary of State to Mississippi Legal Services. From 1980 to 1984, he was the Assistant Secretary of the State to the Public Lands Division.[citation needed]
Espy was an Assistant
Congress and the Secretary of Agriculture
In November 1986, Espy was elected as a Democrat to the
In December 1992, Espy was chosen by President-elect Bill Clinton to be the Secretary of Agriculture in the new administration.[3] Following his confirmation by the Senate in late January 1993, Espy resigned from his seat in the House of Representatives.
The
In October 2007, Espy crossed party lines to endorse Republican Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's reelection campaign.[6]
Private law career
In 2008, Espy became an attorney at Morgan & Morgan, a nationwide law firm, where he handles general plaintiff's law, mass tort, bond and governmental finance, and international relations cases. One of his notable cases was the Pigford lawsuit, where Espy worked in conjunction with a black farmers' advocacy group, the National Black Farmers Association, to represent those farmers.[citation needed]
Senate campaigns
2018
On March 5, 2018, Republican Senator Thad Cochran announced he would resign as of April 1 for health reasons, triggering a special election. Espy announced his intention to run for the seat that same day, becoming the first declared candidate in the race.[7][8][9] “It’s official. I’m running to be Mississippi’s next U.S. Senator. Too many people here can’t find a decent job, rural hospitals are closing, and the price for education is just too high,” Espy said in a tweet on Tuesday.[1] He called Cochran "a person I admire and respect, and who has done so much for Mississippi over his tenure."[10]
In 2018,
A nonpartisan special election took place on November 6, 2018, the same day as the regularly scheduled
2020
Three days after losing the Senate special election runoff to Hyde-Smith, on November 30, 2018, his 65th birthday, Espy filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to run for the seat again in 2020.[19] He lost the general election again with 44% of the vote.[20]
Political positions
Economy
Guns
Espy supports gun ownership and received the
Health care
Espy believes that the decision by Republicans to deny an expansion of Medicaid is why so many rural hospitals in Mississippi have closed.[26]
Immigration
Espy opposes a border wall, citing cost concerns.[14] He opposes the Trump administration's family separation policy.[14]
Social issues
In 1986, running for Congress, Espy was considered pro-choice on abortion.[27] In 2018, he said he was moderate on abortion; he supports Roe v. Wade but opposes abortion personally.[28] Espy said during his Senate campaign that he would work with anyone regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability.[29]
Corruption trial and acquittal
On August 27, 1997, Espy was indicted on charges of receiving improper gifts, including sports tickets, lodging, and airfare. Espy refused to
During testimony before the jury, the prosecution's star witness told Smaltz: "God knows, if I had $30 million, I could find dirt on you, sir."[31] During the trial, Smaltz protested that the defense was injecting race into the trial in what he saw as an appeal to a mostly black jury.
The defense rested without calling any witnesses, arguing simply that the prosecution had not proved its case. The jury deliberated less than 10 hours before finding Espy not guilty on all charges. One of the jurors said, "This was the weakest, most bogus thing I ever saw. I can't believe Mr. Smaltz ever brought this to trial." At least four other jurors echoed this view, though less pointedly.[32] Barbara Bisoni, the only white juror, said Smaltz's case "had holes" and that race never entered into the deliberations.[32]
Related cases
In 1996,
In a separate case during the same investigation, Espy's Chief of Staff, Ronald Blackley, was convicted in late 1997 on three counts of making false statements[35] and sentenced to 27 months in prison.[36]
Controversy also arose in 1994 from a White House discovery that a foundation run by Tyson Foods had given Espy's then girlfriend, Patricia Dempsey, a $1,200 scholarship.[4] Administration officials said that the discovery of this scholarship was what forced Espy to resign as Secretary of Agriculture.[4] In December 1997, Tyson Foods pleaded guilty to felony charges of giving Espy gifts.[37]
Personal life
He married Sheila Bell, with whom he had two children before they divorced.[38] Espy married Portia Ballard in 1999.[39]
Electoral history
Election results | |||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Democrat | Votes | % | Republican | Votes | % | Other | Party | Votes | % | |||||||||||||
1986[40]
|
Mike Espy | 73,119 | 51.71% | Webb Franklin | 68,292 | 48.29% | |||||||||||||||||
1988[41]
|
Mike Espy | 112,401 | 64.74% | Jack Coleman | 59,827 | 34.46% | Dorothy Benford | Independent
|
1,403 | 0.81% | |||||||||||||
1990[42]
|
Mike Espy | 59,393 | 84.11% | Dorothy Benford | 11,224 | 11.89% | |||||||||||||||||
1992[43]
|
Mike Espy | 135,162 | 77.97% | Dorothy Benford | 38,191 | 22.03% |
Senate results
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Cindy Hyde-Smith (incumbent) | 389,995 | 41.25% | |
Nonpartisan | Mike Espy | 386,742 | 40.90% | |
Nonpartisan | Chris McDaniel | 154,878 | 16.38% | |
Nonpartisan | Tobey Bartee | 13,852 | 1.47% | |
Total votes | 945,467 | 100% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nonpartisan | Cindy Hyde-Smith (incumbent) | 486,769 | 53.63% | -6.27% | |
Nonpartisan | Mike Espy | 420,819 | 46.37% | +8.48% | |
Total votes | 907,588 | 100% | N/A |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Cindy Hyde-Smith (incumbent) | 709,539 | 54.10% | +0.47% | |
Democratic | Mike Espy | 578,806 | 44.13% | -2.24% | |
Libertarian | Jimmy Edwards | 23,152 | 1.77% | N/A | |
Total votes | 1,311,497 | 100% |
See also
- List of African-American United States Cabinet members
- List of African-American United States representatives
References
- ^ a b Applebome, Peter (December 25, 1992). "THE TRANSITION; Clinton's Last Selections for the Cabinet Reflect His Quest for Diversity". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
- ^ Hall, Carla (December 19, 1986). "Espy's Mississippi Milestone". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ Locin, Mitchell (December 25, 1992). "Clinton Finishes Cabinet Of Diversity". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Devroy, Ann; Schmidt, Susan (October 4, 1994). "Agriculture Secretary Espy Resigns". The Washington Post. p. A01. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ Lewis, Neil A. (December 3, 1998). "Espy is Acquitted on Gifts Received While in Cabinet". New York Times. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
- ^ Kittredge, Brett (October 10, 2007). "Text of Mike Espy's Endorsement of Haley Barbour". Majority in Mississippi. Archived from the original on November 12, 2007. Retrieved November 12, 2007.
- ^ "Espy announces run for Cochran Senate seat". Clarion Ledger. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
- ^ McCarthy, Waverly (March 5, 2018). "Mike Espy to run for Thad Cochran's Senate seat". Mississippi News Now. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
- ^ "The Latest: Former ag secretary Espy running for Senate". The Sacramento Bee. March 5, 2018. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
- ^ L, Megha (March 6, 2018). "Who Is Mike Espy? Thad Cochran's Senate Seat Bid By Clinton-Era Official". International Business Times. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
- ^ "The big seven races that will (probably) decide who controls the Senate". Retrieved June 26, 2018.
- ^ Elliott, David. "Senatorial candidate Mike Espy says he'll 'Put Mississippi First'". Retrieved June 26, 2018.
- ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "A look at Mike Espy before US Senate runoff: People over party, keeping head down". The Clarion Ledger. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
- ^ Rakich, Nathaniel (March 6, 2018). "How Things Could Go Wrong For Republicans In Mississippi's New Senate Race". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "The Latest: Mississippi has 3 more weeks of US Senate race". AP NEWS. November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
- ^ "2018 Elections Calendar - Mississippi Secretary of State" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 9, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ "GOP Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith Wins Runoff in Mississippi". Bloomberg News. November 28, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
- ^ Greenwood, Max (November 30, 2018). "Espy files to run for Senate in 2020, setting up possible rematch with Hyde-Smith". The Hill. Archived from the original on November 30, 2018. Retrieved November 30, 2018.
- ^ "State of Mississippi OFFICIAL 2020 GENERAL ELECTION CERTIFIED RESULTS" (PDF). State of Mississippi Secretary of State. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
- ^ "Can Mike Espy Win in Mississippi? | Tribune Content Agency (April 13, 2018)". Tribune Content Agency. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ^ "Senator candidate Mike Espy aims for Mississippi's African-American base". Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
- ^ Willis, Jay (November 13, 2018). "How a Democrat Could Swipe a Senate Seat in Deep-Red Mississippi". GQ. Archived from the original on November 14, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
- ^ "In Mississippi, Republican concern rises over a U.S. Senate runoff that should have been a romp". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
- ^ "House background check bill will move to Senate committee after Hyde-Smith objects to fast tracking". November 14, 2019.
- ^ "Aiming for Alabama-like Victory, Espy Opens 'Modern' Campaign Headquarters | JFP Mobile | Jackson, Mississippi". m.jacksonfreepress.com. Retrieved October 26, 2018.
- ^ Greenhouse, Linda. "WASHINGTON TALK; A Turning Point On the Abortion Issue?". Retrieved June 26, 2018.
- ^ "What you need to know about Mississippi's special Senate race, candidates". The Clarion Ledger. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
- ^ Elliott, David. "Senatorial candidate Mike Espy says he'll 'Put Mississippi First'". Retrieved June 26, 2018.
- ^ "OIC Smaltz: Final Report". Archived from the original on June 2, 2003. Retrieved May 3, 2003.
- ^ "Was this a bad idea? - December 14, 1998". www.cnn.com.
- ^ a b Espy Acquitted in Gifts Case. Washingtonpost.com (December 5, 1998). Retrieved on September 14, 2011.
- ^ Court Sets Aside Fine Against Sun-Diamond , Los Angeles Times, March 21, 1998
- ^ Supreme Court rules Sun Diamond Growers did not violate federal law in Espy case - April 27, 1999. Cnn.com (April 27, 1999). Retrieved on September 14, 2011.
- ^ Stout, David (June 6, 1999). "Prosecution That Spared Espy Leaves a Top Aide in Ruins". Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ "Donald Smaltz - Ron Blackley - Secrets Of An Independent Counsel - FRONTLINE - PBS". www.pbs.org.
- ^ M. Alex Johnson, Walking the walk, on the assembly line , NBC News, March 24, 2005
- ^ "ESPY, Alphonso Michael (Mike)". United States House of Representatives. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
- ^ Barron, James; Kilgannon, Corey (April 27, 1999). "Public Lives". New York Times. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
- ^ "Federal Elections 86: Election Results for U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. May 1987. p. 57. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "Federal Elections 88: Election Results for U.S. President, U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. June 1988. p. 51. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "Federal Elections 90: Election Results for U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. April 1991. p. 31. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "Federal Elections 92: Election Results for U.S. President, U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives" (PDF). Federal Election Commission. June 1993. p. 72. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ a b "2018 Mississippi special election results". Retrieved June 10, 2019.
- ^ "State of Mississippi OFFICIAL 2020 GENERAL ELECTION CERTIFIED RESULTS" (PDF). State of Mississippi Secretary of State. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
External links
- Mike Espy for U.S. Senate official campaign site
- Mike Espy at Curlie