The new congressman from Florida’s 2nd District is Republican Steve Southerland, who upset seven-term Democrat Allen Boyd in 2010. Southerland grew up in Panama City, Fla. His family has lived in Bay County for five generations, and he is a third-generation funeral director. His grandfather opened the Southerland Family Funeral Home and Crematory in 1955, and he began working there as a child, washing cars with his younger two brothers and a sister. After graduating from Alabama’s Troy State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, he returned to the business, which he now co-owns with his sister. He also owns a timber business with his wife of 23 years, Susan. Over the years, Southerland got involved in civic organizations, including the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida and the Bay County Chamber of Commerce. In 2008, he got actively involved in politics, helping to found the Bay Patriots, a local tea party group. Southerland told the news website Daily Caller that his experience in the funeral business prepared him for Congress. “I’m a grief expert,” Southerland said. “I know what grief looks like. And when you close your family’s business for the last day, send all employees home, when you lose your home, when you can’t send your kids to college, (that’s) grief.” Read More

The new congressman from Florida’s 2nd District is Republican Steve Southerland, who upset seven-term Democrat Allen Boyd in 2010. Southerland grew up in Panama City, Fla. His family has lived in Bay County for five generations, and he is a third-generation funeral director. His grandfather opened the Southerland Family Funeral Home and Crematory in 1955, and he began working there as a child, washing cars with his younger two brothers and a sister. After graduating from Alabama’s Troy State University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, he returned to the business, which he now co-owns with his sister. He also owns a timber business with his wife of 23 years, Susan. Over the years, Southerland got involved in civic organizations, including the Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida and the Bay County Chamber of Commerce. In 2008, he got actively involved in politics, helping to found the Bay Patriots, a local tea party group. Southerland told the news website Daily Caller that his experience in the funeral business prepared him for Congress. “I’m a grief expert,” Southerland said. “I know what grief looks like. And when you close your family’s business for the last day, send all employees home, when you lose your home, when you can’t send your kids to college, (that’s) grief.”

In August, Southerland topped a crowded Republican primary field that included Air Force veteran David Scholl, getting 47% of the vote, for the right to challenge Boyd, a conservative Blue Dog Democrat who was vulnerable after voting for President Obama’s health care insurance overhaul in 2010. Boyd voted against the initial bill, but later voted for the final version. As a result, he got hammered from both the right and the left on an issue that polarized voters in the 2010 election. He drew a primary challenge from state Sen. Al Lawson, who attacked him for his vote against the bill initially. Boyd survived the primary with just 51% of the vote.

The primary depleted much of the $2.5 million war chest that Boyd would have turned on Southerland in the fall campaign. Then he spent much of the campaign on the defensive, this time explaining his decision to switch his vote on the health care bill from no to yes. Southerland, who raised $1 million, campaigned on reducing the deficit and hammering Boyd on the health care vote. He portrayed him as unwilling to stand up to liberal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who led the effort to pass the bill. Republican yard signs chided Boyd with the expression: “Blue Dog = Lap Dog.” Boyd responded that while the law wasn’t perfect, it would “effectively curb the skyrocketing cost of health care.” He tried to shore up his conservative credentials by touting endorsements from the National Rifle Association and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

He also tried to paint Southerland as a right-wing extremist, saying that his opponent would take Social Security benefits away from orphans and would vote to repeal the 17th Amendment providing for the direct election of senators. At a candidate forum, Southerland said he was “fine with” returning the ability to choose senators to state legislators. A spokesman for his campaign said that Southerland does not want to repeal the amendment, but does want to return to the “founding principles of the Constitution.” Southerland won, 54% to 41%.