| David Parker | |
| Birth Name: | David Parker |
| Birth Place: | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Optometrist |
| Office: | Member of the Mississippi State Senate from the 2nd district |
| Termstart: | January 5, 2016 |
| Birth Date: | 11 September 1969 |
| Children: | 4 |
| Spouse: | Ashleigh Beckett |
| Party: | Republican Party |
| Alma Mater: | Christian Brothers University Southern College of Optometry |
| Office1: | Member of the Mississippi State Senate from the 19th district |
| Termstart1: | December 11, 2012 |
| Termend1: | January 5, 2016 |
| Predecessor1: | Merle Flowers |
| Predecessor: | Bill Stone |
| Successor1: | Kevin Blackwell |
David Parker (born 1969) is an American optometrist and politician. He serves as a Republican member of the Mississippi State Senate for District 2, which includes part of DeSoto county.
David Parker was born on September 9, 1969, in Memphis, Tennessee.[1] He was educated at Greenbrook Elementary and Southaven High School in Southaven, Mississippi. He graduated from Christian Brothers University on the pre-optometry track. He graduated from the Southern College of Optometry magna cum laude.[2]
Parker works as an optometrist at his own business that he founded. He is a member of the American Optometric Association and the Mississippi Optometric Association.[1]
A Republican, Parker won a special election in 2012 to replace retiring senator Merle Flowers in District 19 after defeating Rep. Pat Nelson.[3] The district included parts of DeSoto County and was the most populous district in the state.[4] Legislative redistricting created a new district in DeSoto county, resulting in Parker to run in District 2 for the Mississippi State Senate in 2015. He won the election. In 2019, his seat was considered "Safe Republican" by the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.[5]
He voted to defund Common Core in 2014 on an amendment, which ultimately failed.[6] In the aftermath of the Charleston church shooting in June 2015, Parker calledfor the Confederate battle flag to be removed from the flag of Mississippi, suggesting it was divisive.[7] He was part of the legislative redistricting committee in the senate in 2021.[8] He authored a proposal to reinstate the ballot initiative in the state.[9]
He declined to run for the 1st Congressional District upon Alan Nunnelee's death.[10]
Parker is married to Ashleigh Beckett and has four children. They reside in Olive Branch, Mississippi. He is a member of the United Methodist Church.[1]