Senator Joel Carter

Joel R. Carter Jr. is an American politician and real estate broker who has served in the Mississippi State Senate from the 49th district since 2018. He was born on August 8, 1978, in Jackson, Mississippi.

Education: Carter attended Gulfport High School. After graduating, he enrolled at the University of Southern Mississippi at its main campus in Hattiesburg.

Career: Carter chairs the Mississippi Senate Energy Committee and is a member of several other committees including Corrections, Finance, Highways and Transportation, Investigate State Offices, Labor, Ports and Marine Resources, and Tourism Senate Committees. As a member of the state senate, he has pushed for a TikTok ban on state-owned devices.

Affiliations: Carter is a member of the Gulf Coast Chamber, Mississippi Gulf Coast Association of Realtors, Ducks Unlimited, the National Rifle Association, Coastal Conservation Association, Gulf Coast Carnival Association, and the Revelers Carnival Association.

Family: He is a father to four children - two sons, Joel Carter III and Garrett Carter, and two daughters, Georgia Carter and Sophia Carter.

Controversies: In February 2023, Carter faced criticism for his post online that was considered racist. The post was a photo of a balloon with words written on it that mock a stereotypical accent of Chinese American and Asian American people.

Elections: Carter ran for re-election to the Mississippi State Senate to represent District 49 and won in the general election on November 7, 2023.