David Parker | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Member of the Mississippi State Senate from the 2nd district | |
| Assumed office January 5, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Stone |
| Succeeded by | Theresa Gillespie Isom |
| Member of the Mississippi State Senate from the 19th district | |
| In office December 11,2012 –January 5,2016 | |
| Preceded by | Merle Flowers |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Blackwell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Parker September 11,1969 Memphis,Tennessee,U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Ashleigh Beckett |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | Christian Brothers University Southern College of Optometry |
| Occupation | Optometrist |
David Parker (born 1969) is an American optometrist and politician. He serves as a Republican member of the Mississippi State Senate for District 2,which includes part of DeSoto county.
David Parker was born on September 9,1969,in Memphis,Tennessee. [1] He was educated at Greenbrook Elementary and Southaven High School in Southaven,Mississippi. He graduated from Christian Brothers University on the pre-optometry track. He graduated from the Southern College of Optometry magna cum laude . [2]
Parker works as an optometrist at his own business that he founded. [2] He is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Mississippi Optometric Association. [1]
Parker won a special election in 2012 to replace retiring senator Merle Flowers in District 19 after defeating Rep. Pat Nelson. [2] [3] The district included parts of DeSoto County and was the most populous district in the state. [3] [4] Legislative redistricting created a new district in DeSoto county,resulting in Parker to run in District 2 for the Mississippi State Senate in 2015. [4] He won the election. [1] In 2019,his seat was considered "Safe Republican" by the Mississippi Center for Public Policy. [5]
He voted to defund Common Core in 2014 on an amendment,which ultimately failed. [6] In the aftermath of the Charleston church shooting in June 2015,Parker called for the Confederate battle flag to be removed from the flag of Mississippi,suggesting it was divisive. [7] He was part of the legislative redistricting committee in the senate in 2021. [8] He authored a proposal to reinstate the ballot initiative in the state. [9]
He declined to run for the 1st Congressional District upon Alan Nunnelee's death. [10]
In 2025,Parker opted not to run for re-election. Democrat Theresa Gillespie Isom won the seat. [11]
Parker is married to Ashleigh Beckett and has four children. They reside in Olive Branch,Mississippi. He is a member of the United Methodist Church. [1]