Trent Kelly (politician)
| Trent Kelly | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 1st district | |
|
Assumed office June 2, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Alan Nunnelee |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Trent Kelly March 1, 1966 Union, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Residence | Saltillo, Mississippi |
| Alma mater |
University of Mississippi U.S. Army War College |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Religion | United Methodist |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States |
| Service/branch |
 Army National Guard |
| Years of service | 1985–present |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | 168th Engineer Brigade |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
John Trent Kelly (born March 1, 1966) is an American politician from Mississippi. A member of the Republican Party, Kelly is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 1st congressional district, following his victory in a special election on June 2, 2015.
Early life and career
Kelly was born on March 1, 1966 in Union, Mississippi and is a resident of Saltillo, Mississippi, where he served as the district attorney of Mississippi's 1st Circuit Judicial District (which includes Lee, Pontotoc, Alcorn, Monroe, Itawamba, Prentiss and Tishomingo counties).[1]
He graduated from Union High School in 1984 and attended East Central Community College in Decatur before graduating from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration.[2]
Kelly attended law school at the University of Mississippi and has a master's degree from the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.[3] He remains a member of the Army National Guard, serving in the 168th Engineer Brigade, and served in the Iraq War and subsequent occupation in 2005 and 2009.[3] After law school, Kelly worked in private practice until 1999, when he became a city prosecutor in Tupelo. He was elected district attorney in 2011, defeating a nine-term Democratic incumbent.[4]
U.S. House of Representatives
2015 special election
After the death of Republican Congressman Alan Nunnelee in 2015, Kelly (also a Republican) entered the race to succeed him. Nunnelee's widow, Tori Nunnelee, contributed to Kelly's campaign.[5] In the first round, Kelly finished second in a thirteen-candidate field, behind Democrat Walter Zinn.[6] As no candidate received a majority of votes, Kelly and Zinn advanced to a second round of voting on June 2.[6] Several of the other candidates in the race endorsed Kelly after they were eliminated.[7] In the heavily Republican district, most political observers expected Kelly to defeat his Democratic opponent.[8][9] In the election, Kelly took 70% of the vote to his Democratic opponent's 30%.[10]
Tenure
Kelly was sworn in by House Speaker John Boehner on June 9, 2015.[11]
Committee assignments
References
- ↑ "About". Trent Kelly for Congress. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- ↑ "Col Trent Kelly". Combat Veterans for Congress. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- 1 2 Guajardo, Rod (April 29, 2015). "Kelly sees Congress as 'ultimate' service job". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
- ↑ Brumfield, Patsy R. (December 29, 2011). "Kelly ready to take on DA's responsibilities". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
- ↑ Harrison, Bobby (April 21, 2015). "Nunnelee funds directed to Kelly's campaign". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
- 1 2 Easley, Jonathan (May 12, 2015). "Democrat advances to runoff in Mississippi special election". The Hill.
- ↑ Pender, Geoff (May 13, 2015). "Democrats celebrate Tuesday win; battle moves to runoff". Clarion Ledger.
- ↑ Cahn, Emily (May 12, 2015). "Mississippi Special Election Heads to Runoff". Roll Call.
- ↑ Pettus, Emily Wagster (May 13, 2015). "1 Dem, 1 Republican headed to US House runoff in Mississippi". Washington Post.
- ↑ Cahn, Emily (June 2, 2015). "Kelly Wins Runoff for Mississippi House Seat". Roll Call.
- ↑ "Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi Sworn in as New House Member". Associated Press. June 9, 2015.
External links
- U.S. Representative Trent Kelly official U.S. House site
- Kelly for Congress campaign site
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Project Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at The Library of Congress
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Alan Nunnelee |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi's 1st congressional district June 2, 2015 – present |
Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by Dan Donovan |
United States Representatives by seniority 431st |
Succeeded by Darin LaHood |