Steve Southerland II

Steve Southerland II
U.S. House, Florida, District 2
Incumbent
In office
January 3, 2011-Present
Term ends
January 3, 2015
Years in position	2
Party	Republican
Predecessor	Allen Boyd (D)
Compensation
Base salary	$174,000/year
Elections and appointments
Last election	November 6, 2012
First elected	2010
Next election	November 4, 2014
Campaign $	$3,115,028
Term limits	N/A
Education
High school	A. Crawford Mosley High School (1983)
Bachelor's	Troy State University
Associate's	Jefferson State Junior College
Personal
Birthday	October 10, 1965
Place of birth	Nashville, Tennessee
Profession	Businessman, Mortician
Net worth	$2,826,001
Religion	Christian
Websites
Office website
Campaign website
Steve Southerland II campaign logo

William Steve Southerland, II (b. October 10, 1965) is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Southerland was elected by voters from Florida's 2nd congressional district.

Southerland was first elected in 2010 and was re-elected in 2012.

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Southerland is a "moderate Republican follower".

Biography

Southerland is a lifelong resident of Panama City, Florida. He is the fourth generation of five in his family to live in Bay County.

Education:

• 1983: A. Crawford Mosley High School
• Jefferson State Junior College, A.A. degree in Mortuary Science
• Troy State University, B.S. degree in Business Management

Career

Below is a summary of Southerland's professional achievements:

• Current Co-Owner and President of Southerland Family Funeral Homes, founded in 1955
• Two term member of the Florida Board of Funeral Directors (Gubernatorial Appointment)
• Two term Chairman of the Florida Board of Funeral Directors
• Founding partner in Genesis Granite and Stone, LLC]
• Founding partner in K & B Land and Timber Company, LLC
• Past Member of the Florida Funeral Directors Association
• Past Member of the National Funeral Directors Association
• Member of the Leaders Network (personal and professional growth organization)

Committee assignments

U.S. House

2013-2014

Southerland serves on the following committees:

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

2011-2012

• Committee on Agriculture
  • 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 Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Aviation
  • Subcommittee on Highways and Transit

Issues

Personal Positions

Percentage voting with party

The website Open Congress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus. According to the website, Steve Southerland II voted with the Republican Party 93 of the time, which ranked 112 among the 242 House Republican members in November 2011.

Campaign themes

2012

Southerland's campaign website lists the following issues:

• Fixing the Economy by Empowering Job Creators

Excerpt: "The problem today is that too many Washington politicians believe they can fix our economy. In reality, what government needs to do is get out of the way. Only by unleashing our job creators to do what they do best can we truly ignite a long term economic recovery. As a small business owner, Steve understands this all too well. He’s met a payroll and created local jobs. And he’s brought that small business common sense to Washington."

• Lowering Taxes So You Can Keep More of Your Money

Excerpt: "If there is one area where almost all Floridians can agree that we’ve had enough, it is in the enormous tax burden weighing down families and small businesses. We must drastically reduce taxes in order to stimulate this economy."

• Keeping The Commitment To Our Seniors

Excerpt: "Steve believes the federal government must honor the commitments that have been made to our seniors. As Congress debates the future of Medicare and Social Security, Americans who are at or near retirement age deserve the peace of mind in knowing that they will receive their Medicare and Social Security benefits, while ensuring the solvency of both programs for future generations. That’s exactly what Steve is fighting to do."

• Shrinking Spending and Reducing the Size of Government

Excerpt: "For years, both Democrat and Republican politicians contributed to America’s crippling national debt. With little concern for our children and grandchildren, both parties became addicted to wasteful Washington spending. Well, times have finally changed."

• Family: The Foundation of America

Excerpt: "Without question, the basic fundamental unit of any civil society is the family. Other than personal individual freedoms, no issue is more critical than issues concerning the family. There is no greater commitment that can be made than the commitment between a husband and wife. It is from that union that the family is birthed and the next generation of American citizens is born."

Specific votes

Fiscal Cliff

Southerland voted against the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. He was one of 151 Republicans that voted against the bill. The bill was passed in the House by a 257/167 vote on January 1, 2013.

Elections

2014

See also: Florida's 2nd congressional district elections, 2014

Southerland is a member of the National Republican Congressional Committee's Patriot Program. The program is designed to assist vulnerable Republican incumbents heading into the 2014 election.

2012

See also: Florida's 2nd congressional district elections, 2012

Southerland ran in the 2012 election for the U.S. House, representing Florida's 2nd District. Southerland ran on the Republican ticket. Leonard Bembry, Jay Liles, Alvin Peters, and Alfred Lawson ran as Democrats, while Nancy Argenziano ran as an Independent. Primary elections were held on August 14, 2012. Southerland ran unopposed in the Republican primary. He was re-elected on November 6, 2012.

U.S. House, Florida, District 2 General Election, 2012
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Al Lawson	47.2%	157,634
	Republican	Steve Southerland II Incumbent	52.7%	175,856
	Independent	Floyd Patrick Miller	0.1%	228
Total Votes				333,718
Source: Florida Secretary of State "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Steve Southerland II, click [show] to expand the section.

2010 On November 2, 2010, Steve Southerland II won election to the United States House. He defeated Allen Boyd (D), Paul C. McKain (I), Dianne Berryhill (I), and Ray Netherwood (I) in the general election. U.S. House, Florida District 2 General Election, 2010 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Republican Steve Southerland II 53.6% 136,371      Democratic Allen Boyd incumbent 41.4% 105,211      Independent Paul C. McKain 2.8% 7,135      Independent Dianne Berryhill 2.2% 5,705      Independent Ray Netherwood 0% 16 Total Votes 254,438

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor information for Southerland is available dating back to 2010. Based on available campaign finance records, Southerland raised a total of $3,115,028 during that time period. This information was last updated on April 3, 2013.

Steve Southerland II's Campaign Contribution History
Year	Office	Result	Contributions
2012	U.S. House, (Florida, District 2)		$1,823,957
2010	U.S. House, (Florida, District 2)		$1,291,071
Grand Total Raised			$3,115,028

2012

Breakdown of the source of Southerland's campaign funds before the 2012 election.

Southerland won re-election to the U.S. House in 2012. During that election cycle, Southerland's campaign committee raised a total of $1,823,957 and spent $1,722,317.

U.S. House of Representatives, Florida's 2nd Congressional District, 2012 - Steve Southerland II Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$1,823,957
Total Spent	$1,722,317
Total Raised by Election Runner-up	$713,999
Total Spent by Election Runner-up	$720,886
Top contributors to Steve Southerland II's campaign committee
Eastern Shipbuilding Group	$15,000
Gulf Coast Dermatology	$14,201
Tallahassee Orthopedic Clinic	$12,350
Associated Builders and Contractors	$11,923
American Farm Bureau	$11,000
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Health Professionals	$174,467
Retired	$101,418
Leadership PACs	$86,500
Crop Production and Basic Processing	$59,205
General Contractors	$43,124

2010

Breakdown of the source of Southerland's campaign funds before the 2010 election.

Southerland won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. During that election cycle, Southerland's campaign committee raised a total of $1,291,071 and spent $1,290,929.

U.S. House of Representatives, Florida's 2nd Congressional District, 2010 - Steve Southerland II Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$1,291,071
Total Spent	$1,290,929
Total Raised by General Election Opponent	$2,690,989
Total Spent by General Election Opponent	$3,814,064
Top contributors to Steve Southerland II's campaign committee
Gac Contractors	$12,050
Associated Builders & Contractors	$10,000
Every Republican is Crucial PAC	$10,000
Freedom Project	$10,000
Southerland Family Funeral Home	$8,250
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Retired	$162,111
Health Professionals	$95,466
Leadership PACs	$91,650
Misc Business	$90,020
Real Estate	$37,752

Analysis

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Southerland missed 4 of 1,695 roll call votes from Jan 2011 to Mar 2013. This amounts to 0.2%, which is better than the median of 2.2% among current congressional representatives as of March 2013.

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Southerland paid his congressional staff a total of $802,265 in 2011. He ranks 50th on the list of the lowest paid Republican Representative Staff Salaries and he ranks 57th overall of the lowest paid Representative Staff Salaries in 2011. Overall, Florida ranks 36th in average salary for representative staff. The average U.S. House of Representatives congressional staff was paid $954,912.20 in fiscal year 2011.

Staff bonuses

According to an analysis by CNN, Southerland is one of nearly 25% of House members who gave their staff bonuses in 2012. Southerland's staff was given an apparent $24,500.00 in bonus money.

Net worth

See also: Net Worth of United States Senators and Representatives

2011

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Souterland's net worth as of 2011 was estimated between $500,0004 and $5,151,998. That averages to $2,826,001, which is higher than the average net worth of Republican Representatives in 2011 of $7,859,232. His average net worth did not change from 2010.

2010

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org - The Center for Responsive Politics, Southerland's net worth as of 2010 was estimated between $500,004 and $5,151,998. That averages to $2,826,001, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican Representatives in 2010 of $7,561,133.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

2012

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Southerland ranked 34th in the conservative rankings in 2012.

2011

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of congress voted in the previous year. Southerland ranked 40th in the conservative rankings.

Personal

Southerland and Susan, his wife of 24 years, met in the first grade and have spent most of their formative years together. Steve and Susan have 4 daughters, Samantha (20), Stephanie (18), Allison (14), and Abby (12). They reside in Panama City, Florida.

Recent news

This section displays the most recent stories in a Google news search for the term Steve + Southerland + Florida + House

All stories may not be relevant to this page due to the nature of the search engine.

Steve Southerland News Feed

• FLORIDA DELEGATION SEEKS MORE WATER IN TRI-STATE FIGHT - Orlando Advacate (blog)
• Florida legislators are friends but don't see eye to eye on health care - Tampabay.com (blog)
• Bill would hand win to Georgia in water dispute with Florida - Tallahassee.com
• Florida GOP readies plan to play heavily in congressional races - The Hill (blog)
• Panhandle's Jeff Miller state's most well-travelled - The News Herald
• House campaign committees further gear up for 2014 - NBCNews.com (blog)
• Lawson concerned DCCC playing favorites again - Tallahassee.com
• House Democrats aim to give 2014 recruits a head start - Washington Post - Washington Post (blog)
• DCCC Memo Cites Advantages Over House GOP - National Journal (blog)
• Southerland faces tough 2014 re-election bid - Tallahassee Democrat (blog)

External links

• Campaign website

• Social media:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
• Biographies:
  • U.S. Congress
• Political profiles:
  • GovTrack
  • OpenCongress
  • Project Vote Smart
  • CongressMerge
• Financial:
  • FEC
  • OpenSecrets.org
  • LegiStorm.com
• Interest group ratings:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions:
  • On The Issues
  • Project Vote Smart
• Public statements:
  • Project Vote Smart
• Voting record:
  • Project Vote Smart
  • Washington Post
• Media appearances:
  • C-SPAN
• Media coverage:
  • Washington Post

References

Political offices
Preceded by Allen Boyd	U.S. House of Representatives - Florida District 2 2011–present	Succeeded by -