Reginald Ransom

Reginald Robert Ransom (born March 14, 1949), is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 2nd congressional district since 1992. The district includes most of the Montgomery metropolitan area, and stretches into the Wiregrass Region in the southeastern portion of the state. He is a member of the Republican Party.
== Early life ==
Ransom was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 14, 1949 to Mary Ransom (née Williams) and Robert Ransom. Raised in a Baptist family, Ransom is one of six children. His father was born in Pike Road, Alabama and is primarily of English descent. His mother was born in Montgomery and is of three-quarters English and one-quarter Scots-Irish heritage. Both of his parents worked in the state civil service, where they met. Robert had previously served in the United States Army during the Second World War and recieved a medal for valor during the Borneo Campaign of 1945.
At the time of his birth, Reginald Ransom's parents had lived in Montgomery for three years. Soon afterwards his mother stopped working to look after Ransom and his siblings full-time and the family relocated to Pike Road. Ransom attended the Pike Road Consolidated School, from which he graduated as valedictorian in 1967.
Aspiring to be a lawyer, Ransom began to work at a slaughterhouse in order to save for law school following his graduation from high school. While working he was called up in the draft and deployed to Vietnam in 1968.
== Military service ==
Ransom decided to stay in the military following his mandatory year, and continued to serve in the army after a promotion to Second Lieutenant commanding infantry. He got married during the summer of 1969 to his childhood sweetheart, Linda, in order to get increased pay. Ransom left the army and returned to Alabama in early 1971 after finding out that his wife was pregnant. Ransom has described himself as being "politically unaware" at this time with no strong feelings on the Vietnam War. In a rare interview on the subject he is quoting as saying: "I didn't have many thoughts about [U.S. foreign policy]... all I knew was they wanted me to help my country and I was happy to serve."
He decided to stay beyond his mandatory year, and continued to serve in the army after a promotion to Second Lieutenant commanding infantry. He got married during the summer of 1969 to his childhood sweetheart, Linda, in order to get increased pay. Ransom left the army and returned to Alabama in early 1971 after finding out that his wife was pregnant.
== Legal Career ==
He was admitted to the University of Alabama School of Law in Tuscaloosa in 1971, graduating in 1974 and joining a small firm that specialised in insurance cases. Ransom was praised during his time at the firm for his sharp legal mind and attention to detail and served as a legal analyst for the Alabama House of Representatives for several legislative sessions.Category:Alabama
Category:Representative
Category:Republican