Pickering returned to Mississippi to run as the Republican candidate for the 3rd District in 1996 following the retirement of 30-year incumbent Democrat Sonny Montgomery. He finished first in a crowded seven-way primary with 24 percent of the vote, and then defeated Bill Crawford in the runoff with 56 percent of the vote. In the general election, he defeated Democratic attorney John Eaves by a wide margin, taking 61 percent of the vote. The 3rd had been trending Republican for some time; it has only supported the official Democratic presidential candidate for president once since 1956. Although Montgomery usually faced "sacrificial lamb" candidates even in years when Republican presidential candidates carried the district in landslides, it had been considered very likely that he would be succeeded by a Republican once he retired. Questions were raised by political opponents about whether Pickering was a legal resident of Mississippi and lawfully qualified to run for the office. He claimed his farm in Madison County, outside Madison, as his official residence, but his permanent residence was in the Washington area. Pickering was reelected five times. He was unopposed for reelection in 1998 and defeated an underfunded Democrat in 2000. He only faced substantive opposition in 2002. Mississippi lost a district after the 2000 census, and the 3rd absorbed a large slice of the Jackson-based 4th district, held by second-term Democrat Ronnie Shows. However, Pickering retained over 60 percent of his former territory, and defeated Shows with 63 percent of the vote. He was reelected without major-party opposition in 2004 and 2006.
Tenure
Pickering had a strongly conservative voting record. From 2003 to 2007, he served as vice-chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. When Lott announced his resignation as Senator in November 2007, Pickering was rumored to be Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's choice to replace him, but those rumors were soon discovered to have been placed by the candidate himself. However, in December of that year, Pickering announced that he was not interested in the post. Fellow Republican Congressman Roger Wicker of was appointed to Lott's seat. Pickering retired from the House in January 2009 and is currently a lobbyist for Cellular South.
Personal life
Pickering and his ex-wife, Leisha, have five sons. In June 2008, Pickering filed for divorce from his wife citing irreconcilable differences. Leisha Pickering filed a lawsuit against Chip Pickering's alleged mistress for alienation of affection, "claiming their adulterous relationship ruined the Pickerings' marriage and his political career." On December 7, 2009, Pickering was involved in a dispute with the coach of a youth soccer team that coached against his son's team, and was charged with simple assault. He was sued by the coach in December 2010. Pickering is the cousin of former Mississippi state auditorStacey Pickering.
Other ventures
Pickering briefly appeared in the 2006 film Borat, speaking at a church Borat attends.
