PROFILES IN CONGRESS: REPRESENTATIVE GREGG HARPER
Representative Gregg Harper, Republican, Mississippi. Harper’s district spans diagonally from Louisiana to Alabama and takes up 24 counties in all, meaning that unless he has votes in Washington, he’s home. “If you’re not home, then you subject yourself to being attacked for not being in your district more often. It’s tough to balance that.”
“I don’t know that I would agree that Congress is bad at its job. It’s just an unusual job. The perception is that Congress is awful. But I would say that the greatest honor I’ve ever had is to serve in the House of Representatives. It’s a constitutional office. It’s the foundation of our country. What gets picked up in the news are the personal attacks, or if somebody’s screaming. I can’t control what other House members do. But, for me, I just make sure that if I have disputes, I confine those to the issues. I’m not going to make personal attacks on other members of my party, or the other party. I think leaders in both parties love their country.
Esquire
10/28/14
