Biography:

Charles "Chip" Pickering was born in Laurel, Miss., where he still resides. He attended public schools in Laurel, Miss., and received a bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi and a master's degree from Baylor University.

He was a Southern Baptist missionary in Budapest, Hungary, from 1986 to 1987. Pickering worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1989 to 1990, and later worked on the staff of U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., from 1990 to 1994.

He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1996.

Pickering and his wife, Leisha, have five sons.

Past Campaigns:

Chip Pickering was elected to the U.S. House in 1996 with 61 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat John Arthur Eaves Jr. He was re-elected in 1998 without major party opposition.

He was re-elected in 2000 with 73 percent of the vote. In 2002, he was re-elected with 64 percent of the vote.

Pickering showed his strength when no credible Democratic challenger filed to run after his defeat of popular Democratic Rep. Ronnie Shows in 2002.

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