Willie Lee Simmons

Simmons worked as Deputy Commissioner for the Mississippi Department of Corrections.^[4][2] He founded a pre-release program for inmates at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in 1975.^[2] The Mississippi Senate considered naming the program's building at the facility after Simmons.^[2] Simmons also worked as a visiting professor for Delta State University and the U.S. Post Office.^[3]

A Democrat, he ran for the Mississippi State Senate against Senator Robert Crook in 1992 who was running for re-election to the newly re-apportioned 13th district, which represented Sunflower and Bolivar Counties.^[5] Simmons won 54% to 46%, which was considered an upset, as Crook was the most senior member of the legislature.^[2][6] Simmons served in the Senate for 26 years, of which 8 years he served as chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.^[7][8] In the senate, he played a role in the repair of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, the upgrade and repair of Highway 8 in Cleveland, Mississippi, and the Highway 82 Bypass in Leland, Mississippi. During his leadership, he appropriated $5 billion in highway and other infrastructure improvements.^[4]

In mid-January 2019, Simmons announced a run for the Mississippi Transportation Commission for the Central District after Dick Hall announced his retirement.^[8] He won the election against Republic Mayor Butch Lee 51.1% to 48.9% and was sworn into office in January.^[9][10][11] He won reelection in 2023 against Republican Ricky Pennington 55.2% to 44.8% and was named chairman of the commission in 2024.^[12][13][11]

He is married to Rose Sibley Simmons and has four children, including Senator Sarita Simmons, who also represents the 13th district.^[7][14]