Edward Hagen bio

Edward Monroe Hagen was born in Jackson, Mississippi, on March 26, 1958, to James Archibald Hagen and Alyson Murphy.

James Hagen served in the military as a young man. After leaving the service, Edward's father continued his family's political tradition. He served as a U.S. Representative from Mississippi from 1960 to 1986 and as a delegate to his party's national convention in 1988.

James Hagen and Alyson Murphy met as graduate students at Yale University. Mrs. Alyson Hagen and her younger brother jointly own hundreds of chain furniture stores nationwide.

Edward Hagen grew up on his family's private estate. He attended local public schools in Jackson, Mississippi, where he excelled in academics, baseball, debate, and student council. Following in his parents' footsteps, he went on to attend Yale University, where he studied history, political science, and criminal justice.

After graduating in 1980, Edward enlisted in the United States Navy. Following his honorable discharge in 1984, he began to work closely with his father as part of his campaign team to kick-start what could only be a promising political career.

Three years later, Edward returned to Yale as a law student. In 1990, Edward came home to Mississippi, where he passed the bar exam and was immediately hired by the Hinds County Prosecutor's office in Jackson.

At a dinner party later that year, mutual friends introduced him to Patricia Whittlesey, a philosophy professor at Millsaps College. The two enjoyed a six-month courtship before Edward proposed. They were married soon after and had their first child in 1992.

The Hagens moved to Oxford, Mississippi, in 2003 when Patricia Hagen accepted a professorship at Ole Miss. Edward took a position with the Lee County District Attorney's office in nearby Tupelo. A year later, Edward launched his first campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives but lost by a 10% margin and continued to work as a prosecuting attorney.

In 2006, Edward ran for District Attorney of the 1st District in North Mississippi and won. He was re-elected easily for two subsequent terms. In 2018, he once again ran for the House of Representatives. This time, his bid for office was successful, and he has been re-elected twice. Having easily defeated his challengers in this year's primary, he is expected to coast to re-election once again. While the Hagen camp has made no official announcement, political pundits speculate that Edward is planning a run for the Senate in 2026.

Friends and family describe Edward Hagen as a sensible, straight-laced man with a strong sense of ethics and family values. In his free time, Edward enjoys reading history, playing chess, baseball, and golf. He indulges in the occasional cigar and poker game.