Steve Southerland (Florida)
Encyclopedia
William Steve Southerland, II (born October 10, 1965) is the U.S. Representative
for . The district includes most of the eastern Florida Panhandle
, from Panama City
to the state capital, Tallahassee. He is a member of the Republican Party
.
. In 1983, he graduated from A. Crawford Mosley High School
. He earned a B.S. degree in Business Management from Troy State University and an A.A. degree in Mortuary Science
from Jefferson State Junior College
.
and Jeb Bush
.
, Jeff Miller
, former State House Speaker Allan Bense
, former Democrat Governor Wayne Mixson
, State Rep. Jimmy Patronis
, State Rep. Marti Coley
, former U.S. Congressman Bill Grant, Lynn Haven
Mayor, Walter Kelley. It was Southerland's first bid for elected office.
Southerland faced seven-term Democratic incumbent Allen Boyd
in the November general election. Independent candidates Paul C. McKain
and Dianne Berryhill were also on the ballot, and Ray Netherwood had qualified as a write-in candidate.
Republicans had very high hopes for taking this district, in part because it had been made considerably friendlier to them after the 2000 census. Part of heavily Democratic Tallahassee was shifted to the Jacksonville-based 3rd District, while heavily Republican Panama City, long one of the anchors of the 1st District, was shifted to the 2nd District. While Boyd had held the seat with little difficulty, John McCain
had carried it by nine points in the 2008 presidential election.
Real Clear Politics rated this race a "Leans GOP". CQ Politics rated the election as a toss up.
According to an October 2010 poll commissioned by The Hill
, a Washington, D.C.
newspaper, Southerland was ahead of Boyd by 12 percentage points, 50% for Southerland and 38% for Boyd, with 9% of likely voters undecided. Boyd represented this district since 1997. In 2008, John McCain
carried this district with 54% of the vote.
In the November 2 general election, Southerland defeated Boyd with 52 percent of the vote. Southerland is the first freshman Republican to represent the 2nd since its formation in 1963 (it was the 9th District from 1963–1967 and has been the 2nd since 1967). The only other Republican to ever represent this district, Bill Grant
, was originally elected as a Democrat in 1986, but switched parties midway through his second term.
Southerland served as Chairman of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Salvation Army
Advisory Board as well as such community boards including the Florida State University Panama City
Development Board and the Covenant Hospice Foundation Board. He is a member of the National Rifle Association
and founding member and former Vice President of the Bay Patriots.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for . The district includes most of the eastern Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
, from Panama City
Panama City, Florida
-Personal income:The median income for a household in the city was $31,572, and the median income for a family was $40,890. Males had a median income of $30,401 versus $21,431 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830...
to the state capital, Tallahassee. He is a member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Early life
Southerland is a lifelong resident of Panama City. He is the fourth generation of five in his family to live in Bay CountyBay County, Florida
Bay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 163,505 . Its county seat is Panama City, Florida. The county is best known for its white sand beaches and crystal blue water, where large pods of dolphins swim year-round...
. In 1983, he graduated from A. Crawford Mosley High School
A. Crawford Mosley High School
A. Crawford Mosley High School is a 9-12 educational institution located in Lynn Haven, Florida. Mosley was built in 1972 and current enrollment is roughly 2,100 students. There are 120 classroom-based faculty members and Sandy Harrison is the principal. The school colors are Green, Orange and...
. He earned a B.S. degree in Business Management from Troy State University and an A.A. degree in Mortuary Science
Mortuary science
Mortuary science is the study of dead bodies through mortuary work. The term is most often applied to a college curriculum in the United States that prepares a student for a career as a mortician or funeral director. Many also study embalming to supplement their mortuary science studies. Some...
from Jefferson State Junior College
Jefferson State Community College
Jefferson State Community College, more often known as 'Jeff State', is a two-year college in the Alabama Community College System. The current campus locations are the Jefferson Campus in eastern Jefferson County, the Shelby-Hoover Campus in northern Shelby County, the St...
.
Business career
Southerland is current co-owner/President of Southerland Family Funeral Homes, founded in 1955. He is also a founding partner in two other businesses, Genesis Granite & Stone, LLC and K & B Land and Timber Company, LLC. He was appointed by the Governor of Florida to be a member of the Florida Board of Funeral Directors, and had the distinct honor of serving as Chairman during his second term. He was appointed by the Governor of Florida to be Chairman of the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida. He received his gubernatorial appointments from Governors Lawton ChilesLawton Chiles
Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. was an American politician from the US state of Florida. In a career spanning four decades, Chiles, a Democrat who never lost an election, served in the Florida House of Representatives , the Florida State Senate , the United States Senate , and as the 41st Governor of...
and Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
.
2010 election
Southerland won the Republican primary against Eddie Hendry, Ron McNeil, Barbara F. Olschner and David Scholl. He is part of the GOP Young Gun Program. He was endorsed by U.S. Congressmen Eric CantorEric Cantor
Eric Ivan Cantor is the U.S. Representative for Virginia's 7th congressional district, serving since 2001. A member of the Republican Party, he became House Majority Leader when the 112th Congress convened on January 3, 2011...
, Jeff Miller
Jeff Miller
Jefferson B. "Jeff" Miller is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district includes all of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, and Washington Counties....
, former State House Speaker Allan Bense
Allan Bense
Allan G. Bense is a businessman from Panama City, Florida. He is a partner in several companies with interests in road building, mechanical contracting, insurance, general contracting, golf courses, and farming....
, former Democrat Governor Wayne Mixson
Wayne Mixson
John Wayne Mixson, better known as Wayne Mixson was the 39th Governor of the U.S. state of Florida. He assumed the office in January 1987 after Bob Graham stepped down to take his seat in the United States Senate, and served only three days until the governor-elect, Bob Martinez, was sworn in...
, State Rep. Jimmy Patronis
Jimmy Patronis
Jimmy Patronis in Panama City, Florida.Patronis is a Representative in the House of Representatives of the U.S. state of Florida. He received his Bachelors degree from the Florida State University in 1996. It should also be noted he lives in Panama City Beach, Florida with his family.In 1967,...
, State Rep. Marti Coley
Marti Coley
Marti Coley Marti Coley Marti Coley (born March 15, 1961 in Blountstown, Florida is a Representative in the House of Representatives of the U.S. state of Florida.She received her Bachelors degree from the Florida State University in 1984...
, former U.S. Congressman Bill Grant, Lynn Haven
Lynn Haven, Florida
Lynn Haven is a city in Bay County, Florida, United States, north of Panama City. The population was 18,493 at the 2010 census. It has the smaller population of the two principal cities of the Panama City, Florida - Lynn Haven, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population...
Mayor, Walter Kelley. It was Southerland's first bid for elected office.
Southerland faced seven-term Democratic incumbent Allen Boyd
Allen Boyd
Fred Allen Boyd Jr. is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1997 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He currently works for a lobbying firm, the Twenty-First Century Group.-Early life, education and career:...
in the November general election. Independent candidates Paul C. McKain
Paul C. McKain
Paul C. McKain is an inventor, author, child-safety advocate, and now congressional candidate. A retired Florida firefighter, McKain is recognized for co-inventing a swimming pool system designed to protect swimmers, particularly children, from drowning due to suction of underwater swimming pool...
and Dianne Berryhill were also on the ballot, and Ray Netherwood had qualified as a write-in candidate.
Republicans had very high hopes for taking this district, in part because it had been made considerably friendlier to them after the 2000 census. Part of heavily Democratic Tallahassee was shifted to the Jacksonville-based 3rd District, while heavily Republican Panama City, long one of the anchors of the 1st District, was shifted to the 2nd District. While Boyd had held the seat with little difficulty, John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
had carried it by nine points in the 2008 presidential election.
Real Clear Politics rated this race a "Leans GOP". CQ Politics rated the election as a toss up.
According to an October 2010 poll commissioned by The Hill
The Hill (newspaper)
The Hill, a subsidiary of News Communications Inc., is a newspaper published in Washington, D.C. since 1994.Its first editor was Martin Tolchin, a veteran correspondent in the Washington bureau of The New York Times....
, a Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
newspaper, Southerland was ahead of Boyd by 12 percentage points, 50% for Southerland and 38% for Boyd, with 9% of likely voters undecided. Boyd represented this district since 1997. In 2008, John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
carried this district with 54% of the vote.
In the November 2 general election, Southerland defeated Boyd with 52 percent of the vote. Southerland is the first freshman Republican to represent the 2nd since its formation in 1963 (it was the 9th District from 1963–1967 and has been the 2nd since 1967). The only other Republican to ever represent this district, Bill Grant
James W. Grant
James William "Bill" Grant is an American banker and former politician from Madison, Florida.A graduate of Florida State University, he attended the University of Florida for graduate studies. He represented in the U. S. Congress from 1987 to 1991...
, was originally elected as a Democrat in 1986, but switched parties midway through his second term.
Committee assignments
- Committee on AgricultureUnited States House Committee on AgricultureThe U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, or Agriculture Committee is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. The House Committee on Agriculture has general jurisdiction over federal agriculture policy and oversight of some federal agencies, and it can recommend funding...
- Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry
- Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture
- Committee on Natural Resources
- Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs
- Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureUnited States House Committee on Transportation and InfrastructureThe U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. John Mica currently chairs the committee.-History:...
- Subcommittee on AviationUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on AviationThe Subcommittee on Aviation is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over civil aviation, including most aspects of the Federal Aviation Administration , the Transportation Security Administration, and the National...
- Subcommittee on Highways and TransitUnited States House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and TransitThe House Transportation Subcommittee on Highways and Transit is a subcommittee within the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The subcommittee oversees highway, transit, and highway safety programs in the United States, as well as policy governing how highway and transit projects...
- Subcommittee on Aviation
- Republican Study CommitteeRepublican Study CommitteeThe Republican Study Committee [RSC] is a caucus of over 170 conservative members of the Republican Party in the United States House of Representatives...
Personal life
Steve and Susan Southerland have four children. He is a Charter member and former trustee of Northstar Church.Southerland served as Chairman of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
Advisory Board as well as such community boards including the Florida State University Panama City
Florida State University Panama City
Florida State University, Panama City is located from the main campus in Tallahassee. Beginning in the early 1980s. Since that time the campus has grown to almost 1,500 students supported by 15 bachelor’s and 19 graduate degree programs...
Development Board and the Covenant Hospice Foundation Board. He is a member of the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
and founding member and former Vice President of the Bay Patriots.
External links
- Congressman Steve Southerland official U.S. House site
- Steve Southerland for Congress official campaign site