Congressman's successor describes Wilson as 'bigger than life'

When, after serving 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, Charlie Wilson decided not to seek re-election, he gave Jim Turner, then a Texas senator, the heads-up on his decision.

"Charlie let me know he was going to be announcing his retirement, knowing that I might be interested in running for the congressional seat," said Turner, now a partner at the Washington D.C.-based Arnold & Porter law firm. "He has always been supportive of me, for which I have always been grateful."

The two spent time together on the campaign trail, Wilson offering his endorsement as they stumped from town to town. "I remember we were in this small town and he introduced me," Turner recalled. "He said, 'I want you to meet my friend, Jim Turner. We have a lot in common. We both have perfect Sunday school records — Jim never misses and I never went.' Everybody always got a kick out of that."

It was that honesty, Turner believes, that kept Wilson in office for so long. "I think his longevity is due to the fact he was uncompromisingly honest with his constituents," Turner said. "Anytime he had a bad piece of publicity, he was honest about it."

As a state senator, Turner remembers when then-Congressman Wilson made headlines for traveling with Miss World contestant Annelise Ilschenko.

"Charlie was coming around for his town meetings and I went to the courthouse," he said. "I remember Charlie strolled into the room and thanked everyone for coming. Then he said, 'I guess you heard about me traveling with Miss World. I just want you all to know that I'm a single man.'"

Once his constituents heard his explanation, Turner said, "That was enough. I think they were totally accepting of the story."

That his constituents were so loyal to Wilson was likely the result of the congressman's ability to connect with people, Turner said. "I think he's bigger than life," he said. "I think his success was borne of the fact that he had a great love for the people of his district. He cared about the average man and the average family. He had an excellent program for constituent service. If you had a problem with the IRS, or veteran care, Charlie was there to help."

Wilson looked out for the little things other elected officials might ignore, Turner said, "because he knew those were the important tasks of a congressman."

Having graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy before serving four years in the Navy, Wilson also had the support of another group, who may have been key in his re-election during the close races of his later years, Turner said. "Throughout his years in Congress he had a great interest in maintaining America's strength," he said. "He had a great respect for veterans.

"Veterans as a group always stood strongly with him, and he always made sure he was looking out for them," Turner said. "He spent a lot of time taking care of them and helped bring the (Veteran's Administration) clinic to Lufkin in the early years. His pride and patriotism were very genuine and heartfelt. Anyone who knows him understands his deep sense of patriotism and commitment to the veterans." Wilson's headline-making personal life did not keep him from being a respected member of Congress, Turner said. "In Congress he was considered a very effective member, perhaps in part because he was a rare combination of a serious legislator and an individual who had a fun-loving side to him that made him a lot of friends," he said. "As a consequence Charlie had — and still has — a lot of friends in Congress who remember him fondly."