Rep. Greg Steube was 22 years old when he interned with the U.S. House of Representatives, a role that inspired him to pursue a career in politics.
While interning for Congress in 2000, Steube said he wanted to gain an understanding of the legislative process and how government worked to make a difference in serving his home.
Age: 38 Education: University of Florida, B.S., Animal Science, Agricultural Law, minor, 1996-2000; J.D., 2001-2003 Occupation: Attorney at Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. Political Experience: Elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2010, re-elected subsequently
“When I went into law school at the University of Florida, I mainly did it to have background on how to be a good legislator,” Steube said. “My interests were in agriculture because I have worked out on farms in this area, including the cattle industry.”
Now the Republican serves in the Florida House of Representatives for District 73, and works as an attorney for Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. in Sarasota. He said he is running as the conservative choice in the race for Florida Senate District 23. He faces Democrat Frank Alcock, a political science professor at New College.
“I have lived in this area long enough to know what issues the state of Florida is facing,” Steube said. “And I think it is important to elect someone who understands the community because you need people that can see the growth of their district, and recognize the issues that are affect people’s lives.”
Known for his legislative efforts to improve the agriculture industry and his support of gun rights, Steube said he hopes to revitalize the state Senate, if elected on Nov. 8.
After 9/11, Steube said he felt a calling to serve in the armed forces. From 2004 to 2008, he enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Iraq War, including three years as an attorney for the U.S. Army JAG Corps, as chief of detainee operations during “Operation Iraqi Freedom.”
“Everybody’s experience was different in Iraq,” Steube said. “I traveled a lot in my job with the JAG Corps, and I toured at 26 different operating bases while being assigned to numerous cases. When it comes to being on the battlefield, having any kind of exposure is always a risk.
“You could not tell who the bad guys were because they are not always wearing military uniforms from the opposite side,” Steube said. “So we had to be on guard no matter where we were.”
Steube's father Brad Steube is the sheriff of Manatee County. Representing his fellow citizens has been his son’s mission, as a soldier and lawyer, Brad Steube said.
“He wanted to know the hardships they went through,” Brad Steube said. “He wanted to identify who the unjust people were and convict them of their crimes.”
In 2010, Steube became a member of the Florida House of Representatives for District 67 under the Republican ticket, succeeding State Rep. Ron Reagan. Steube would then run for House District 73 in 2012, defeating Independent Bob McCann in the general election, and winning re-election in 2014 unopposed.
After serving on the House Appropriations and Economic Affairs committees and the Health Innovation Subcommittee, Steube seeks to represent his community further in the state Senate.
Dan Fisher is a student journalist attending the University of South Florida Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications. This story was produced as part of the school’s Advanced Reporting or Public Affairs class this semester, under the leadership of instructors Wayne Garcia and Wendy Whitt.
