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After graduating from [[Ole Miss]], Trent Lott was the staffer for Rules Committee chairman [[William Colmer]], a conservative Democrat. When Colmer retired in 1972, Lott ran as a Republican, receiving Colmer's endorsement.<ref>http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/12/16/timep.lott.tm/</ref>. In the House, Lott achieved prominence, serving as Minority Whip from 1981-1989. In 1988 he was elected to the United States Senate to succeed [[John Stennis]]. In the Senate he has served as Majority Leader and Minority Leader, and is currently serving as the Minority Whip.

After graduating from [[Ole Miss]], Trent Lott was the staffer for Rules Committee chairman [[William Colmer]], a conservative Democrat. When Colmer retired in 1972, Lott ran as a Republican, receiving Colmer's endorsement.<ref>http://archives.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/12/16/timep.lott.tm/</ref>. In the House, Lott achieved prominence, serving as Minority Whip from 1981-1989. In 1988 he was elected to the United States Senate to succeed [[John Stennis]]. In the Senate he has served as Majority Leader and Minority Leader, and is currently serving as the Minority Whip.

Lott resigned his position as Majority Leader after commenting that things would have been better had [[Strom Thurmond]] won his presidential bid.  This angered many people, as Thurmond had run on a pro-segregation platform and once declared during his campaign against Democrat Harry S. Truman, who supported civil rights legislation: "All the laws of Washington and all the bayonets of the Army cannot force the Negro into our homes, our schools, our churches."

Lott resigned his position as Majority Leader after commenting that things would have been better had [[Strom Thurmond]] won his presidential bid.  This angered many people, as Thurmond had run on a pro-segregation platform.

 

[[Category:US Senators]]

[[Category:US Senators]]