Manly Barton
Speaker pro tempore of the Mississippi House of Representatives
Assumed office
January 2, 2024
Preceded byJason White
Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
from the 109th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2012
Preceded byFrank Hamilton
Personal details
Born
Manly George Barton

(1949-03-14) March 14, 1949
Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseSarah Thornton
EducationFaulkner University (BA)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1969–1971
RankSpecialist 5
Unit227th Assault Helicopter Battalion
Battles/warsVietnam War
AwardsBronze Star
Purple Heart

Manly George Barton (born March 14, 1949) is an American politician. He is a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from the 109th District, being first elected in 2011. He was elected Speaker pro tempore in 2024. He is a member of the Republican party.[1]

Early life

Manly Barton was born March 14, 1949 in Mobile, Alabama.[2] He graduated from Vancleave High School and Alabama Christian College.[2]

Barton was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War for the U.S. Army. He received the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star for Valor, and a Bronze for Meritorious Service, Army Air Medal, and an Army Commendation Medal for his service with the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Division.[3]

Career

Barton is a retired systems analyst for Chevron.[2]

Politics

Barton served as a Jackson County Supervisor for 12 years prior to his time in the Mississippi Legislature from 2000 to 2012.[4][5] As supervisor, Barton testified to the House of Representatives on the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on South Mississippi.[6]

Upon the retirement of state Rep. Frank Hamilton, Barton decided to run for the 109th district in the Mississippi House of Representatives. During the campaign, he emphasized economic development, education, rural issues, and infrastructure funding.[7] He was elected to represent the 109th district in 2011 after a competitive primary and assumed office in 2012 after an uncontested general election.[2][8] Barton defeated a third-party Libertarian candidate in 2015 with 87.7% of the vote, and had uncompetitive general elections in 2019 and 2023.[8]

In 2020, Barton voted in favor of changing the Mississippi state flag after pressure from Speaker Phillip Gunn and his wife.[9]

He was elected Speaker pro tempore in 2024, serving under Speaker Jason White.[10]

Personal life

He is married to Sarah Thornton and is of Methodist faith.[2]

In 2020, Barton contracted COVID-19 was admitted to the intensive care unit in a hospital.[11] Barton's son, an Ocean Springs teacher, died in 2023.[12]

Barton is a member of the Military Order Purple Heart, American Legion, VFW, NRA, and East Central Civic Organization.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Manly Barton". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Manly Barton". Mississippi State Legislature. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Rep. Manly Barton at CCTI". ccti.pgsd.ms. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Sampling Our History column: Board of Supervisors guided rapid progress in mid-1900s". gulflive. January 30, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  5. ↑ Havens, April M. (January 3, 2012). "Jackson County Supervisor John McKay voted in as president of board". gulflive. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Jackson County Supervisor to testify in Washington about oil spill's impact". WLOX. June 23, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  7. ↑ Wilkinson, Kaija (July 17, 2011). "District 109 race pits 2 GOP candidates from Hurley: Longtime Jackson County Supervisor Manly Barton, and challenger Boyd Kendall". gulflive. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Manly Barton". Ballotpedia. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  9. ↑ Ganucheau, Adam (July 2, 2021). "Philip Gunn whips the final House votes to change the state flag". Mississippi Today. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  10. ↑ Ulmer, Sarah (January 2, 2024). "Mississippi House ushers in new administration with election of Speaker Jason White". Magnolia Tribune. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  11. ↑ Gates, Jimmie E. "Mississippi Rep. Manly Barton in ICU with COVID-19, fellow lawmaker says". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  12. ↑ Staff, WLOX (June 7, 2023). "Ocean Springs teacher, musician killed in I-10 crash". WLOX. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
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