Roy Blunt
Roy Dean Blunt (born January 10, 1950) is the junior United States Senator from Missouri, in office since 2011. He is a member of the Republican Party. Blunt served as the United States Representative from Missouri's 7th congressional district from 1997 to 2011. The district contains most of Southwest Missouri, anchored in the city of Springfield, as well as cities such as Joplin, Carthage, and Neosho. The popular tourist destination of Branson also lies in the district. In January 2011, Blunt was succeeded in the House by Billy Long. Blunt was the House Minority Whip during the 110th Congress but after the 2008 general elections announced that he would step down from the position. After House Majority Leader Tom DeLay stepped down upon criminal indictment in Texas, Blunt served as interim House Majority Leader from September 29, 2005, to February 2, 2006, when John Boehner of Ohio was elected as DeLay's permanent replacement. In 2011, Blunt was elected vice-chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. Blunt is the father of Matt Blunt, the governor of Missouri from 2005 to 2009. At 54, he was the youngest father of a governor of any state. Also he was one of the few politicians who remained active on the political scene while his son was a governor. He and his son are the only Republicans to have served as Missouri Secretary of State since 1945.