Billy Nicholson (politician)
Billy Nicholson (born February 5, 1948 in Union, Mississippi) is an American politician and former insurance agent from Mississippi. A member of the Mississippi House of Representatives since 2000, in February 2009 he changed his party affiliation from the Democratic to the Republican Party.
He has represented the 78th District, which includes portions of Neshoba, Newton, and Scott counties, since 2000. A strong conservative (in 2003 he was secretary of the Mississippi Legislative Conservative Coalition[1]), Nicholson said he felt the Republican Party was a better match for him philosophically; and that he was switching also because the Democratic Party threatened to deny his certification in future elections after his endorsement of a national Republican candidate, and because of his disapproval of President Obama's stimulus bill. He explained that he had wanted to delay the switch until he retired from his long career as a State Farm Insurance agent.[2]
Personal life
An alumnus of East Central Community College and Mississippi State University, Nicholson is married to the former Betty Gail Williams; they live in Little Rock. He is a Baptist and a member of Rock Branch Baptist Church in Union, Mississippi.[3]