Travis Childers
A conservative Democrat from Mississippi who scored an upset congressional victory in a deep-red district, briefly defying the national political tide.
Born 1958 (age 68)·American politician·Birthday: March 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Travis Childers built a political career on local roots and a pragmatic, centrist approach. For over 15 years, he served as the Chancery Clerk of Prentiss County, Mississippi, a role that ingrained in him the day-to-day concerns of his community. In 2008, he ran for Congress in a special election to fill a vacant seat in Mississippi's traditionally conservative 1st District. Running as a pro-gun, anti-abortion Democrat who emphasized fiscal responsibility, Childers managed to distance himself from the national party and pull off a notable upset. In Washington, he voted with Democrats on economic stimulus during the financial crisis but often sided with Republicans on social issues. His tenure was short-lived; the 2010 Republican wave swept him out of office after a single full term, a testament to the increasing polarization of his district and the nation.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Travis was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Travis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Travis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a 2008 special election for Mississippi's 1st Congressional District, a Republican stronghold, by focusing on local issues and conservative values.
- Served as a member of the House Financial Services Committee during the aftermath of the 2008 economic crisis.
- Previously served as the elected Chancery Clerk of Prentiss County for 16 years, from 1992 to 2008.
Did You Know?
Before entering politics, he owned and operated a real estate business in Booneville, Mississippi.
Childers is a licensed auctioneer and has conducted charity auctions for various causes.
He was the first Democrat to represent Mississippi's 1st District since 1994, and no Democrat has held the seat since his defeat.
“My focus is on the kitchen table issues, not the shouting in Washington.”
