Biography:

Joe Wilson was born July 31, 1947, in Charleston, S.C. He received his undergraduate degree from Washington and Lee University in Lexington and his law degree at the University of South Carolina. He practiced law for several years before being elected to the state Senate, where he served 17 years.

Wilson is a founding partner at the law firm Kirkland, Wilson, Moore, Taylor, O'Day & Thomas where he practiced for over 25 years.

He retired from the South Carolina Army National Guard as a colonel serving as a staff judge advocate in 2003 after 31 years.

He was elected to Congress in 2001 in a special election to complete the term of longtime Rep. Floyd Spence.

He and his wife, Roxanne Dusenbury, have four sons.

Past Campaigns:

Joe Wilson was elected to the South Carolina Senate in 1985. In the 2001 special election to fill Spence's seat, he received 40,289 votes, or 73 percent, to political newcomer Brent Weaver's 14,088 votes, or 26 percent.

Wilson was re-elected in 2002 with 84 percent of the vote.

He faces newcomer Michael Ray Ellisor, a Democrat, and perennial candidate Steve Lefemine, on the Constitution Party ticket, in the 2004 contest.

Election Information by State: Select a State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DC Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Mass. Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hamp. New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming -------------------------   Candidate Search Find candidate running for federal and state offices. Candidate Last Name State (Optional) All Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware DC Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Mass. Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hamp. New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming ------------------------- Office Type (Optional) All President U.S. Senate U.S. House Governor State Office Local Office