Alan Wheat: Difference between revisions

Alan Wheat
Alan Wheat
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; from Missouri's 5th district
	In office; January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1995
Preceded by	Richard Bolling
Succeeded by	Karen McCarthy
Member of the Missouri House of Representatives; from the 26th district
	In office; January 1977 – January 1983
Preceded by	Harold Holliday
Succeeded by	Chris Kelly
Personal details
Born	October 16, 1951 (age 73); San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Children	3
Education	Grinnell College (BA)

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Alan Dupree Wheat (born October 16, 1951) is an American economist, lobbyist, and politician who served six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Missouri from 1983 to 1995.

Early life

His father was James Wheat, an officer and civil engineer in the U.S. Air Force. His mother Emogene (Jean) Wheat was a teacher. Since his father served in the USAF, he grew up in air bases and went to schools in Wichita, Kansas, and Seville in Spain. In 1968, he graduated from Airline High School in Bossier City, Louisiana. Wheat was hired by the Department of Housing and Urban Development as an economist in 1972 after passing his B.A. in economics at Grinnell College, in Iowa. Between 1973 and 1975 he joined the Mid–America Regional Council in Kansas City for the same role. In 1975 he then became an aide to Mike White a Jackson County, Missouri, executive.

Missouri legislature

In 1976, he won the election at age 25 to the Missouri general assembly, at the age of 25 and stayed there until 1982.^[1]^[2]

Campaign for Congress

When Congressman Richard Bolling retired at the 1982 House of Representatives election,^[3] Wheat won the Democratic primary by only 1,004 votes (11%).^[1]^[4] He went on to win the general election to succeed Bolling by beating Republican John Sharp with 58% of the votes.^[5]

House career and Senate campaign

Wheat was the youngest member of the United States House of Representatives ever to be appointed to the Rules Committee, and was also the first African-American to represent a district with a non-liberal white majority. He was also a member of the United States House Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families.^[6]

In 1992, Wheat drew four opponents in the Democratic primary election. He was perceived to be vulnerable due to the House banking scandal and his having been one of the House members who had made overdrafts. Wheat survived the primary and defeated Republican Edward “Gomer” Moody, who was a well-known Missouri businessman. Wheat won the general election, which also included two third-party candidates, with 59% of the vote.^[2]

After United States Senator John Danforth said he would not run for re-election in the 1994 election, Wheat chose to leave the House and instead run for Danforth's seat. The Senate race was closely watched nationally because Wheat was perceived as a candidate who could win crossover votes, as the House district he represented was 70 percent white.^[2] Wheat lost the general election to former governor John Ashcroft. Karen McCarthy was elected to succeed him in the House.

Post-congressional career

After his Senate race, Wheat was chosen as vice president of Public Policy and Government Relations at CARE. He served as deputy campaign manager and director of constituent outreach of President Bill Clinton's re-election campaign in 1996.^[7] In 1997, Wheat formed the lobbying group Wheat Government Relations.

Wheat joined the national law firm and lobbying practice Polsinelli in 2013, as the firm's Public Policy practice chair.^[8]

In 2021, Wheat helped found Wheat Shroyer Government Relations, a public service-oriented lobbying firm, where he currently serves as Chairman.^[9]

Wheat currently serves on the board of directors at CARE.

Personal life

Wheat has three children.

References

^ ^a ^b "WHEAT, Alan Dupree | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-22.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Wheat, Alan 1951–".
^ Ehrenhalt, Alan (1981-09-28). "Rep. Bolling to Retire, but Imprint will Linger". Chicago Daily Herald: 9.
^ Swain, Carol Miller (1995). Black Faces, Black Interests: The Representation of African Americans in Congress. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-07616-7.
^ Ruffin, David C (August 1986). Black Enterprise. Earl G. Graves, Ltd.
^ Children, youth, and families: Beginning the assessment. Hearing before the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families; House of Representatives, Ninety-Eighth Congress, First Session^{[permanent dead link‍]}, United States House of Representatives, Washington, DC, 28 April 1984, Original document retrieved 19 January 2014 from ERIC at Ed.gov: Institution of Education Sciences.
^ Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 1996-11-04.
^ "Former Congressman Alan Wheat to Lead Polsinelli's National Public Policy Practice" (Press release). Polsinelli, PC. September 16, 2013. Archived from the original on January 25, 2014.
^ "Alan Wheat | WSGR". Retrieved 2023-06-20.

External links

Missouri House of Representatives
Preceded by Harold Holliday	Member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 26th district 1977–1983	Succeeded by Chris Kelly
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Richard Bolling	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 5th congressional district 1983–1995	Succeeded by Karen McCarthy
Party political offices
Preceded by Jay Nixon	Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Missouri (Class 1) 1994	Succeeded by Mel Carnahan
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded by Mike Michaud as Former US Representative	Order of precedence of the United States as Former US Representative	Succeeded by Kenny Hulshof as Former US Representative

[:0-1] "WHEAT, Alan Dupree | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. Retrieved 2020-06-22.

[Ency-2] "Wheat, Alan 1951–".

[3] Ehrenhalt, Alan (1981-09-28). "Rep. Bolling to Retire, but Imprint will Linger". Chicago Daily Herald: 9.

[4] Swain, Carol Miller (1995). Black Faces, Black Interests: The Representation of African Americans in Congress. Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-07616-7.

[5] Ruffin, David C (August 1986). Black Enterprise. Earl G. Graves, Ltd.

[Hearing-6] Children, youth, and families: Beginning the assessment. Hearing before the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families; House of Representatives, Ninety-Eighth Congress, First Session^{[permanent dead link‍]}, United States House of Representatives, Washington, DC, 28 April 1984, Original document retrieved 19 January 2014 from ERIC at Ed.gov: Institution of Education Sciences.

[7] Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. 1996-11-04.

[8] "Former Congressman Alan Wheat to Lead Polsinelli's National Public Policy Practice" (Press release). Polsinelli, PC. September 16, 2013. Archived from the original on January 25, 2014.

[9] "Alan Wheat | WSGR". Retrieved 2023-06-20.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|American politician (born 1951)}}
-{{more footnotes|date=March 2013}}
+{{more footnotes needed|date=March 2013}}
 {{Infobox officeholder
 |name         = Alan Wheat
@@ Line 24: / Line 25: @@
 |education    = [[Grinnell College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])
 }}
-'''Alan Dupree Wheat''' (born October 16, 1951, [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]]) is an American [[politician]] from the [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Missouri]].
+'''Alan Dupree Wheat''' (born October 16, 1951) is an American economist, lobbyist, and [[politician]] who served six terms in the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] from the [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Missouri]] from 1983 to 1995.
 ==Early life==
-His father was James Wheat, an officer and civil engineer in the [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]]. His mother Emogene (Jean) Wheat was a teacher. Since his father served in the USAF, he grew up in air bases and went to schools in [[Wichita, Kansas]], and [[Seville]] in Spain. In 1968, he graduated from [[Airline High School]] in [[Bossier City, Louisiana|Bossier City]], Louisiana. Wheat was hired by the [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|Department of Housing and Urban Development]] as an economist in 1972 after passing his B.A. in economics at [[Grinnell College]], in Iowa. Between 1973 and 1975 he joined the [[Mid-America Regional Council|Mid–America Regional Council]] in Kansas City for the same role. In 1975 he then became an aide to Mike White a [[Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson County]], Missouri, executive. In 1976, he won the election to the [[Missouri General Assembly|Missouri general assembly]], at the age of 25 and stayed there until 1982.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=WHEAT, Alan Dupree {{!}} US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives|url=https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/enwiki/w/WHEAT,-Alan-Dupree-(W000326)/|access-date=2020-06-22|website=history.house.gov|language=en}}</ref>
+His father was James Wheat, an officer and civil engineer in the [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]]. His mother Emogene (Jean) Wheat was a teacher. Since his father served in the USAF, he grew up in air bases and went to schools in [[Wichita, Kansas]], and [[Seville]] in Spain. In 1968, he graduated from [[Airline High School]] in [[Bossier City, Louisiana|Bossier City]], Louisiana. Wheat was hired by the [[United States Department of Housing and Urban Development|Department of Housing and Urban Development]] as an economist in 1972 after passing his B.A. in economics at [[Grinnell College]], in Iowa. Between 1973 and 1975 he joined the [[Mid-America Regional Council|Mid–America Regional Council]] in Kansas City for the same role. In 1975 he then became an aide to Mike White a [[Jackson County, Missouri|Jackson County]], Missouri, executive.
+=== Missouri legislature ===
+In 1976, he won the election at age 25 to the [[Missouri General Assembly|Missouri general assembly]], at the age of 25 and stayed there until 1982.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=WHEAT, Alan Dupree {{!}} US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives|url=https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/enwiki/w/WHEAT,-Alan-Dupree-(W000326)/|access-date=2020-06-22|website=history.house.gov|language=en}}</ref><ref name="Ency">{{cite news | url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/wheat-alan-1951#A |title=Wheat, Alan 1951–}}</ref>
+=== Campaign for Congress ===
-When Congressman [[Richard Walker Bolling]] had to retire after the [[1982 United States House of Representatives elections|1982 House of Representative election]],<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ehrenhalt|first=Alan|date=1981-09-28|title=Rep. Bolling to Retire, but Imprint will Linger|journal=[[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois)|Chicago Daily Herald]]|pages=9}}</ref> Wheat won the Democratic [[primary election|primary]] by only 1,004 votes (11%).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Swain|first=Carol Miller|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LpSHAAAAMAAJ&q=alan+Wheat|title=Black Faces, Black Interests: The Representation of African Americans in Congress|date=1995|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-07616-7|language=en}}</ref> He went on to win the general election to succeed Bolling by beating Republican John Sharp with 58% of the votes.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ruffin|first=David C|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ol8EAAAAMBAJ&q=alan+wheat|title=Black Enterprise|date=August 1986|publisher=Earl G. Graves, Ltd.|language=en}}</ref>
+When Congressman [[Richard Walker Bolling|Richard Bolling]] retired at the [[1982 United States House of Representatives elections|1982 House of Representatives election]],<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ehrenhalt|first=Alan|date=1981-09-28|title=Rep. Bolling to Retire, but Imprint will Linger|journal=[[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois)|Chicago Daily Herald]]|pages=9}}</ref> Wheat won the Democratic [[Partisan primary|primary]] by only 1,004 votes (11%).<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|last=Swain|first=Carol Miller|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LpSHAAAAMAAJ&q=alan+Wheat|title=Black Faces, Black Interests: The Representation of African Americans in Congress|date=1995|publisher=Harvard University Press|isbn=978-0-674-07616-7|language=en}}</ref> He went on to win the general election to succeed Bolling by beating Republican John Sharp with 58% of the votes.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Ruffin|first=David C|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ol8EAAAAMBAJ&q=alan+wheat|title=Black Enterprise|date=August 1986|publisher=Earl G. Graves, Ltd.|language=en}}</ref>
 ==House career and Senate campaign==
-Wheat was the youngest member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] ever to be appointed to the [[U.S. House Committee on Rules|Rules Committee]], and was also the first African-American to represent a district with a non-liberal white majority.  He was also a member of the [[United States House Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families]]<ref name="Hearing">[http://files/eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED245830.pdf Children, youth, and families: Beginning the assessment. Hearing before the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families; House of Representatives, Ninety-Eighth Congress, First Session]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''United States House of Representatives'', Washington, DC, 28 April 1984, Original document retrieved 19 January 2014 from ERIC at Ed.gov: Institution of Education Sciences.</ref>
+Wheat was the youngest member of the [[United States House of Representatives]] ever to be appointed to the [[U.S. House Committee on Rules|Rules Committee]], and was also the first African-American to represent a district with a non-liberal white majority. He was also a member of the [[United States House Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families]].<ref name="Hearing">[http://files/eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED245830.pdf Children, youth, and families: Beginning the assessment. Hearing before the Select Committee on Children, Youth, and Families; House of Representatives, Ninety-Eighth Congress, First Session]{{dead link|date=November 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''United States House of Representatives'', Washington, DC, 28 April 1984, Original document retrieved 19 January 2014 from ERIC at Ed.gov: Institution of Education Sciences.</ref>
+In 1992, Wheat drew four opponents in the Democratic primary election. He was perceived to be vulnerable due to the [[House banking scandal]] and his having been one of the House members who had made overdrafts. Wheat survived the primary and defeated Republican Edward “Gomer” Moody, who was a well-known Missouri businessman. Wheat won the general election, which also included two third-party candidates, with 59% of the vote.<ref name="Ency"/>
-After [[United States Senator]] [[John Danforth]] said he would not run for re-election in the [[1994 United States Senate election in Missouri|1994 election]], Wheat chose to leave the House and instead run for Danforth's seat. Wheat lost the general election to former governor [[John Ashcroft]]. [[Karen McCarthy]] was elected to succeed him in the House.
+After [[United States Senator]] [[John Danforth]] said he would not run for re-election in the [[1994 United States Senate election in Missouri|1994 election]], Wheat chose to leave the House and instead run for Danforth's seat. The Senate race was closely watched nationally because Wheat was perceived as a candidate who could win crossover votes, as the House district he represented was 70 percent white.<ref name="Ency"/> Wheat lost the general election to former governor [[John Ashcroft]]. [[Karen McCarthy]] was elected to succeed him in the House.
-==Post-Congressional career==
+==Post-congressional career==
-After his Senate race, Wheat was chosen as vice president of Public Policy and Government Relations at [[Care International|CARE]]. He served as deputy campaign manager and director of constituent outreach of [[President of the United States|President]] [[Bill Clinton]]'s re-election campaign in [[1996 United States presidential election|1996]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Company|first=Johnson Publishing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kDgDAAAAMBAJ&q=Alan+Wheat%2C%E2%80%9D+Who%E2%80%99s+Who+Among+African+Americans&pg=PA12|title=Jet|date=1996-11-04|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|language=en}}</ref> In 1997, Wheat formed the [[lobbying]] group [http://www.wheatgr.com Wheat Government Relations]. Wheat Government Relations is a full service lobbying firm representing clients on a broad range of issues including: Health Care, Energy, Financial Services, Education, Telecommunications, Information Technology, etc.
+After his Senate race, Wheat was chosen as vice president of Public Policy and Government Relations at [[Care International|CARE]]. He served as deputy campaign manager and director of constituent outreach of [[President of the United States|President]] [[Bill Clinton]]'s re-election campaign in [[1996 United States presidential election|1996]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kDgDAAAAMBAJ&q=Alan+Wheat%2C%E2%80%9D+Who%E2%80%99s+Who+Among+African+Americans&pg=PA12|title=Jet|date=1996-11-04|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company|language=en}}</ref> In 1997, Wheat formed the [[lobbying]] group Wheat Government Relations.
-Wheat Government Relations represents clients on the issues of: 1) Health Care  2) Federal Budget & Appropriations [https://archive.is/20070510102303/http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/m_opr_viewer.exe?DoFn=3]; 3) Indian & Native American Affairs [https://archive.is/20070510102303/http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/m_opr_viewer.exe?DoFn=3];
+Wheat joined the national law firm and lobbying practice [[Polsinelli]] in 2013, as the firm's Public Policy practice chair.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://www.polsinelli.com/newsevents/press-release-alan-wheat-group |title=Former Congressman Alan Wheat to Lead Polsinelli's National Public Policy Practice |date=September 16, 2013|publisher=Polsinelli, PC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140125190652/https://www.polsinelli.com/newsevents/press-release-alan-wheat-group |archive-date=January 25, 2014}}</ref>
-Wheat currently serves on the Board of Directors at CARE.
+In 2021, Wheat helped found [https://www.wheatshroyer.com/ Wheat Shroyer Government Relations], a public service-oriented lobbying firm, where he currently serves as Chairman.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alan Wheat {{!}} WSGR |url=https://www.wheatshroyer.com/alan-wheat |access-date=2023-06-20 |language=en}}</ref>
+Wheat currently serves on the board of directors at CARE.
 == Personal life ==
@@ Line 50: / Line 60: @@
 ==See also==
-*[[List of African-American United States Representatives]]
+*[[List of African-American United States representatives]]
 ==References==
@@ Line 60: / Line 70: @@
 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070311113833/http://sopr.senate.gov/cgi-win/m_opr_viewer.exe?DoFn=3&iREG=WHEAT%20GOVERNMENT%20RELATIONS&iREGQUAL== '''U.S. Senate Office of Public Records''': Lobbyist Registration]
 *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060527164029/http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby/profile.aspx?act=firms&year=2003&lo=L003184 '''Center for Public Integrity:''' LobbyWatch, Wheat Government Relations]
-* {{C-SPAN|alanwheat}}
+* {{C-SPAN|11997}}
 {{s-start}}
+{{s-par|us-mo-hs}}
+{{s-bef|before=Harold Holliday}}
+{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[Missouri House of Representatives]]<br>from the 26th district|years=1977–1983}}
+{{s-aft|after=Chris Kelly}}
+|-
 {{s-par|us-hs}}
 {{s-bef|before=[[Richard Walker Bolling|Richard Bolling]]}}
@@ Line 72: / Line 87: @@
 {{s-ttl|title={{nowrap|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[List of United States Senators from Missouri|U.S. Senator from Missouri]]}}<br>([[Classes of United States Senators|Class 1]])|years=[[1994 United States Senate election in Missouri|1994]]}}
 {{s-aft|after=[[Mel Carnahan]]}}
+|-
+{{s-prec|usa}}
+{{s-bef|before=[[Mike Michaud]]|as=Former US Representative}}
+{{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]<br>''{{small|as Former US Representative}}''|years=}}
+{{s-aft|after=[[Kenny Hulshof]]|as=Former US Representative}}
 {{s-end}}
+{{USCongRep-start|congresses= 98th–103rd [[United States Congress]] |state=[[Missouri]]}}
+{{USCongRep/MO/98}}
+{{USCongRep/MO/99}}
+{{USCongRep/MO/100}}
+{{USCongRep/MO/101}}
+{{USCongRep/MO/102}}
+{{USCongRep/MO/103}}
+{{USCongRep-end}}
 {{Authority control}}
@@ Line 82: / Line 109: @@
 [[Category:Airline High School alumni]]
 [[Category:American lobbyists]]
-[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives]]
+[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri]]
 [[Category:Grinnell College alumni]]
 [[Category:Living people]]
-[[Category:Members of the Missouri House of Representatives]]
+[[Category:Democratic Party members of the Missouri House of Representatives]]
+[[Category:Politicians from San Antonio]]
-[[Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri]]
-[[Category:Missouri Democrats]]
-[[Category:People from San Antonio]]
 [[Category:Politicians from Kansas City, Missouri]]
+[[Category:21st-century African-American politicians]]
+[[Category:20th-century African-American politicians]]
+[[Category:Members of Congress who became lobbyists]]
+[[Category:20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives]]
+[[Category:20th-century members of the Missouri General Assembly]]

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