Bob Etheridge

Infobox_Congressman
name = Bob Etheridge


date of birth = birth date and age|1941|08|07
place of birth = Sampson County, North Carolina
occupation= farmer
residence= Lillington, North Carolina
alma_mater= Campbell University
state = North Carolina
district = 2nd
term_start = January 3, 1997
preceded = David Funderburk
succeeded = Incumbent
party = Democrat
spouse = Faye Etheridge
religion = Presbyterian
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=1965-1967

Bobby Ray "Bob" Etheridge (born August 7 1941) is a member of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina, representing that state's 2nd congressional district ( [http://nationalatlas.gov/printable/images/preview/congdist/nc02_109.gifmap] ). Etheridge, a Democrat was first elected to the House in 1996.

Born in Sampson County, North Carolina, Etheridge attended the Johnson School and was a high school basketball standout. He attended Campbell University on an athletic scholarship and became the first member of his family to earn a diploma when he received a buiness degree in 1965. He served in the United States Army from 1965 to 1967. He has also done graduate work in the field of economics.

A tobacco farmer and hardware store owner by trade, Etheridge served as a Harnett County commissioner from 1973 to 1977. In 1978, he was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives, where he served for four terms and rose to chair the House Appropriations Committee. In 1988, Etheridge, who had gained a reputation for his strong stances on educational issues, was elected North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction. After serving two terms in that office, Etheridge was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1996; he serves on the Agriculture, Budget, and Homeland Security committees. While in Congress, he has focused on farm issues, educational matters, and providing a balanced budget.

Etheridge was elected to his sixth consecutive term in the 2006 Congressional elections, earning 66% of the popular vote. He will face Republican Dan Mansell and Libertarian [http://www.adkinsforcongress.com Will Adkins] in the 2008 election cycle.

Bob Etheridge is a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He is active in Freemasonry and is currently the Grand Orator for North Carolina Freemasonry. Etheridge currently resides in Harnett County, North Carolina. His wife is a school nutritionist and they have three children and two grandchildren.

Committee Assignments

*Agriculture Committee
**Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management (Chairman)
**Subcommittee on Horticulture and Organic Agriculture
*Budget Committee
*Homeland Security Committee
**Subcommittee on Emergency Communications, Preparedness, and Response
**Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology

External links

* [http://www.house.gov/etheridge/ Congressman Bob Etheridge] official U.S. House site
* [http://www.etheridgeforcongress.org/ Bob Etheridge for Congress] official campaign site
* [http://www.house.gov/tauscher/ndc/index.shtml New Democrat Coalition]
* [http://ncdp.org/ North Carolina Democratic Party]