View source for Lacy Clay

{{Short description|American politician (born 1956)}}
{{Similar names|William Clay (disambiguation){{!}}William Clay}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Lacy Clay
| image               = Wm Lacy Clay, official portrait, 116th Congress.jpg
| caption                 = Official portrait, 2019
| state               = [[Missouri]]
| district            = {{ushr|MO|1|1st}}
| term_start          = January 3, 2001
| term_end            = January 3, 2021
| predecessor         = [[Bill Clay]]
| successor           = [[Cori Bush]]
| state_senate1       = Missouri
| district1           = 4th
| term_start1         = September 1991
| term_end1           = January 2001
| predecessor1        = [[John Bass (politician)|John Bass]]
| successor1          = [[Pat Dougherty]]
| state_house2        = Missouri
| district2           = 59th
| term_start2         = November 1983
| term_end2           = September 1991
| predecessor2        = Nat Rivers
| successor2          = Frank Williamson
| birth_name          = William Lacy Clay Jr.
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1956|7|27}}
| birth_place         = [[St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], U.S.
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| spouse              = {{ubl |{{marriage|Ivie Lewellen|1992|2011|end=div}} |{{marriage|Pat Goncalves|2015}}}}
| children            = 2
| relatives           = [[Bill Clay]] (father)
| education           = [[University of Maryland, College Park]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Howard University]]
| module              = {{Listen |pos=center |embed=yes |filename=Rep. Lacy Clay Spoke in Support of the African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2017.ogg |title=Clay's voice |type=speech |description=Clay supporting the African American Civil Rights Network Act of 2017.<br>Recorded July 26, 2017}}
}}
'''William Lacy Clay Jr.''' (born July 27, 1956) is an American politician who served as the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. representative]] from {{ushr|Missouri|1|}} from 2001 to 2021. His congressional career ended after he lost in a [[2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri|Democratic primary]] to [[Cori Bush]] in 2020, after successfully defeating her in the 2018 primary.

The district Clay represented is based in the city of [[St. Louis]] and includes most of northern [[St. Louis County, Missouri|St. Louis County]] (North County), including the cities of [[Maryland Heights, Missouri|Maryland Heights]], [[University City, Missouri|University City]], [[Ferguson, Missouri|Ferguson]] and [[Florissant, Missouri|Florissant]].

== Early life and education ==
William Lacy Clay Jr. was born in [[St. Louis, Missouri]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Rebecca McDowell Cook|title=Official Manual: State of Missouri 1997-1998|page = 112}}</ref> His family moved to [[Washington, D.C.]], when his father, [[Bill Clay]], was elected to Congress. His mother was Carol Ann (née Johnson).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/clay.htm |title=Lacy Clay ancestry |publisher=Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com |access-date=2015-05-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208080038/http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/reps/clay.htm |archive-date=2015-12-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In his teenage years, Clay attended public schools in [[Silver Spring, Maryland]], and graduated from [[Springbrook High School]] in 1974. He subsequently attended the [[University of Maryland, College Park]], earning a degree in political science and a [[paralegal]] certificate. Clay is a member of [[Kappa Alpha Psi]] fraternity. He attended [[Howard University School of Law]], worked as an Assistant [[Doorkeeper of the United States House of Representatives]], and worked on his father's Congressional campaigns.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sutin |first=Phil |date=November 3, 1983 |title=Clay's Son Runs for Legislature |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/140772068/ |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |location=St. Louis, MO |page=3N |url-access=subscription  |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

==Missouri Legislature==
Clay entered the [[Missouri House of Representatives]] in 1983, winning a special election to complete the term of Nathaniel J. "Nat" Rivers.<ref>{{cite news |last=Steichen |first=Girard C. |date=November 9, 1983 |title=W. L. Clay Jr. Wins Contest for House |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/140772914/ |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |location=St. Louis, MO |page=4A |url-access=subscription  |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> In 1991, he was elected to the [[Missouri Senate]].

==U.S. House of Representatives==
In 2000, Bill Clay announced his retirement after 32 years in Congress. His son, Lacy Clay, faced a three-way Democratic primary to succeed his father. Clay Jr. prevailed with 62% of the vote. He breezed to victory in the general election. He was reelected nine times, winning Democratic primaries by an average margin of 30 points. In ten general elections, Clay Jr. has received an average of 73.5% of the general election vote.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

For his first six terms, Clay represented the northern two-thirds of St. Louis, while the southern third was in [[Missouri's 3rd congressional district]], represented by [[Russ Carnahan]]. After Missouri lost a congressional district as a result of the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], the final map resulted in the 3rd district being eliminated and the 1st district absorbing all of St. Louis,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=431886 |title=UPDATE: House Redistricting Committee Unveils Map |publisher=OzarksFirst.com |access-date=2011-03-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511143510/http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=431886 |archive-date=2011-05-11 }}</ref> a decision in which then-[[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] [[Claire McCaskill]] said Clay was involved for his self-interest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/clairecmc/status/1275961493184409600|title=Claire McCaskill on Twitter: "Ask Lacy Clay. He did it. We lost a Congressional District that was D and Lacy and Cleaver got safe districts in the process. Their decision.…"|date=25 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200625012557/https://twitter.com/clairecmc/status/1275961493184409600 |access-date=22 July 2022|archive-date=2020-06-25 }}</ref> Clay beat Carnahan in the August 7, 2012, primary, 63% to 34%.<ref name="primary">{{cite news |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/william-lacy-clay-wins-easily-over-russ-carnahan/article_ca33460d-8ce4-5f0b-8a3e-7f31e70b9403.html |title=William Lacy Clay wins easily over Russ Carnahan |newspaper=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |date=August 8, 2012}}</ref><ref name="results">{{cite web |url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/elections/2012/by_state/MO_US_House_0807.html?SITE=MOSTPELN&SECTION=POLITICS |title=Missouri – Summary Vote Results |date=August 8, 2012}}</ref>

In the [[2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 1|2018]] Democratic primary, he defeated [[Cori Bush]], a [[Justice Democrat]], and two other challengers with 56.7% of the vote. In the general election, Clay beat Republican Robert Vroman with 80% of the vote.

In the [[2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri#District 1|2020]] Democratic primary, he lost to Bush, with 45% of the vote to her 48%.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Benchaabane |first1=Nassim |title='We the people have the answers': Cori Bush defeats longtime Rep. Lacy Clay in Democratic primary |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/cori-bush-defeats-longtime-rep-lacy-clay-in-democratic-primary/article_ceb94b0e-7da6-5741-8507-73375942191c.html |newspaper=Stltoday.com |publisher=Ray Farris |access-date=5 August 2020}}</ref>

===Committee assignments===
* '''[[United States House Committee on Financial Services|Committee on Financial Services]]'''
**Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance (Chairman)
* '''[[United States House Committee on Oversight and Reform]]'''
** United States House Natural Resources Committee

===Caucus memberships===
* [[Congressional Black Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Membership|url=https://cbc.house.gov/membership/|publisher=Congressional Black Caucus|access-date=7 March 2018}}</ref>
* [[Congressional Progressive Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Caucus Members|url=https://cpc-grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=71&sectiontree=2,71|publisher=Congressional Progressive Caucus|access-date=30 January 2018|archive-date=27 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427164818/https://cpc-grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=71&sectiontree=2,71|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Our Members|url=https://royce.house.gov/internationalconservation/members.html|publisher=U.S. House of Representatives International Conservation Caucus|access-date=1 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181222040606/https://royce.house.gov/internationalconservation/members.html|archive-date=22 December 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* '''[[Congressional Arts Caucus]]'''<ref>{{cite web|title=Membership|url=https://artscaucus-slaughter.house.gov/membership|publisher=Congressional Arts Caucus|access-date=13 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120195207/https://artscaucus-slaughter.house.gov/membership|archive-date=20 January 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Capitol painting===
In January 2017, Clay argued with Republican lawmakers over the right to hang a controversial painting in the Capitol building. The winner of an art competition, the painting represents the violent [[Ferguson unrest]] of 2014 and ensuing police-community relations in Ferguson, Missouri, depicting police officers as pigs while apprehending suspects. The painting is displayed near the police security checkpoint. Representative [[Duncan D. Hunter|Duncan Hunter]] removed the painting and Clay rehung it. Several Republicans, including [[Doug Lamborn]], [[Dana Rohrabacher]], and [[Brian Babin]], repeatedly removed the painting, and Clay rehung it each time. Clay then attempted to file a complaint with the Capitol Police accusing Hunter of theft.<ref name="painting1">{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/313506-dem-lawmaker-re-hangs-painting-depicting-cops-as-pigs-in-capitol/ |title=Democrat re-hangs painting depicting cops as pigs |last=Marcos |first=Cristina |date=January 13, 2017 |newspaper=The Hill |access-date=January 13, 2017 |quote=The painting has inflamed tensions on Capitol Hill between the two parties. The Hill asked Representative [[Cedric Richmond]], chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus if the painting needed someone to monitor it to prevent further removals. "No," Richmond replied. "We might just have to kick somebody's ass and stop them, though."}}</ref> After the [[Architect of the Capitol]] ruled that the winning painting had violated the rules of the competition and ordered its permanent removal, Clay sued to overturn the decision, but the suit was dismissed by a federal judge. Clay continued to assert a First Amendment argument on behalf of his young constituent, asking, "How is it possible that we stand for freedom of speech and freedom of expression every place across this country, except the U.S. Capitol?"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rollcall.com/news/hoh/clay-brings-constituents-painting-that-depicts-ferguson-police-community-relations-to-house-floor |title=Clay Brings Controversial Constituent Painting to House Floor |first=Alex |last=Gangitano |publisher=Roll Call |date=April 26, 2017 |access-date=May 16, 2017}}</ref>

===Federal legislation to curb gun violence===
In the 116th Congress, Clay introduced HR 3435, the Local Public Health and Safety Protection Act, legislation that would, for the first time at the federal level, give local communities the freedom to enact regulations to curb gun violence without seeking permission from their state legislatures. The legislation grants local control over the issue via the [[Supremacy Clause]] of the [[U.S. Constitution]] and by tying the law to future public safety grant funding to states from the U.S. Department of Justice. Support across the nation for Clay's bill is growing, with endorsements from Moms Demand Action Against Gun Violence, Newtown Action, Giffords Courage, Brady, and many other gun control advocates.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

===Environment===
While in his role as a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Clay was an advocate for renewable energy, acting on climate change, cosponsoring the Green New Deal, protecting National Parks, national seashores, wildlife refuges, forests, and rivers. He was also an outspoken champion for cleaning up hazardous waste sites in largely minority communities, which are often the victims of [[environmental racism]]. Clay led the effort to clean up three dangerous, hazardous sites in his district: $5 million for the former St. Louis Army Ammunition Plant in North St. Louis, $33 million for the former Carter Carburetor plant site in North St. Louis, and $266 million for the radiologically contaminated West Lake Landfill Superfund site in Northwest St. Louis County.{{citation needed|date=February 2020}}

==Political positions==
During Clay's 17 years in the Missouri legislature, he authored Missouri's Hate Crimes Law, which included gender, sexual orientation and sexual identity in the criteria for what constitutes a [[hate crime]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Carey|first1=Charles|title=African-American Political Leaders|date=2014|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=9781438107806|page=52}}</ref>

He was one of the 31 United States Representatives who [[2004 United States presidential election in Ohio#Objection to certification of Ohio's electoral votes|voted not to count]] the [[Electoral College (United States)|electoral votes]] from [[Ohio]] in the [[2004 United States presidential election|2004 presidential election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll007.xml |title=FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 7|website=Clerk.house.gov|access-date=July 22, 2022}}</ref>

Clay voted against the [[Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll674.xml#NV|title=FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 674|website=Clerk.house.gov|access-date=July 22, 2022}}</ref>

Clay is a supporter of the [[Federal Reserve]]'s program of [[quantitative easing]], claiming it has led to economic recovery after the [[2008 financial crisis]].<ref>See his opening statement in the video: {{cite web |url=http://financialservices.house.gov/Hearings/hearingDetails.aspx?NewsID=1752 |title=Hearing&#124; Financial Services Committee &#124; U.S. House of Representatives |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505003341/http://financialservices.house.gov/hearings/hearingdetails.aspx?NewsID=1752 |archive-date=2011-05-05 }}</ref>

On December 18, 2019, Clay voted for both articles in the [[first impeachment of Donald Trump]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-impeachment-vote-results-house-2019-12|title=WHIP COUNT: Here's which members of the House voted for and against impeaching Trump|first=Grace|last=Panetta| date=December 18, 2019|website=Business Insider | access-date=February 13, 2020}}</ref>

==Electoral history==
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/AllRacesAugust2000Primary.pdf|title=Official Election Returns State of Missouri Primary Election|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr.
| votes = 34398
| percentage = 60.56
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = [[Charlie Dooley]]
| votes = 15612
| percentage = 27.48
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Eric Erfan Vickers
| votes = 3543
| percentage = 6.24
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Bill (William C.) Haas
| votes = 1602
| percentage = 2.82
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Steven G. Bailey
| votes = 1144
| percentage = 2.01
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joe Mondrak
| votes = 504
| percentage = 0.89
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 56803
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/AllRacesGeneralNovember2000.pdf|title=Official Election Returns State of Missouri General Election|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr.
| votes = 149173
| percentage = 75.21
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Z. Dwight Billingsly
| votes = 42730
| percentage = 21.54
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Green Party of the United States
| candidate = Brenda (Ziah) Reddick
| votes = 3099
| percentage = 1.56
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Tamara A. Millay
| votes = 2253
| percentage = 1.14
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Reform Party (United States)
| candidate = Robert Penningroth
| votes = 1092
| percentage = 0.55
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 198347
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/AllRacesAugust2002Primary.pdf|title=Official Election Returns State of Missouri Primary Election|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 41405
| percentage = 74.30
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Carl E. Harris
| votes = 14322
| percentage = 25.70
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 55727
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2002<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/AllRacesGeneralNovember2002.pdf|title=Official Election Returns State of Missouri General Election|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 133946
| percentage = 70.11
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Richard Schwadron
| votes = 51755
| percentage = 27.09
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Jim Higgins
| votes = 5354
| percentage = 2.80
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 191055
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2004<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/AllRacesGeneralNovember2004.pdf|title=Official Election Returns State of Missouri General Election|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 213658
| percentage = 75.29
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Leslie L. Farr II
| votes = 64791
| percentage = 22.83
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Terry Chadwick
| votes = 3937
| percentage = 1.39
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Constitution Party (United States)
| candidate = Robert Rehbein
| votes = 1385
| percentage = 0.49
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 283771
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2006<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/AllRacesGeneralNovember2006.pdf|title=Official Election Returns State of Missouri General Election|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 141574
| percentage = 72.89
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Mark J. Byrne
| votes = 47893
| percentage = 24.66
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Robb E. Cunningham
| votes = 4768
| percentage = 2.45
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 194235
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/AllRacesGeneralNovember2008.pdf|title=Official Election Returns State of Missouri General Election|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 242570
| percentage = 86.86
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Robb E. Cunningham
| votes = 36700
| percentage = 13.14
}}
{{Election box candidate no change
| party = Write-in votes
| candidate = Damien Johnson
| votes = 7
| percentage = 0.00
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 279277
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/AllRacesAugust2010Primary.pdf|title=Official Election Returns State of Missouri Primary Election|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 37041
| percentage = 81.25
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Candice (Britt) Britton
| votes = 8546
| percentage = 18.75
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 45587
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/AllRacesGeneralNovember2010.pdf|title=Official Election Returns State of Missouri General Election|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 135907
| percentage = 73.55
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Robyn Hamlin
| votes = 43649
| percentage = 23.62
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Julie Stone
| votes = 5223
| percentage = 2.83
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 184779
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2012<ref name=MOElectionNight>{{cite web|url=https://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/default.aspx?eid=750002299|title=Missouri Election Results Election Night Reporting|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=November 10, 2019}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 57791
| percentage = 63.30
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = [[Russ Carnahan]] ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 30943
| percentage = 33.89
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Candice Britton
| votes = 2570
| percentage = 2.82
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 91304
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2012<ref name=MOElectionNight />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 267927
| percentage = 78.67
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Robyn Hamlin
| votes = 60832
| percentage = 17.86
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Robb E. Cunningham
| votes = 11824
| percentage = 3.47
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 340583
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2014<ref name=MOElectionNight />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 119315
| percentage = 72.98
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Daniel J. Elder
| votes = 35273
| percentage = 21.58
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Robb E. Cunningham
| votes = 8906
| percentage = 5.45
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 163494
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2016<ref name=MOElectionNight />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 56139
| percentage = 62.64
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Maria N. Chappelle-Nadal
| votes = 24059
| percentage = 26.85
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = (William) Bill Haas
| votes = 9422
| percentage = 10.51
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 89620
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2016<ref name=MOElectionNight />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 236993
| percentage = 75.48
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Steven G. Bailey
| votes = 62714
| percentage = 19.97
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Robb E. Cunningham
| votes = 14317
| percentage = 4.56
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 314024
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2018<ref name=MOElectionNight />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 81812
| percentage = 56.70
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = [[Cori Bush]]
| votes = 53250
| percentage = 36.91
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Joshua Shipp
| votes = 4974
| percentage = 3.45
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = DeMarco K. Davidson
| votes = 4243
| percentage = 2.94
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 144279
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District General Election, 2018<ref name=MOElectionNight />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 219781
| percentage = 80.10
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Republican Party (United States)
| candidate = Robert Vroman
| votes = 45867
| percentage = 16.72
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Libertarian Party (United States)
| candidate = Robb E. Cunningham
| votes = 8727
| percentage = 3.18
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 274375
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title = Missouri 1st Congressional District Democratic Primary, 2020<ref>{{cite web|url=https://enr.sos.mo.gov/|title=State of Missouri - Primary Election, August 04, 2020|publisher=[[Missouri Secretary of State]]|access-date=August 4, 2020}}</ref>
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = [[Cori Bush]] 
| votes = 73274
| percentage = 48.52
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = William Lacy Clay Jr. ([[incumbent]])
| votes = 68887
| percentage = 45.61
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| party = Democratic Party (United States)
| candidate = Katherine Bruckner
| votes = 8850
| percentage = 5.86
}}
{{Election box total no change
| votes = 151011
| percentage =100.0
}}
{{Election box end}}

==Personal life==
Clay married his first wife, Ivie, in 1992, when he was a state senator. He filed for divorce in 2009. Ivie initially found out about the divorce "only through the media." Through her lawyer, she stated: "“I and my children are devastated and embarrassed that my husband let us find out from the children’s friends and the media that he had filed for divorce, and mostly that he still has not contacted our children. I would have wanted to prepare the children." The divorce was finalized in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/government-politics-issues/2009-05-05/clays-divorce-filing-prompts-messy-back-and-forth | title=Clay's divorce filing prompts messy back and forth|website=Stlpublicradio.org | date=6 May 2009 }}</ref>

Clay later married Patricia Beauchemin, a nonprofit executive.<ref name=HouseHistory>{{cite web |url=https://history.house.gov/People/Detail/11766 |title=CLAY, William Lacy, Jr. |website=History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives |access-date=September 18, 2025}}</ref> He is the father of two children, Carol and William III.<ref name=HouseHistory/> Clay and his wife reside in [[University City, Missouri|University City]], [[St. Louis County, Missouri|St. Louis County]].{{cn|date=September 2025}}

He is [[Catholic Church|Catholic]].<ref name="pewforum">{{cite web|author1=Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life|author-link=Pew Research Center|title=Religious affiliation of members of 116th Congress|url=https://www.pewforum.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2019/01/Detailed-tables-NUMBER-CHECK-COMPLETE-1-3.pdf|access-date=March 30, 2019|website=Pewforum.org}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of African-American United States representatives]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{C-SPAN|88332}}
* {{CongLinks | congbio=c001049 | votesmart=8967 | fec=H0MO01066 | congress=wm-clay/1654 }}

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-hs}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Bill Clay]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of the [[List of United States representatives from Missouri|U.S. House of Representatives]]<br>from [[Missouri's 1st congressional district]]|years=2001–2021}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Cori Bush]]}}
|-
{{s-prec|usa}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Don Manzullo]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]<br>''{{small|as Former U.S. Representative}}''|years=}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Bill McCollum]]|as=Former U.S. Representative}}
{{s-end}}

{{United States representatives from Missouri}}
{{USCongRep-start |congresses=107th–116th [[United States Congress]] |state=[[United States congressional delegations from Missouri|Missouri]]}}
{{USCongRep/MO/107}}
{{USCongRep/MO/108}}
{{USCongRep/MO/109}}
{{USCongRep/MO/110}}
{{USCongRep/MO/111}}
{{USCongRep/MO/112}}
{{USCongRep/MO/113}}
{{USCongRep/MO/114}}
{{USCongRep/MO/115}}
{{USCongRep/MO/116}}
{{USCongRep-end}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clay, Lacy}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century members of the Missouri General Assembly]]
[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century United States representatives]]
[[Category:21st-century Missouri politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:African-American Catholics]]
[[Category:African-American United States representatives]]
[[Category:African-American people in Missouri politics]]
[[Category:African-American state legislators in Missouri]]
[[Category:American Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Catholics from Missouri]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the Missouri House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri]]
[[Category:Democratic Party Missouri state senators]]
[[Category:Politicians from St. Louis]]
[[Category:University of Maryland, College Park alumni]]