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 (1955-08-11) August 11, 1955
Springfield, Missouri, U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Barbara Long
Education University of Missouri
Website House website

William H. Long II[1] (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.

Early life and education

Long is a fourth-generation native of Missouri. He 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 3 years off from school, Long decided to attend a 9 day training with the Missouri Auction School in Kansas City. He received his Certified Auctioneer Institute designation via the National Auctioneers Association Education Institute and Trustees.[3][4]

Professional career

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 drowned out Loomer's heckling with his rapid-fire delivery skills, honed as an auctioneer, 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 M. Kavanaugh, Long retweeted a post comparing attempted rape to a "kiss on the forehead" on Twitter.[8]

U.S. House of Representatives

Long's first official photo

2010

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 narrowly won with 36 percent of the vote. He easily defeated Democratic challenger Scott Eckersley by a nearly two-to-one margin of victory.

2010 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 7th Congressional District
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

2012 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 7th Congressional District
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

In the August 5, 2014 primary race, Long defeated sole Republican challenger Marshall Works 62.4% to 37.6%.[9]

2014 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 7th Congressional District
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

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]

2016 Election for U.S. Representative of Missouri's 7th Congressional District
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

Legislation

Since 2011 Rep. Long has sponsored 14 bills, one resolution and one concurrent resolution, and co-sponsored 844 other pieces of legislation.[11]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Political positions

National security

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.”[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Representative William H. Long (Billy) (R-Missouri, 7th) – Biography from". LegiStorm. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  2. ↑ John Bicknell 112th Congress: Billy Long, R-Mo. (7th District)) CQ Politics November 3, 2010
  3. ↑ "Election". Congress.org. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  4. ↑ "About Billy Long". Billy Long for Congress. 2010-11-02. Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  5. ↑ "About Billy Long". Billy Long for Congress. 2010-11-02. Archived from the original on 2011-09-10. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  6. ↑ "Congressman drowns out protester with auction call in Twitter hearing". Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  7. ↑ "WATCH: A fast-talking auctioneer-turned-Congressman drowned out this far-right protester". PBS NewsHour. Associated Press. September 5, 2018. Retrieved September 7, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Congressman retweets post mocking sexual assault allegation against Brett Kavanaugh". Washington Post. 2018-09-17.
  9. ↑ "2014 Missouri House Primaries Results". Politico. August 6, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Missouri's 7th Congressional District election, 2016". Ballotpedia. Ballotpedia. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  11. ↑ "Legislation Sponsored or Cosponsored by Billy Long". Congress.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Membership". Congressional Arts Caucus. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  13. ↑ "Members". Congressional Constitution Caucus. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  14. ↑ Blake, Aaron. "Coffman, Gardner join Republicans against President Trump's travel ban; here's where the rest stand". Denver Post. Retrieved 30 January 2017.
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
Current U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by
Raúl Labrador
R-Idaho		 United States Representatives by seniority
219th		 Succeeded by
Tom Marino
R-Pennsylvania
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