The Honorable Erik Robert Fleming, the 2006 Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in Mississippi, was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives, on behalf of the 72nd District, which encompasses parts of Hinds and Madison Counties. Fleming was first elected to the post in January 1999 to finish the unexpired term of Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green. Fleming was re-elected to two full four-year terms in the Mississippi Legislature, before being defeated seeking a third four-year term in August 2007. Currently, Fleming is a paralegal with the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance. Most recently, Fleming was an abstinence educator with the Mississippi Community Development Corporation. He has also previously served as the Chief Operating Officer for New Horizon Ministries, Inc.

On June 27, 2006, Fleming received 65 percent of the vote in the Mississippi Democratic Run-off Primary to secure the party's nomination to run for the United States Senate. On November 7, 2006, Fleming lost his bid to unseat U.S. Senator Trent Lott. In losing, Fleming received over 205,000 votes, equal to 35 percent of the vote in the Mississippi General Election, winning 18 counties, including his home county, Hinds. 

Fleming was born to Joan and Robert Fleming on February 2, 1965 in Chicago, Illinois. After graduation from Lindblom Technical High School in 1983, he enrolled at Jackson State University, having been awarded an academic scholarship.

Majoring in Political Science, Fleming served in student government for three years and helped charter the first Young Democrats chapter there. He was elected student body president for the 1986-87 year and graduated from JSU in May 1987. Recently, Fleming was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity from the Universal Life Church in Modesto, California.

Fleming then started building his political resume. He worked with Ray Mabus in his campaign for Governor in 1987 and Mike Parker in his campaign for the U. S. Congress in 1988. After those successful campaigns, Fleming set out to seek public office for himself.

During a 10-year span, Fleming unsuccessfully ran twice for the Jackson City Council and once for Hinds County Tax Collector. In the meantime, he was successful in being elected president of the Young Democrats of Mississippi (1991-92), chair of the Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee (1996-99), and National Committeeman of The Young Democrats of America (1993-95).

In 1993, Fleming had the distinct honor to serve as the late Honorable Henry J. Kirksey's campaign manager in his bid to become Jackson's first African-American mayor. Just prior to that, Fleming served six months in the Category Area Training Program of the United States Marine Corps, during Operation Desert Storm.

Also during that time, Fleming worked with Ronnie Musgrove in his campaign for Lt. Governor in 1995. After Musgrove’s victory, Fleming was chosen as the first African-American to serve as Sgt-at-Arms of the Mississippi Senate in 1996.

Fleming served as Vice-Chair of the Enrolled Bills Committee. He also served on the Conservation and Water Resources, Ports, Harbors and Airports, Judiciary B, Juvenile Justice, Transportation, Agriculture, Labor, and Oil, Gas and Minerals committees in the House. He has served on the Mississippi Legislative Task Force on Gangs, the House Juvenile Justice Training School Task Force, and the Mississippi Biomass Council.

Fleming is the father of one son, Sean Christopher. He is also the stepfather of two boys, Kenneth and James Brown. Fleming attends Epiphany (formerly St. Philip) Lutheran Church and is a member of several organizations and boards, including the NAACP, the SCLC, the Mississippi Faith-Based Coalition for Community Renewal, the Mississippi Families for Kids, and the Jackson State University National Alumni Association.