Wicker, a retired Air Force Reserve Colonel, has been elected and re-elected seven times to the U.S. House of Representatives as well as three times to the Mississippi State Senate.

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Representative Roger Wicker at a press conference Monday.

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has appointed Republican Representative Roger Wicker to replace the retiring Trent Lott in the U.S. Senate. Both Lott and Wicker are rent to own industry supporters, co-sponsoring the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act of 2007. Lott and Wicker announced co-sponsorship in March and October 2007 respectively.

"To me, the first requirement was that the appointee share Senator Lott's conservative values and views and those of Senator Cochran. Congressman Roger Wicker clearly meets that test," Governor Barbour said.

Wicker, a retired Air Force Reserve Colonel, has been elected and re-elected seven times to the U.S. House of Representatives as well as three times to the Mississippi State Senate.

Senator Lott, the only Senator to have served as Whip in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, announced his retirement in November (see story). Lott is the sixth incumbent Republican that will retire before the November 2008 election. Both of Mississippi's Senate seats will be on the ballot in 2008.