Billy Long
Billy Long | |
---|---|
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 7th district | |
Assumed office January 3, 2011 | |
Preceded by | Roy Blunt |
Personal details | |
Born | William Hollis Long II[1] August 11, 1955 Springfield, Missouri, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) | Barbara Long (m. 1984) |
Children | 2 |
Education | University of Missouri (did not graduate) Missouri Auction School |
Website | House website |
William Hollis Long II (born August 11, 1955)[2] is an American auctioneer and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Missouri's 7th congressional district since 2011. The district includes much of the southwestern quadrant of the state and is anchored in Springfield. The district also includes Joplin and the popular tourist destination of Branson.
A member of the Republican Party, he was elected to fill the district's vacant seat in the 2010 midterm elections following the successful election of Roy Blunt to the U.S. Senate.
Contents
Early life and education[edit]
A fourth-generation native of Missouri, Long was born in Springfield in 1955. He attended the University of Missouri and was a member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity prior to dropping out. After taking time off from school for three years, Long decided to attend a nine-day training program at the Missouri Auction School in Kansas City. He received his Certified Auctioneer designation via the National Auctioneers Association.[3][4]
Professional career[edit]
Long owned Billy Long Auctions, LLC. He was also a talk radio show host on the Springfield-based station KWTO. He is a member of the National Association of Realtors, National Auctioneers Association, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, the National Rifle Association, and the Greater Springfield Board of Realtors.[5]
During a September 2018 House Committee on Energy and Commerce hearing on alleged anti-conservative bias on social media, far-right internet personality Laura Loomer interrupted the meeting. Long began a mock auction chant pretending he was selling Loomer's mobile phone until she was escorted out.[6][7] The incident generated considerable laughter from the audience.
Long also participated in the World Poker Tour participating in professional sanctioned games including the Southern Poker Championship at the Beau Rivage and the Bellagio Cup.
In September 2018, in response to sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Long retweeted a post comparing attempted rape to a "kiss on the forehead" on Twitter.[8]
U.S. House of Representatives[edit]
2010[edit]
Republican Primary[edit]
Long joined the race for the 7th Congressional District after incumbent U.S. Representative Roy Blunt chose to run for the U.S. Senate seat that was being vacated by Kit Bond. In the crowded seven-way Republican primary—the de facto real election in the most Republican district in the state—Long won with 36 percent of the vote.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Billy Long | 38,218 | 36.56 | |
Republican | Jack Goodman | 30,401 | 29.08 | |
Republican | Gary Nodler | 14,561 | 13.93 | |
Republican | Darrell Moore | 9,312 | 13.93 | |
Republican | Jeff Wisdom | 4,552 | 4.35 | |
Republican | Mike Moon | 4,473 | 4.28 | |
Republican | Steve Hunter | 2,173 | 2.08 | |
Republican | Michael Wardell | 844 | 0.81 | |
Total votes | 104,534 | 100.00 |
General Election[edit]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Billy Long | 141,010 | 63.39 | |
Democratic | Scott Eckersley | 67,545 | 30.37 | |
Libertarian | Kevin Craig | 13,866 | 6.23 | |
Write-in | Others | 10 | 0.00 |
2012[edit]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Billy Long | 203,565 | 63.87 | |
Democratic | Jim Evans | 98,498 | 30.90 | |
Libertarian | Kevin Craig | 16,668 | 5.23 | |
Write-in | Others | 9 | 0.00 |
2014[edit]
In the August 5, 2014 primary race, Long defeated sole Republican challenger Marshall Works 62.4% to 37.6%.[9]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Billy Long | 104,054 | 63.46 | |
Democratic | Jim Evans | 47,282 | 28.84 | |
Libertarian | Kevin Craig | 12,584 | 7.68 | |
Write-in | Others | 37 | 0.02 |
2016[edit]
On August 2, Bill Long defeated Republican candidates Nathan Clay, Christopher Batsche, Matthew Evans, Lyndle Spencer, Matthew Canovi, James Nelson and Mary Byrne in the Republican primaries.[10]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Billy Long | 228,692 | 67.5 | |
Democratic | Genevieve Williams | 92,756 | 27.4 | |
Libertarian | Benjamin Brixey | 17,153 | 5.1 | |
Write-in | Others | 6 | 0.0 |
2018[edit]
In the 2018 Republican primaries, Congressman Long defeated Republican challengers Jim Evans, Lance Norris, and Benjamin Holcomb. In the general election, he defeated Democratic nominee Jamie Schoolcraft, who had defeated Democrats Kenneth Hatfield, John Farmer de la Torre, and Vincent Jennings.[11]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Billy Long | 195,872 | 66.3 | |
Democratic | Jamie Schoolcraft | 88,642 | 30 | |
Libertarian | Benjamin Brixey | 10,833 | 3.7 | |
Write-in | Others | 270 | 0.1 |
Legislation[edit]
Since 2011 Rep. Long has sponsored 14 bills, one resolution and one concurrent resolution, and co-sponsored 844 other pieces of legislation.[12] Long also introduced the Agricultural Certainty for Reporting Emissions Act on March 14, 2018, which would amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980. The bill, however, has not passed the House of Representatives for further voting in the Senate.[13]
Committee assignments[edit]
Caucus memberships[edit]
Political positions[edit]
National security[edit]
Long supported President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order to impose a temporary ban on entry to the U.S. to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. He stated that “President Trump’s recent executive order on national security shows how keeping Americans safe remains one of his top priorities. Allowing agencies to reevaluate the refugee resettlement program is a commonsense approach to making sure that happens.”[17]
Abortion[edit]
Congressman Long is notably pro-life, stating he is "100% pro-life" on his congressional website. Long is anti-Roe v Wade and said that the judiciary deciding on the topic of abortion does not give the American people the opportunity to choose for themselves through elected representatives. Long said on his congressional website: "When the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade in 1973, it threw open the doors for abortion without giving the people an opportunity to make their views known on the issue through their elected representatives. The judicial protection for abortion has unfortunately continued in opposition to the expressed will of the majority of the people." Long is in favor of cutting government funding to Planned Parenthood and is a member of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus.[18]
Immigration[edit]
Long believes in "legal, regulated, and appropriate levels of immigration", according to his election website, but urges response to illegal immigration over the American-Mexican border. Long believes illegal immigration disrupts American society, and allows for criminals, drug traffickers, and terrorists to enter the United States unchecked.[19] In a 2010 campaign website, Congressman Long stated, "Our nation is built upon laws. People cannot be allowed to come into our nation illegally and become a drain on taxpayer money by taking advantage of our social safety net. Billy opposes liberals' amnesty efforts, which will do nothing to stem the tide of illegal immigration. Continuing to turn our back on illegal immigration is a national security issue that drains our economy and rewards people who knowingly violate our laws. We literally can no longer afford to ignore this problem."[20]
References[edit]
- ^ Obituary for William H. Long
- ^ John Bicknell 112th Congress: Billy Long, R-Mo. (7th District))[permanent dead link] CQ Politics November 3, 2010
- ^ "Election". Congress.org. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
- ^ "About Billy Long". Billy Long for Congress. 2010-11-02. Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
- ^ "About Billy Long". Billy Long for Congress. 2010-11-02. Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
- ^ "Congressman drowns out protester with auction call in Twitter hearing". Retrieved 6 September 2018.
- ^ "Watch: A fast-talking auctioneer-turned-Congressman drowned out this far-right protester". PBS NewsHour. Associated Press. September 5, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
- ^ "Congressman retweets post mocking sexual assault allegation against Brett Kavanaugh". Washington Post. 2018-09-17.
- ^ "2014 Missouri House Primaries Results". Politico. August 6, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
- ^ "Missouri's 7th Congressional District election, 2016". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ^ "Billy Long". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia.
- ^ "Legislation Sponsored or Cosponsored by Billy Long". Congress.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
- ^ "H.R.5275 - Agricultural Certainty for Reporting Emissions Act". Congress. United States Congress.
- ^ "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
- ^ "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ "Members". U.S. - Japan Caucus. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
- ^ Blake, Aaron. "Coffman, Gardner join Republicans against President Trump's travel ban; here's where the rest stand". Denver Post. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
- ^ Long, Billy. "Abortion". Long.House.Gov. United States House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ Long, Billy. "Immigration". Billy Long For Congress. Billy Long For Congress. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ "Billy Long on Immigration". On the Issues. On the Issues. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
External links[edit]
- Congressman Billy Long official U.S. House site
- Billy Long for Congress
- Billy Long at Curlie
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
U.S. House of Representatives | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by Roy Blunt |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 7th congressional district 2011–present |
Incumbent |
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
Preceded by Adam Kinzinger |
United States Representatives by seniority 170th |
Succeeded by David McKinley |
- 1955 births
- 21st-century American politicians
- American auctioneers
- Indiana University alumni
- Living people
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri
- Missouri Republicans
- Politicians from Springfield, Missouri
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- University of Missouri alumni