REP. LARGENT LINCOLN DAY SPEAKER

U.S. Rep. Steve Largent, R-Okla, will speak at the 29th annual Lincoln Day Celebration on March 13 at the Arena Building in Cape Girardeau.

Largent had expressed interest last year in serving as House speaker after Newt Gingrich stepped down.

The event, sponsored by the Cape Girardeau County Republican Women's Club, is slated to start at 6:30 p.m.

The Lincoln Day Celebration is reportedly the largest such Republican celebration in the state, said Nancy Jedan, who is chairing the event.

The gathering in past years has attracted as many as 1,000 people.

Republicans from throughout the region attend the event as do GOP officeholders.

Some members of Missouri's congressional delegation are expected to attend this year's celebration.

"We are just really excited about it," Jedan said.

Largent, 44, has served in the House since 1994.

Prior to his political career, Largent was a record-setting receiver in the National Football League.

In his 14 years with the Seattle Seahawks, he set six different career records and participated in seven Pro Bowls.

On July 29, 1995, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Since retiring from football in 1989, he has operated an advertising and marketing consulting firm.

He and his wife, Terry, have three children.