Bennie G. Thompson is an American politician from the Democratic Party. He has been a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the 2nd District of Mississippi since 1993. The district includes most of Jackson and is the only majority-black district in the state. The district is approximately 275 miles long, 180 miles wide and borders the Mississippi River. The Mississippi Delta comprises the vast majority of the 2nd District. He is both the first Democrat and the first African American to chair the Homeland Security Committee in the House.