Erik Robert Fleming (born February 2, 1965 in Chicago, Illinois) was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives representing the 72nd District (which includes parts of Hinds and Madison counties) from 1999 to 2008. He was first elected to the post in a January 1999 special election to finish the unexpired term of Tomie Green. He is a member of the Democratic Party who unsuccessfully ran against incumbent Republican Senator Trent Lott in the November 2006 election. (See: Mississippi U.S. Senate election, 2006.) He was defeated in the 2007 primary by Kimberly Campbell, who will succeed him in January 2008. There were four candidates In the June 6, 2006 Democratic primary to challenge Republican U.S. Senator Trent Lott. The top two finishers were Fleming, who received 44 percent, and Hickory Flat business consultant Bill Bowlin, who received 22 percent. In the June 27 runoff between Fleming and Bowlin, Fleming received 65 percent. Fleming was born to Joan and Robert Fleming and attended Lindblom Technical High School. He majored in political science at Jackson State University, became a brother of Alpha Phi Omega while there, and graduated in 1987. Fleming worked with Mississippi Governor Ray Mabus in his 1987 campaign and Mike Parker in his campaign for the U.S. Congress in 1988. Fleming continued to structure his political resume. After those successful campaigns, Fleming was inspired to seek public office for himself. In 2004, Fleming introduced convicted felon and political activist Lyndon LaRouche at a 2004 LaRouche campaign event and described himself as being "involved in Lyn's movement" for many years. [1] Fleming praised LaRouche's 1986 takeover of the Illinois Democratic Party. In 2003, Fleming was one of only 11 signatories to a letter which demanded that LaRouche be included in the debates of the 2004 Presidential election. Currently, Fleming is an abstinence educator with the Mississippi Community Development Corporation, a non-profit agency located in his legislative district. Most recently, Fleming was also chief operating officer for New Horizon Ministries, Inc., a non-profit agency in Jackson, MS.
Fleming is the father of one son, Sean Christopher. He is also the stepfather of two boys, Kenneth and James Brown. Fleming attends Epiphany (formerly St. Philip) Lutheran Church and is a member of several organizations and boards, including the NAACP, the SCLC, the Mississippi Faith-Based Coalition for Community Renewal, the Mississippi Families for Kids, and the Jackson State University National Alumni Association. Fleming's other achievements include: President of the Young Democrats of Mississippi (1991-92), Chair of the Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee (1996-99) National Committeeman of The Young Democrats of America (1993-95) Campaign manager for Henry J. Kirksey for Mayor Campaign (1993) Severed six months in the Category Area Training Program of the U.S
