25th United States Secretary of Agriculture From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alphonso Michael Espy (born November 30, 1953) is an American politician.[1] He is a member of the Democratic Party.
Mike Espy | |
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25th United States Secretary of Agriculture | |
In office January 22, 1993 – December 31, 1994 | |
President | Bill Clinton |
Preceded by | 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(s) | Portia Ballard |
Children | 3 |
Education |
From 1987 to 1993, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Mississippi. From 1993 to 1994 he was nominated to be the United States Secretary of Agriculture by President Bill Clinton. He was both the first African American and first person from the Deep South in that position.
Espy was indicted in 1997 for receiving improper gifts, but acquitted of all 30 charges in 1998.
On March 5, 2018, Epsy announced his candidacy for Thad Cochran's U.S. Senate seat in the wake of Cochran's retirement.[2] On November 6, 2018, Espy and Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith advanced to a run-off election where he lost to Hyde-Smith.[3]
On November 30, 2018, Epsy filed to run again Hyde-Smith again for the 2020 election.[4] He won the Democratic nomination again in March 2020. He lost the election again to Hyde-Smith in November 2020.