Dennis Ross | |
---|---|
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida | |
In office January 3, 2011 –January 3, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Adam Putnam |
Succeeded by | Ross Spano |
Constituency | 12th district (2011–2013) 15th district (2013–2019) |
Member of the FloridaHouseofRepresentatives from the 63rd district | |
In office November 21,2000 –November 18,2008 | |
Preceded by | Adam Putnam |
Succeeded by | Seth McKeel |
Personal details | |
Born | Dennis Alan Ross October 18,1959 Lakeland,Florida,U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Cindy Hartley (m. 1983) |
Children | 2 |
Education | University of Florida Auburn University (BA) Samford University (JD) |
Dennis Alan Ross (born October 18, 1959) is an American businessman and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019. A Republican from Florida, his district was numbered as Florida's 12th congressional district during his first two years in Congress, and it was numbered as the 15th district during his last six years in Congress.
In April 2018, Ross announced that he would retire from Congress, and not run for re-election in 2018. [1]
Starting in 2018, Ross became a distinguished professor of political science at Southeastern University and launched the American Center for Political Leadership (ACPL) in the Jannetides College of Business and Entrepreneurial Leadership. [2]
Ross was born October 18, 1959, in Lakeland, Florida, the youngest of five children born to Bill and Loyola Ross. [3] He attended Catholic school for nine years before graduating at Lakeland Senior High School in 1977. After high school, he attended the University of Florida before transferring to Auburn University where he graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Organizational Management. He then graduated from Samford University's Cumberland School of Law in 1987. [4]
Ross went to work in the newly developed micro-computer industry working for several companies. He went on to serve briefly as an Associate with the law firm of Holland & Knight and was in-house counsel to Walt Disney World. Subsequent to his time at Disney, he opened up his own law firm, Ross Vecchio P.A., representing Business and Industry in Workers Compensation matters for over 20 years. As Ross was elected to Congress, his former firm was required to change its name to Vecchio, Carrier, Feldman and Johannessen.
Ross went on to work for a year as a legislative aide in St. Petersburg to State Senator Dennis Jones in 1982. He was elected Chairman of the Polk County Republican Executive Committee, and served until 1995. In 1996, he ran unsuccessfully for the State Senate, losing to incumbent Democratic State Senator Rick Dantzler. In 2000, he ran for the 63rd district of the Florida House of Representatives, vacated by Adam Putnam. [5]
Ross decided to run for Florida's 12th congressional district, vacated for retiring Adam Putnam, who decided to run for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture. In the Republican primary, Ross defeated John W. Lindsey, Jr. 69%–31%. [6] In the general election, he defeated Democrat Lori Edwards, the Polk County Supervisor of Elections, TEA Party candidate Randy Wilkinson, a Polk County Commissioner, 48%–41%–11%. [7] This was the second time Ross succeeded Putnam. [8] It was only the third time that a Democrat had managed to get 40 percent of the vote in this district since Andy Ireland switched parties in 1984 in what was then the 10th District (it was renumbered as the 12th after the 1990 census).
In 2009 Ross signed a pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity promising to vote against any Global Warming legislation that would raise taxes. [9]
After redistricting, Ross' district was renumbered as the 15th District. [10] No other candidate filed by the deadline, and he won re-election to a second term unopposed. [11] [12]
Ross had a "D" rating from marijuana legalization advocacy group NORML for his voting history regarding cannabis-related causes. [19]
Ross had a 13% score from the Humane Society Legislative Fund for his voting history on animal rights issues. [20]
In 2014, Ross had an "A" rating and endorsement from the NRA Political Victory Fund. [21] [22]
Following the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Ross signed a letter written to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives urging them to reevaluate the legal status of bump stocks, though no action has been taken as of March 2018. [23] [ non-primary source needed ]
Of bump stocks, Ross said, "I believe in taking the important step to outlaw devices that make a firearm simulate an automatic firearm. I fully support the Second Amendment and the right to keep and bear arms—this is about consistent enforcement of the automatic weapons ban." [24] [ non-primary source needed ]
After the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Ross released a statement announcing his support for bipartisan measures, including increasing funding for background checks, as well support for H.R. 4909, the STOP School Violence Act of 2018, which has not been voted on as of March 2018. Ross said that the Act would "establish and support evidence-based programs to help school personnel, law enforcement, and students recognize the warning signs, develop effective threat assessments, and operate anonymous reporting programs." [25] [ non-primary source needed ]
Ross voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. [26]
Ross supported President Donald Trump's 2017 executive order to impose a temporary ban on entry to the U.S. to citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, calling the controversial order a "long overdue" measure to "ensure our country is safe from radical Islamic jihadists." [27]
Ross is opposed to abortion. He was in favor of banning federal health benefits from covering abortions, as well as any federal money being used to fund abortions, the latter unless the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest or if the mother's life is in danger. He co-sponsored the Sanctity of Human Life Act, which states that life begins at fertilization. He wants to stop Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding. [28]
After leaving office, he became involved in political reform efforts, including joining nine other former members of Congress to co-author a 2021 opinion editorial advocating reforms of Congress. [29]
Harold Trent Franks is an American businessman and former politician who served as the U.S. representative for Arizona's 8th congressional district from 2003 to 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party. During his tenure, Franks served as vice chairman of the United States House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces and chairman of the United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.
Diana Louise DeGette is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 1st congressional district since 1997. A member of the Democratic Party, her district is based in Denver. DeGette was a Chief Deputy Whip from 2005 to 2019 and is the dean of Colorado's congressional delegation; she served as the Colorado State Representative for the 6th district from 1993 until her election to the U.S. House.
Clifford Bundy Stearns Sr. is an American businessman and politician who was the U.S. representative for Florida's 6th congressional district from 1989 to 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Marcia Carolyn Kaptur is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from Ohio's 9th congressional district. Now in her 21st term, she has been a member of Congress since 1983.
John Henry Rutherford is an American politician and former police officer serving as the U.S. representative from Florida's 5th congressional district since 2017. His district encompasses most of Jacksonville and most of its suburbs in Nassau and St. Johns counties, including St. Augustine.
Gus Michael Bilirakis is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 12th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Republican Party, he first entered Congress in 2007, where he succeeded his father Michael Bilirakis, representing Florida's 9th congressional district until redistricting. His district includes much of the northern portion of the Tampa Bay area. Bilirakis previously served as the Florida state representative for the 48th district from 1998 to 2006.
Howard Morgan Griffith is an American lawyer and politician who has been the U.S. representative for Virginia's 9th congressional district since 2011. The district covers a large swath of southwestern Virginia, including the New River Valley and the Virginia side of the Tri-Cities. He is a member of the Republican Party and the Freedom Caucus.
Alan Stuart Lowenthal is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for California's 47th congressional district from 2013 to 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the California state assemblyman for the 54th district from 1998 to 2004 and California state senator from the 27th district from 2004 to 2012. In both posts, Lowenthal represented the city of Long Beach and its surrounding suburbs. On December 16, 2021, Lowenthal announced that he would not seek reelection to Congress.
William Joseph Posey is an American businessman and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 8th congressional district, in Congress since 2009. A member of the Republican Party, he formerly served in the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives.
Mark Eugene Amodei is an American lawyer and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Nevada's 2nd congressional district since 2011. The only Republican in Nevada's congressional delegation since 2019, Amodei served in the Nevada Assembly from 1997 to 1999 and in the Nevada Senate, representing the Capital District, from 1999 to 2011. Amodei is generally considered a moderate Republican, supporting programs such as DACA throughout his tenure.
Theodore Eliot Deutch is an American lawyer and politician who served as the U.S. representative from Florida's 22nd congressional district from 2010 to 2022. His district, numbered as the 19th district from 2010 to 2013 and as the 21st from 2013 to 2017, included much of northern Broward County and southern Palm Beach County in South Florida. A member of the Democratic Party, he first entered Congress in 2010 after a special election following the resignation of Robert Wexler.
Erik Philip Paulsen is an American businessman and politician who represented Minnesota's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2009 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1995 to 2009 and as majority leader from 2003 to 2007.
David Bennett McKinley is an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for West Virginia's 1st congressional district from 2011 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, McKinley was a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1980 to 1994, and chaired the West Virginia Republican Party from 1990 to 1994.
Nicole Malliotakis is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New York's 11th congressional district since 2021. Her constituency covers Staten Island and southern Brooklyn.
Lois Jane Frankel is an American politician and lawyer who has been the United States representative for Florida's 22nd congressional district since 2013. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Theodore Scott Yoho is an American politician, veterinarian, and businessman, who served as the U.S. representative from Florida's 3rd congressional district from 2013 until 2021. He is a member of the Republican Party.
Earl LeRoy "Buddy" Carter is an American pharmacist and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Georgia's 1st congressional district since 2015. The district is based in Savannah and includes most of the state's coastal southern portion. A member of the Republican Party, Carter served as a Georgia state representative (2005–2009) and Georgia state senator (2009–2014).
Carlos Luis Curbelo is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 26th congressional district from 2015 to 2019. In 2018, he was narrowly defeated for re-election by Democrat Debbie Mucarsel-Powell. He is a member of the Republican Party. Prior to his election to the U.S. House, he served on the Dade County School Board.
Brian Jeffrey Mast is an American politician and U.S. military veteran who has served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 21st congressional district since 2017. The district, numbered as the 18th district before the 2020 redistricting cycle, includes portions of the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast. Mast is a member of the Republican Party.
The 2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Florida were held on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, to elect the 27 U.S. representatives from the state of Florida, one from each of the state's 27 congressional districts. The elections coincided with the elections of other offices, including a gubernatorial election, other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate, and various state and local elections. The party primaries were held on August 28, 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)