Roy Blunt
Roy Dean Blunt (born January 10, 1950) is an American politician who served as a United States senator from Missouri from 2011 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 33rd Missouri Secretary of State (1985–1993) and U.S. Representative for Missouri's 7th congressional district (1997–2011).
Roy Blunt | |
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Official portrait, 2011 | |
| United States Senator from Missouri | |
| In office January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Kit Bond |
| Succeeded by | Eric Schmitt |
| Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Leader | Mitch McConnell |
| Preceded by | John Barrasso |
| Succeeded by | Joni Ernst |
| Ranking Member of the Senate Rules Committee | |
| In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Amy Klobuchar |
| Succeeded by | Deb Fischer |
| Chair of the Senate Rules Committee | |
| In office April 10, 2018 – February 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Shelby |
| Succeeded by | Amy Klobuchar |
| In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Chuck Schumer |
| Succeeded by | Richard Shelby |
| House Minority Whip | |
| In office January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009 | |
| Leader | John Boehner |
| Preceded by | Steny Hoyer |
| Succeeded by | Eric Cantor |
| House Majority Leader | |
Acting | |
| In office September 29, 2005 – February 2, 2006 | |
| Leader | Dennis Hastert |
| Preceded by | Tom DeLay |
| Succeeded by | John Boehner |
| House Majority Whip | |
| In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007 | |
| Leader | Dennis Hastert |
| Preceded by | Tom DeLay |
| Succeeded by | Jim Clyburn |
| House Republican Chief Deputy Whip | |
| In office January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2003 | |
| Leader | Dennis Hastert |
| Preceded by | Dennis Hastert |
| Succeeded by | Eric Cantor |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 7th district | |
| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2011 | |
| Preceded by | Mel Hancock |
| Succeeded by | Billy Long |
| 23rd President of Southwest Baptist University | |
| In office December 30, 1992 – October 21, 1996 | |
| Preceded by | Wayne Gott (acting) |
| Succeeded by | C. Pat Taylor |
| 33rd Secretary of State of Missouri | |
| In office January 14, 1985 – January 11, 1993 | |
| Governor | John Ashcroft |
| Preceded by | James Kirkpatrick |
| Succeeded by | Judi Moriarty |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Roy Dean Blunt January 10, 1950 Niangua, Missouri, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses | Roseann Ray
(m. 1967; div. 2003)Abigail Perlman (m. 2003) |
| Children | 4, including Matt |
| Education | Southwest Baptist University (BA) Missouri State University (MA) |
| Signature | |
Born in Niangua, Missouri, Blunt is a graduate of Southwest Baptist University and Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University). After serving as Missouri Secretary of State from 1985 to 1993, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Missouri's 7th congressional district in 1996. There, he served as Republican Whip from 2003 to 2009.
Blunt successfully ran for the U.S. Senate in 2010. The next year, he was elected vice chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. Blunt, who was the dean of Missouri's congressional delegation, was elected to serve as Policy Committee chairman in November 2018. On March 8, 2021, he announced that he would not seek reelection in 2022. He was succeeded in the U.S. Senate by Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.
On July 17, 2023, it was announced that Blunt was appointed as a member of Southwest Airlines's board of directors.