Steven Palazzo
Encyclopedia
Steven McCarty Palazzo is the U.S. Representative
for . The district takes in most of Mississippi's share of the Gulf Coast and includes Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagoula
, Laurel
and Hattiesburg
. He is a member of the Republican Party
. He defeated 10-term Democratic incumbent Gene Taylor
with 52% to 47% of the vote in the 2010 mid-term election. He formerly represented District 116 in the Mississippi House of Representatives
.
in the Persian Gulf War
. He currently serves in the Mississippi National Guard
. He became a Certified Public Accountant. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi for both his MPA
and Bachelor's degree
. He is also a member of the Sigma Chi
fraternity.
and the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committees.
Although the 4th has turned almost solidly Republican at the federal level, Taylor had held the seat without serious difficulty. His voting record had been very conservative even by Mississippi Democratic standards, and he'd often broken with his party. However, Palazzo established himself as Taylor's strongest opponent since 1996. In particular, he attacked Taylor for supporting Nancy Pelosi
for House Speaker in 2006 and 2008.
In the November election, Palazzo defeated Taylor, 52% to 47%.
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 takes in most of Mississippi's share of the Gulf Coast and includes Biloxi, Gulfport, Pascagoula
Pascagoula
The Pasacagoula were an indigenous group living in coastal Mississippi on the Pascagoula River....
, Laurel
Laurel, Mississippi
Laurel is a city located in Jones County in Mississippi, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,393 although a significant population increase has been reported following Hurricane Katrina. Located in southeast Mississippi, southeast of...
and Hattiesburg
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Hattiesburg is a city in Forrest County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 44,779 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Forrest County...
. 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...
. He defeated 10-term Democratic incumbent Gene Taylor
Gene Taylor
Gary Eugene "Gene" Taylor is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1989 until 2011. He was defeated for re-election in 2010 by State Rep. Steven Palazzo, who gained 52% of the vote compared to Taylor's 47%. He left office in January 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
with 52% to 47% of the vote in the 2010 mid-term election. He formerly represented District 116 in the Mississippi House of Representatives
Mississippi House of Representatives
The Mississippi House of Representatives is the lower house of the Mississippi Legislature, the lawmaking body of the U.S. state of Mississippi....
.
Early life, education, and military service
Palazzo was born February 21, 1970 in Gulfport. Palazzo enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves in 1988, and served with the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company3rd Force Reconnaissance Company
The Third Force Reconnaissance Company, or 3rd FORECON, are responsible in deep reconnaissance and direct action support, and largely tasked in remote sensor emplacement for ground combat elements of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force.-Mission:...
in the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. He currently serves in the Mississippi National Guard
Mississippi National Guard
The Mississippi National Guard is Mississippi's component of the United States National Guard.The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. In fact, the National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to...
. He became a Certified Public Accountant. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi for both his MPA
Master of Accountancy
Master of Accountancy , alternatively Master of Professional Accountancy or Master of Science in Accountancy , is a graduate professional degree designed to prepare students for public accounting and to provide them with the 150 credit hours required by most states before taking the...
and Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
. He is also a member of the Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi
Sigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
fraternity.
Mississippi legislature
In 2006 Steven Palazzo won a special election to represent the 116th District in the Mississippi House of Representatives. He served on the Banking and Financial Services, Juvenile Justice, Labor, Select Committee on the Gulf Coast Disaster,and the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committees.
2010 election
Palazzo entered the Republican primary for the 4th District and easily won the nomination with 57 percent of the vote. He faced 10-term Democrat Gene Taylor in the general election.Although the 4th has turned almost solidly Republican at the federal level, Taylor had held the seat without serious difficulty. His voting record had been very conservative even by Mississippi Democratic standards, and he'd often broken with his party. However, Palazzo established himself as Taylor's strongest opponent since 1996. In particular, he attacked Taylor for supporting Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Patricia D'Alesandro Pelosi is the Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and served as the 60th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011...
for House Speaker in 2006 and 2008.
In the November election, Palazzo defeated Taylor, 52% to 47%.
Tenure
Rep. Palazzo voted with his Republican colleauges to raise the limit on the debt ceiling.Committee assignments
- Committee on Armed ServicesUnited States House Committee on Armed Servicesthumb|United States House Committee on Armed Services emblemThe U.S. House Committee on Armed Services, commonly known as the House Armed Services Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives...
- Subcommittee on ReadinessUnited States House Armed Services Subcommittee on ReadinessHouse Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness is a subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee in the United States House of Representatives.-Jurisdiction:The Readiness Subcommittee exercises oversight and legislative jurisdiction over:...
- Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces
- Subcommittee on Readiness
- Committee on Science, Space and Technology
- Subcommittee on Space and AeronauticsUnited States House Science Subcommittee on Space and AeronauticsThe Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics is one of five subcommittees of the United States House Committee on Science and Technology.- Jurisdiction :...
(Chairman) - Subcommittee on Research and Science Education
- Subcommittee on Investigations and OversightUnited States House Science Subcommittee on Investigations and OversightThe Science Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight is one of five subcommittees of the United States House Committee on Science and Technology...
- Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
Personal life
Palazzo is married to the former Lisa M. Belvin. He is a member of the Rotary, VFW, NRA, MS Society of CPAs, USM Alumni Association; Boys & Girls Club Board Member; Marine Corps Association and AICPA.External links
- Congressman Steven Palazzo official U.S. House site
- Steven Palazzo for U.S. Congress official campaign site