12 times lawmakers were replaced by their relatives in Congress
4. Former Rep. JoAnn Emerson, R-Mo.
As explained by the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, JoAnn Emerson was elected in a special election to finish the term of her husband, the late Rep. Bill Emerson, who died in 1996.
The special election took place alongside the 1996 general election for a full two-year term, and Emerson's widow won both races.
She ran as a Republican in the special election but won the general election as an independent, rejoining the GOP after her first full term began in 1997. She represented Missouri's 8th Congressional District until resigning in 2013.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
