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Walter Beaman Jones, Jr. (born February 10, 1943), was the son of U.S. representative Walter B. Jones Sr. (1913–1992). Jones Jr. was raised a Southern Baptist but converted to Catholicism in his early 30s. He represented North Carolina for 12 terms in the House of Representatives and passed away on his 76th birthday in 2019. His father, Jones Sr., was a Democratic Party congressman from the neighbouring 1st district.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Walter Beaman Jones, Sr. |
| Birth Year | 1913 |
| Death Year | 1992 |
| Political Party | Democratic Party |
| Profession | Congressman |
| Religion | Christian |
| Son | Walter Beaman Jones, Jr. |
| Son's Religion | Raised Southern Baptist, converted to Catholicism at 31 |
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What You'll Learn
Walter Jones Sr.'s son, Walter Jones Jr., was a Catholic convert
Jones Jr. attended Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in Wilson, North Carolina. He then served four years in the North Carolina National Guard before working as an executive in his family's business supply company. In 1982, he was elected as a Democrat to the North Carolina House of Representatives, serving five terms until 1992. Known for his advocacy of campaign finance reform and lobbying reform, Jones Jr. ran for his father's seat in North Carolina's 1st congressional district after the latter's retirement from Congress that same year. However, he lost in the primary election to Eva Clayton, a liberal, labour-backed county commissioner.
Disillusioned by this defeat and disagreeing with the Democratic Party on certain issues, Jones Jr. switched his party affiliation to Republican. In 1994, he rode Newt Gingrich's "Contract With America" to a seat in Congress, winning in North Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Jones Jr.'s voting record has been described as very conservative, although it drifted more toward the centre in his later years. He was known for his anti-abortion beliefs and his opposition to the Iraq War.
Jones Jr. was married to Joe Anne Whitehurst (or Jo Annee) in 1966, and the couple had one daughter, Ashley. He passed away on February 10, 2019, in Greenville, North Carolina, on his 76th birthday. He was remembered for his honesty, faith, integrity, and independence, admired across the political spectrum for doing what he thought was right.
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Walter Jones Jr. was raised a Southern Baptist
Walter Beaman Jones Jr., born on February 10, 1943, in Farmville, North Carolina, was raised a Southern Baptist. He was the son of U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones Sr., a Democratic Party congressman, and Doris (Long) Jones. Jones Jr. was a lifelong resident of Farmville, North Carolina, a small town near Greenville, North Carolina.
Jones Jr. was a conservative Christian who followed in his father's political footsteps. He attended Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in Wilson, North Carolina. After graduating, he served four years (1967-1971) in the North Carolina National Guard.
In 1982, Jones Jr. was elected as a Democrat to the North Carolina House of Representatives, serving five terms until 1992. He was known for his advocacy of campaign finance reform and lobbying reform. After his father's retirement from Congress in 1992, Jones Jr. ran for his father's seat in North Carolina's 1st congressional district but lost in the primary election.
In 1994, Jones Jr. switched parties and ran in North Carolina's 3rd congressional district, winning a seat in Congress. He was a loyal supporter of Newt Gingrich's "Contract With America" and backed various conservative policies. However, he became disillusioned with the influence of lobbyists, the power of money, and the ego-driven politics of the nation's capital.
It is worth noting that Jones Jr. converted to Catholicism in his early 30s. He passed away on February 10, 2019, in Greenville, North Carolina, on his 76th birthday. He is survived by his wife, Jo Annee, and their daughter, Ashley.
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Walter Jones Jr. was a congressman
Walter B. Jones Jr. was a congressman and the son of U.S. representative Walter B. Jones Sr. and Doris (Long) Jones. He was a lifelong resident of Farmville, North Carolina, and graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Atlantic Christian College. Jones served in the North Carolina National Guard from 1967 to 1971 and worked as an executive for his family's business supply company.
Jones was first elected as a Democrat to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1982 and served for five terms, until 1992. He was known for his advocacy of campaign finance reform and lobbying reform during his time in the North Carolina House. In 1992, Jones ran for his father's seat in North Carolina's 1st congressional district after his father announced his retirement from Congress. Jones switched parties and ran in North Carolina's 3rd congressional district in 1994, winning the election and serving as a congressman for 12 terms.
During his time in Congress, Jones was known for his independence and willingness to take principled stands. He was one of the leading Republicans who opposed continued U.S. involvement in Iraq and co-sponsored legislation with fellow North Carolina congressman Heath Shuler to protect children from potentially objectionable content on aircraft. Jones was also the only Republican co-sponsor of legislation to challenge Tom DeLay's proposed changes to House ethics rules. In 2007, he was one of only three Republicans to vote to hold George W. Bush confidantes Joshua Bolten and Harriet Miers in contempt of Congress. Jones was a member of the Liberty Caucus, a group of libertarian-minded Republican congressional representatives, and he cosponsored four cannabis bills, including supporting veterans' access to medical cannabis.
In December 2018, Jones was granted a leave of absence from Congress due to illness and was sworn into the 116th Congress from his home in Farmville, North Carolina. He passed away on February 10, 2019, at the age of 76, and was remembered for his honesty, faith, and integrity.
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Walter Jones Sr. was a Democratic Party congressman
Jones was born in Farmville, North Carolina, in 1943. He came from a political family, with his father, Walter Jones Jr., serving as a Democratic congressman from North Carolina's 2nd district. The elder Jones also had a lengthy political career, serving from 1966 to 1992. Walter Jones Sr. followed in his father's footsteps, both in terms of politics and representing North Carolina in the House of Representatives.
Before his congressional career, Jones served in the United States Marine Corps from 1961 to 1964, achieving the rank of sergeant. He then attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a degree in business administration in 1966. That same year, he was elected to the North Carolina Senate, serving a single term before running for the US House of Representatives in 1968.
As a congressman, Jones was known for his strong advocacy for his district and his conservative stances. He was a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, reflecting the importance of military installations and agriculture in his district. Jones was also a vocal opponent of abortion and supported legislation to restrict it. Additionally, he was known for his strong support for veterans' affairs and sponsored several pieces of legislation to benefit veterans.
Despite his conservative leanings, Jones often broke with his party on key votes. For example, he voted against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which was supported by President Bill Clinton and other Democratic leaders. Jones also voted against the Gulf War in 1991, citing his concern for the potential loss of life. These positions often put him at odds with the Democratic leadership, but Jones remained a popular figure in his district, consistently winning re-election.
In addition to his political career, Jones was known for his strong religious faith. He was a devout Christian and a member of the Episcopal Church. Jones's faith played a significant role in shaping his political views and his approach to representing his constituents. He was well-respected by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle for his integrity and commitment to his beliefs.
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Walter Jones Jr. was a Republican
Walter B. Jones Jr., a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, represented North Carolina's 3rd congressional district. Jones was first elected to Congress in 1994, winning 12 more terms until his death in 2019.
Jones was initially a Democrat, serving five terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1982 to 1992. In 1994, he switched parties and ran in North Carolina's 3rd congressional district, which had absorbed much of his father's former territory. Jones' race against incumbent Democrat Martin Lancaster was close, but Jones won with 53% of the vote.
Jones was known for his advocacy of campaign finance reform and lobbying reform during his time in the North Carolina House. He also supported the U.S. involvement in the Iraq War initially but later became one of its staunchest critics, arguing that the George W. Bush administration misinformed Congress to win authorization for the war. Jones was a critic of the Bush administration more generally, joining Democrats in supporting raises to the federal minimum wage and voting to hold Bush confidantes Joshua Bolten and Harriet Miers in contempt of Congress.
During the Obama administration, Jones voted against the Republican Path to Prosperity budget proposal in 2011, after which he was removed from key committee roles for defying party leadership. Jones was ranked as the second least partisan member of the House in 2010. During the Trump administration, he frequently called for scrutiny of the president, including demanding the release of his tax returns and calling for investigations into alleged campaign involvement in Russian interference in the 2016 election.
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Frequently asked questions
Walter Jones Sr. was a Democratic Party congressman from the 1st district of North Carolina. He served in Congress from 1966 to 1992.
No, Walter Jones Sr. was a Southern Baptist.
Yes, Walter B. Jones Jr. is an American politician and a member of the Republican Party.
No, Walter Jones Jr. was raised as a Southern Baptist but converted to Catholicism in his early 30s.
In July 2018, Jones Jr. began missing votes due to illness. In December of the same year, he was granted a leave of absence from Congress and was sworn in from his home in Farmville. He passed away on February 10, 2019, at the age of 76.
