William Steve Southerland II[1] (born October 10, 1965) is an American businessman, lobbyist [2] and former Republican Party politician who served as the U.S. representative for Florida's 2nd congressional district from 2011 to 2015.

He was narrowly defeated for re-election in 2014 by Democrat Gwen Graham, becoming one of only two incumbent House Republicans to lose a general election that year, along with Lee Terry of Nebraska.

Southerland won the Republican primary against Eddie Hendry, Ron McNeil, Barbara F. Olschner and David Scholl.

Congressman Bill Grant, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Lynn Haven Mayor Walter Kelley.

[16] The only other Republican to ever represent this district, Bill Grant, was originally elected as a Democrat in 1986, but switched parties midway through his second term.

Southerland defeated former State Senator Alfred Lawson Jr. 53% 175,856 votes to 47% 157,634 out of 333,718 ballots cast on November 6, 2012, for his re-election to a second term in Congress.

He ran unopposed for the Republican nomination in the primary,[17] and faced Gwen Graham in the general election on November 4, 2014.

The article cited states: "Southerland prefers a system that would give consumers greater access to health savings accounts and force greater competition on insurance providers while retaining the Obamacare provision that prohibits insurers from denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.