The new congressman from the 4th District is Republican Steven Palazzo, who upset 21-year incumbent Democrat Gene Taylor in 2010. Palazzo was born and raised in Gulfport, where his family has deep roots: Five generations have called South Mississippi home. He describes his community as characterized by “God-fearing men and women” who believe in faith and personal responsibility. After graduating from high school and enrolling for a semester at his local community college, Palazzo enlisted in the Marines, inspired by his grandfather, who served in the Pacific during World War II. From 1988 to 1996, Palazzo served with the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company, gathering intelligence and doing tours of duty in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War. “The Marine Corps breaks you down and builds you back up,” Palazzo said. “The traditions and the warrior spirit—those things are still instilled in me.” He has remained active in the military in later life, joining the Mississippi National Guard in 1997 and spending a year supporting base operations at Camp Shelby for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Read More

The new congressman from the 4th District is Republican Steven Palazzo, who upset 21-year incumbent Democrat Gene Taylor in 2010. Palazzo was born and raised in Gulfport, where his family has deep roots: Five generations have called South Mississippi home. He describes his community as characterized by “God-fearing men and women” who believe in faith and personal responsibility. After graduating from high school and enrolling for a semester at his local community college, Palazzo enlisted in the Marines, inspired by his grandfather, who served in the Pacific during World War II. From 1988 to 1996, Palazzo served with the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company, gathering intelligence and doing tours of duty in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War. “The Marine Corps breaks you down and builds you back up,” Palazzo said. “The traditions and the warrior spirit—those things are still instilled in me.” He has remained active in the military in later life, joining the Mississippi National Guard in 1997 and spending a year supporting base operations at Camp Shelby for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

After he returned from the Persian Gulf War, Palazzo went back to school, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi. It was also while in college that he met his future wife, Lisa Belvin. Palazzo worked in accounting positions at various firms throughout the late 1990s, primarily in the construction industry. In 2001, he and his wife began the accounting practice Palazzo & Co., targeting as clients Americans working abroad. The business, started out of their home, has since grown into an international firm specializing in doing individual income-tax returns for expatriates. Palazzo has highlighted his experience as an entrepreneur on the campaign trail: “As a small-business owner, you learn real quick that most things that can destroy your business come from government action,” he said.

In 2007, he ran in a special election for the state House and won handily. Two years later, he decided to challenge Taylor for his congressional seat, although Taylor was almost a folk hero in coastal Mississippi—Taylor lost his home to Katrina, was in good stead with the National Rifle Association, had one of the most conservative voting records among House Democrats, and had spoken out against many of his party’s major initiatives, including health care reform.

But even Taylor, once thought of as one of the safest Democrats in the House, had reason to sweat in the anti-incumbent environment of 2010, when recession-weary voters were in the mood for change. Even though it was difficult for Palazzo to pick apart Taylor’s quite conservative voting record, he portrayed him as an enabler of the Democratic agenda for his vote for liberal California Democrat Nancy Pelosi as House speaker, thereby promoting, he said, a “liberal socialist agenda.” And Taylor couldn’t count on much help from national Democrats, whom he had frequently bucked over the years. Taylor touted his conservative positions, and even boasted to his local newspaper that he voted for Republican John McCain for president in 2008. It wasn’t enough, not in 2010. Palazzo won 52% to 47%.