Steve Southerland (Florida politician)

Southerland won the Republican primary against Eddie Hendry, Ron McNeil, Barbara F. Olschner and David Scholl.[10] He was part of the GOP Young Gun Program.[11][12] He was endorsed by U.S. Congressmen Eric Cantor, Jeff Miller, former State House Speaker Allan Bense, former Democratic Governor Wayne Mixson, State Rep. Jimmy Patronis, State Rep. Marti Coley, former U.S. Congressman Bill Grant, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Lynn Haven Mayor Walter Kelley.[13] 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.

Real Clear Politics rated this race a "Leans GOP".[14] CQ Politics rated the election as a toss-up.[15]

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).[16] 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 defeated former State Senator Alfred Lawson Jr. 53% 175,856 votes to 47% 157,634 out of 333,718 ballots cast on November 6, 2012, for his re-election to a second term in Congress.

Southerland ran for re-election. He ran unopposed for the Republican nomination in the primary,[17] and faced Gwen Graham in the general election on November 4, 2014. Southerland lost the election, receiving 49.56% of the vote to Graham's 50.44%.[18]

Southerland opposes military intervention in Syria.[19]

He voted for the Amash–Conyers Amendment, which would prohibit the collection of records by the National Security Agency under the Patriot Act.[20]

He voted against the 2014 Farm Bill, a $1 trillion bill which expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop.[21]

Southerland has said he wants to replace the Affordable Care Act "with an approach that incorporates free-market principles. The article cited states: "Southerland prefers a system that would give consumers greater access to health savings accounts and force greater competition on insurance providers while retaining the Obamacare provision that prohibits insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions. He voiced support for tort reform to help prevent frivolous lawsuits against doctors." "[22]

On July 11, 2014, Southerland introduced the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act of 2014 (H.R. 5078; 113th Congress), a bill that would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) from implementing or enforcing certain proposed regulations regarding the use of the nation's waters and wetlands.[23][24]

The American Conservative Union gave him an 83% evaluation.

• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs
• Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

• Congressional Constitution Caucus[25]