Freshman Congressman Steve Southerland (R-Panama City) came to Pensacola for campaign donations and area Republicans wanted to show regional unity. Plus, it didn’t hurt that Southerland serves on the House Transportation Committee and served on the conference committee that decided the RESTORE Act -which has the majority of the BP fines coming to the gulf states that were impacted by the 2010 oil disaster.
Southerland told the 30 or so Republicans and elected officials at The Fish House that he has fond memories of Pensacola taking care of his family when he was injured in a Little League baseball game in 1980.
The Panama City mortician was part of the 2010 incoming group of Congressman –89 freshman representatives–that gave the Republican Party control of the House of Representatives. Southerland beat out seven-term Democratic incumbent Allen Boyd and is expected to win re-election.
Southerland assured the crowd that he will fight to keep the BP fine money coming to the gulf states. He also said that he believed that Mitt Romney won the first presidential debate.
“My momma had a saying – He was like a dollar over a dime,” said Southerland. “Mitt Romney was prepared and he looked presidential.”
He predicted that Paul Ryan would do well against Joe Biden in the vice presidential debate. “Paul Ryan will take it to the vice president,” he said. “Nobody knows the budget better than Paul. He knows this financial mess we are in like nobody.”
Southerland capped off his stump speech with his economic beliefs. “Our economy is based on earned success. It’s the fairest system in the world and the only way poor people have a chance to improve.”