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Jody HiceAmerican politician
Date of Birth: 22.04.1960
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Pastoral Career
- Entry into Politics
- Congressional Tenure and Affiliations
- 2022 Georgia Secretary of State Election
Early Life and Education
Jody Hice is a prominent American politician and former pastor. Born and raised in Greensboro, Georgia, Hice graduated from Asbury University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He went on to pursue advanced theological studies, earning a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1986 and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary in 1988.
Pastoral Career
Prior to his political career, Hice served as the Senior Pastor of Bethlehem First Baptist Church in Bethlehem, Georgia, from 1982 until April 2010. During his tenure, he held leadership positions as the First Vice President of the Georgia Baptist Convention (2004-2005) and as a professor of preaching at Luther Rice Seminary in Atlanta.
Entry into Politics
Hice first sought election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, running as a Republican candidate for Georgia's 7th Congressional District. However, he was unsuccessful in the primary runoff, losing to former Congressional aide Rob Woodall.
In 2013, with the retirement of Paul Broun, the incumbent Congressman for Georgia's 10th Congressional District, Hice ran and won the Republican nomination. He defeated Mike Collins, a trucking company owner, in the runoff. In the general election, Hice received 66.52% of the vote, securing his election to Congress.
Congressional Tenure and Affiliations
As a member of the Republican Party, Hice represented Georgia's 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023. He was an active member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, a group of Republican lawmakers known for their adherence to fiscal conservatism and limited government intervention.
2022 Georgia Secretary of State Election
In 2021, Hice announced his candidacy for Secretary of State of Georgia, challenging incumbent Republican Brad Raffensperger. Raffensperger had certified the victory of Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, despite baseless claims of election fraud from former President Donald Trump and his supporters, including Hice. Despite receiving Trump's endorsement, Hice was defeated by Raffensperger in the May 24, 2022, primary runoff, losing by a significant margin.
