
Former U.S. Senator and current United States Ambassador to China, David Perdue, shares a name with Perdue Chicken, a national chicken company. However, despite the coincidence, David Perdue has no affiliation with the poultry corporation. The senator faced backlash and calls for a boycott of Perdue Chicken after he mispronounced Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris' name during a rally for President Donald Trump. Perdue Chicken responded to the boycott calls by clarifying that David Perdue is not related to the family-owned company. While David Perdue is the cousin of former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, they are not connected to the Perdue chicken brand.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the person in question | David Perdue |
| Profession | American politician, diplomat, and businessman |
| Current position | United States ambassador to China |
| Previous position | United States senator for Georgia |
| Relation to Perdue Chicken | No relation |
| Relation to Sonny Perdue | Cousin |
| Relation to Arthur Perdue | None |
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What You'll Learn
- David Perdue is not related to Perdue Chicken's founding family
- Perdue Chicken is a fourth-generation, family-owned poultry company
- David Perdue is the cousin of Sonny Perdue, the former governor of Georgia
- Perdue Chicken faced backlash for perceived racism by David Perdue
- David Perdue is a Republican politician, businessman, and diplomat

David Perdue is not related to Perdue Chicken's founding family
Despite the coincidence in names, Georgia politician David Perdue is not related to the founding family of Perdue Chicken. Perdue Chicken is headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland, and was founded by Arthur Perdue in 1920. The company has since been passed down through the generations, with Arthur Perdue's son Frank taking over in the 1950s, and Frank's son, Jim, becoming chairman in 1991.
David Perdue, on the other hand, is the first cousin of Sonny Perdue, the former governor of Georgia and former US secretary of agriculture. Sonny Perdue is also not related to the Perdue chicken family, despite some assumptions due to his position in the US Department of Agriculture.
David Perdue's wealth is self-made, although he may have inherited some fortune from his parents or other relatives. He worked as a management consultant at Kurt Salmon Associates and earned a master's degree in operational research. He later became the senior vice president for Reebok and then CEO of Dollar General. Perdue also served as the CEO of PillowTex, a North Carolina textile company, which went bankrupt soon after his departure in 2003.
In 2011, David Perdue and his cousin Sonny founded Perdue Partners, a global trading firm. In 2014, Perdue ran for the US Senate, winning by a slim margin. However, he lost his 2020 reelection bid to Democrat Jon Ossoff. Perdue is currently serving as the United States ambassador to China.
While there is no relation between David Perdue and the Perdue chicken family, the coincidence in names has led to some confusion and even a boycott of Perdue Chicken on social media. The company has actively clarified that there is no affiliation between the senator and their brand.
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Perdue Chicken is a fourth-generation, family-owned poultry company
Frank Perdue was responsible for turning the business into one of the largest poultry producers in the United States. He inherited an egg business from his father, Arthur, and expanded it into a fully integrated chicken company. Frank became synonymous with poultry through his appearances in the company's 1970s TV adverts, which introduced consumers to Perdue Chicken. The company's famous slogan, "It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken", helped make Perdue a household name.
Jim Perdue grew up in the family business but didn't initially plan to make it his career. He joined the company as a management trainee in 1983 and worked his way up, taking over as advertising spokesperson in 1995. Under Jim's leadership, Perdue Farms has become the first major company to move away from all routine antibiotic use, the number one producer of USDA-certified chicken, and a leader in improving animal care.
Chris and Ryan Perdue, of the fourth generation of the Perdue family, have joined their father, Jim, in commercials featuring Perdue Harvestland organic chicken.
Despite the similarity in names, Georgia politician David Perdue is not related to the Perdue family that owns Perdue Chicken. David Perdue is the cousin of Sonny Perdue, the former governor of Georgia and former US secretary of agriculture. However, this Perdue family is not connected to the owners of the poultry company.
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David Perdue is the cousin of Sonny Perdue, the former governor of Georgia
David Perdue is a former United States senator for Georgia, serving from 2015 to 2021. He was an unsuccessful candidate for governor of Georgia in 2022. David Perdue is not related to the Perdue chicken family. However, he is the cousin of Sonny Perdue, the former governor of Georgia and former US secretary of agriculture.
David Perdue and Sonny Perdue have worked together on several occasions. In 2011, they founded Perdue Partners, a global trading firm based in Atlanta. In 2019, then-governor Sonny Perdue appointed David Perdue as a director of the Georgia Ports Authority.
Despite sharing a last name, David Perdue has no relation to the Perdue chicken family. The Perdue chicken company was founded by Arthur Perdue in 1920 and is headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland. It has been handed down through the family and is now run by Jim Perdue, the third generation of the family to lead the company.
David Perdue's net worth is estimated to be around $50 million, and his wealth is self-made. He has held various leadership positions in companies such as Reebok, Sara Lee, and Haggar Clothing.
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Perdue Chicken faced backlash for perceived racism by David Perdue
> The most insidious thing that Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden are trying to perpetuate, and Bernie (Sanders) and Elizabeth (Warren) and Kamala -- Kah-ma-la, or Kah-mah-la, or Kamala-mala-mala -- I don't know, whatever.
Many interpreted this as a racist dog whistle, including Harris' spokesperson Sabrina Singh, who called the comments "incredibly racist". Andrew Bates, spokesman for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, added that Americans could do "so much better than David Perdue".
As a result, social media users called for a boycott of Perdue Chicken, believing the company was connected to the senator. However, Perdue Chicken was quick to distance itself from the politician, stating that he has no affiliation with the brand. The company tweeted:
> Hi! We are in no connection to David Perdue. We are a 4th generation, family-owned poultry company. Glad we could clear that up.
Despite sharing the same surname, David Perdue is not related to the Perdue family that founded and operates Perdue Chicken. The senator is, however, the cousin of former US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, who served during the Trump administration.
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David Perdue is a Republican politician, businessman, and diplomat
Perdue first ran for the US Senate in 2014, defeating Democratic nominee Michelle Nunn. He ran for reelection in 2020 but lost to Democrat Jon Ossoff. During his time in the Senate, Perdue faced criticism for mispronouncing Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris' name during a rally for President Donald Trump. This incident led to social media users calling for a boycott of Perdue Chicken, believing the company was associated with the senator. However, Perdue Chicken quickly responded to these claims, stating that David Perdue has no affiliation with their brand.
In addition to his political career, Perdue has been involved in several business ventures. In 2011, he co-founded Perdue Partners, a global trading firm, with his cousin Sonny Perdue, who served as the governor of Georgia and US secretary of agriculture. Perdue has also served on the board of directors for various companies, including Cardlytics, a data marketing firm, and Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd., an Indian chemical and textile conglomerate. He has held leadership positions in sportswear companies such as Reebok, which has influenced his political decisions. For example, he wrote to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin requesting tax breaks for owners of professional sports teams.
While David Perdue has a recognizable name in the world of politics and business, he is not related to the Perdue family that founded and operates Perdue Chicken. The Perdue chicken brand was made synonymous with poultry by Frank Perdue, who built one of the largest poultry producers in the nation. The company has been handed down through the family and is now run by Jim Perdue, Frank's son. Despite sharing a similar name, Senator David Perdue has clarified that he has no connection to the Perdue chicken brand or fortune.
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Frequently asked questions
No, David Perdue is not related to the family that founded and operates Perdue Farms.
Perdue Chicken is headquartered in Salisbury, Maryland, and was founded there in 1920 by Arthur Perdue.
Sonny Perdue, the former governor of Georgia and former U.S. secretary of agriculture, is David Perdue's cousin.
The Perdue chicken company has an estimated $6 billion in sales.
David Perdue shares a last name with the chicken company, and his cousin Sonny Perdue served as the U.S. secretary of agriculture.










































