Rich Nugent
Encyclopedia
Richard B. Nugent is the U.S. Representative
for . He is a member of the Republican Party
. He is formerly the Sheriff
of Hernando County, Florida
. On November 2, 2010 Richard Nugent defeated Democratic nominee James Piccillo, to replace retiring Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite
. Nugent is a member of the Tea Party Caucus
, a suburb of Chicago. His father was a steel worker and his mother was a homemaker. Nugent fondly recalls growing up in a time when America was at her best.
Nugent graduated from St. Leo College, located in St. Leo, Pasco County, Florida with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He went on to earn a Master of Arts Degree from Troy State University. In 1991 Congressman Nugent graduated from the FBI National Academy.
Right out of high school Nugent joined the Illinois Air National Guard
. Nugent has said, "As anybody who has spent time in America’s military can tell you, young people inevitably learn the value of leadership, teamwork, discipline, and self-reliance. My experience as a young man was no different." Honorably discharged after six years, Congressman Nugent decided to continue serving as a police officer in the city of Romeoville, Illinois
. After serving as a police officer in Romeoville for 12 years and achieving the rank of Sergeant, Nugent and his family moved to Hernando County, Florida in 1984, where he joined the Hernando County Sheriff's office as a deputy.
The recommendation commended Nugent's platform, in which he promised to update the Sheriff's Office's computer system to make it easier to track trends in crime and for the public to access that information, to implement a program that assures accountability from deputies assigned to investigate reports of crimes, to establish a victim's advocacy program and to expand efforts to educate young people about the pitfalls of illegal behavior.
According to the St. Petersburg Times
, in his first term as Sheriff, Nugent did all he promised and more. This success resulted in the St Petersburg Times endorsing Nugent for a second term as Sheriff in 2004. The Times noted that he has, "Proved to be a fair and well-tempered public servant who works well with other government agencies and elected officials, and whose priorities are in synch with the residents his agency is sworn to protect."
Nugent's initial term as Sheriff came at a time of rapid growth in Hernando County and the Sheriff's Department posted the first decrease in the overall crime rate in that county in five years.
As Sheriff Nugent oversaw a smooth transition of his office's rank-and-file employees to form a collective bargaining unit. He also demonstrated strong abilities in managing a multi-million dollar operating budget and overseeing 350 full-time employees.
In 2000, Nugent was endorsed by incumbent Sheriff Tom Mylander. In 2004, he was endorsed by the St. Petersburg Times
made the decision not to run for re-election in the 5th Congressional District of Florida, due to health concerns. She quietly asked Nugent to run for her seat and he agreed. Rich Nugent easily won the Republican primary. He was endorsed during his campaign by former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee
, as well as several Florida newspapers, including the Orlando Sentinel
, Tampa Bay Times and the Tampa Tribune.
Rich Nugent beat Tea Party
favorite Jason Sager in the primary and bested Jim Piccillo (D) in the general election. The New York Times had rated this race as solidly Republican. The Ocala online newspaper reported that In the 5th Congressional District, Nugent swept past Democrat Jim Piccillo, a political newcomer from Lutz, receiving 67 percent of the vote to 33 percent. The online newspaper reported Nugent as saying "“I want to thank all my supporters for their hard work and the hours they spent volunteering, but more importantly for their unflinching commitment to restoring America." Nugent went onto say “I am honored and humbled that the voters of the 5th Congressional District have chosen me to be their voice in Washington and I look forward to the weeks and months ahead.”
Congressman Nugent, in just two months as a member of Congress has co-sponsored 29 pieces of legislation, including H.R. 2 - Repeal of the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, H.R.25 - The Fair Tax Act of 2011, H.R. 49 - American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act, H.R. 121 - Congressional Budget Accountability Act, H.R. 127 - to deauthorize appropriation of funds to carry out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, H.R. 144 - Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011, H.R. 154 - Defund the Individual Mandate Act, Hr. 177 - Death Tax Repeal Act, H.R. 178 - Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, H.R. 333 - Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act and H.R. 42` - To eliminate automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress.
Nugent has also co-sponsored several important House Resolutions, including H.J. Res.1 - Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Spending cuts
Congressman Nugent claims to be committed to fighting against what he terms out of control spending presently happening in Washington. He opposed the $700 billion bailout by President Bush, a temporaty fix for de-regulation of the banking and finance industries, two unfunded Bush era wars, and a decades-long wage decrease. He also opposed the Obama Administration's $862 billion stimulus package, which was an attempt by President Obama to bolster a damaged economy.
Nugent has pledged to fight to reduce spending in Washington because he views it as wasteful and because there is a lack of transparency, however, he is a member of the Tea Party Caucus with a list of right wing PACs 11 pages long, and continues to accept large donations from PACs, that fail to claim who the donors are. He also believes that parts of government spending (including the Health Care Law) are unconstitutional. He claims that his main reason for opposing continued deficit spending is simply that American families just cannot afford it anymore, though he never objects to war spending at $2 billion every 2 weeks. Nugent claims to believe that each American family's share of the national debt already stands at $118,000 and asks the question "what happens to these families when the federal government's bill comes due? though never addresses the problem of ever-rising costs, and continues to accept huge donations from Health Insurance Companies. He has signed on as a co-sponsor to both balanced budget amendments offered by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA).
Social Security
Representative Nugent pledged during his Congressional campaign to do everything within his power to protect Social Security
for our seniors. The Congressman stated repeatedly during his campaign that he believes in honor and integrity, because without it we are lost as a people. He believes that its most basic level Social Security is a promise pure and simple. Nugent stated that the American people have spent their whole working lives paying into a system with the explicit guarantee that they would be made whole in the end.
Tax Reform
Congressman Nugent believes that taxes need to be low, predictable, and fair if America is going to thrive. During the campaign Nugent stated that he did not believe that any country can tax itself into prosperity. For that reason Nugent signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 25, better known as "The Fair Tax". This legislation introduced by Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA) would abolish the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), repeal the federal income tax, and replace it with a clear and transparent tax on consumption.
Veterans
The 5th Congressional District is home to more veterans than just about any other congressional district in the country. Nugent, who has three sons currently serving in uniform, has said that the issues affecting Veterans are never far from his mind.
Nugent believes that veterans have risked everything for this country, and we owe it to the brave men and women in uniform to make sure they get the benefits they have earned. Whether it means improving wait times at V.A. facilities, or making sure the kids coming back from overseas get access to the care and education that they need, He has pledged to ensure that we make good on our promise to America’s veterans and their families.
Health Care Act
Congressman Nugent vigorously opposed the passage of President Obama's health care legislation and has vowed to work diligently for its repeal. Nugent believes it will add hundreds of billions of dollars to the federal deficit and do nothing to reduce costs. He is opposed to any cuts to Medicare and has vowed to fight to ensure that Americans can keep the coverage they already have. He supports common sense solutions that actually reduce the cost of healthcare for everyone.
Members of the Committee on House Administration are charged with the oversight of federal elections and the day-to-day operations of the House. With the 112th Congress, two subcommittees were added to the Committee's jurisdiction, the Subcommittee on Elections and the Subcommittee on Oversight.
The Committee on Rules was first constituted in 1789. It is commonly known as "The Speaker's Committee" because it is the mechanism that the Speaker uses to maintain control of the House Floor.
Congressman Nugent belongs to several House caucus groups, including the Congressional Sportsman's Caucus, The Constitution Caucus, The Military Family Caucus, and the Tea Party Caucus.
. Upon his graduation in August 2010, he will be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army Reserve. On May 22, 2010, Rich and Wendy returned to West Point to attend the commencement and commissioning of their youngest son, Casey. He is now a 2nd Lieutenant and will serve in the US Army’s 1st Infantry Division. The Nugent family have been members of the First United Methodist Church of Spring Hill since 1985.
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 . 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 is formerly the Sheriff
Hernando County Sheriff's Office
The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is an accredited law enforcement agency responsible for Hernando County, Florida. The current Sheriff is Al Nienhuis, who was appointed by Governor Charlie Crist on January 1, 2011.-Organization:...
of Hernando County, Florida
Hernando County, Florida
Hernando County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 130,802. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 165,409 . Its county seat is Brooksville, Florida. The majority of the county's population is in Spring Hill, west portion of Hernando...
. On November 2, 2010 Richard Nugent defeated Democratic nominee James Piccillo, to replace retiring Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite
Ginny Brown-Waite
Virginia "Ginny" Brown-Waite is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2003 until 2011. She is a member of the Republican Party....
. Nugent is a member of the Tea Party Caucus
Tea Party Caucus
The Tea Party Caucus is a caucus of the United States House of Representatives and Senate launched and chaired by Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann on July 16, 2010. The caucus is dedicated to promoting what it considers fiscal responsibility, adherence to the movement's interpretation of...
Early Life, education, and early career
Richard B. Nugent was born on May 26, 1951. He is a native of Evergreen Park, IllinoisEvergreen Park, Illinois
Evergreen Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 25,044 at the 2009 census.-Geography:Evergreen Park is located at . The suburb is surrounded by the city of Chicago on three of its sides, while Oak Lawn and Hometown border it on the west...
, a suburb of Chicago. His father was a steel worker and his mother was a homemaker. Nugent fondly recalls growing up in a time when America was at her best.
Nugent graduated from St. Leo College, located in St. Leo, Pasco County, Florida with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He went on to earn a Master of Arts Degree from Troy State University. In 1991 Congressman Nugent graduated from the FBI National Academy.
Right out of high school Nugent joined the Illinois Air National Guard
Illinois Air National Guard
The Illinois Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Illinois. It is, along with the Illinois Army National Guard, an element of the Illinois National Guard...
. Nugent has said, "As anybody who has spent time in America’s military can tell you, young people inevitably learn the value of leadership, teamwork, discipline, and self-reliance. My experience as a young man was no different." Honorably discharged after six years, Congressman Nugent decided to continue serving as a police officer in the city of Romeoville, Illinois
Romeoville, Illinois
Romeoville is a village in Will County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,153 at the 2000 census. As of 2006 the population has grown to 36,837. It is located in the southwest suburban area of Chicago near the newly constructed I-355 extension south from the Stevenson Expressway to I-80...
. After serving as a police officer in Romeoville for 12 years and achieving the rank of Sergeant, Nugent and his family moved to Hernando County, Florida in 1984, where he joined the Hernando County Sheriff's office as a deputy.
Sheriff of Hernando County
Richard Nugent was first elected Sheriff of Hernando County in 2000, defeating James E. "Eddie" McConnell in a close election.Accomplishments
In 2000, the St. Petersburg Times recommended Nugent to their readers, citing the experience he had gained in personnel and financial management while a top officer in the Hernando County Sheriff's Department, as well as his advanced academic accomplishments, which include a master's degree in public administration.The recommendation commended Nugent's platform, in which he promised to update the Sheriff's Office's computer system to make it easier to track trends in crime and for the public to access that information, to implement a program that assures accountability from deputies assigned to investigate reports of crimes, to establish a victim's advocacy program and to expand efforts to educate young people about the pitfalls of illegal behavior.
According to the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
, in his first term as Sheriff, Nugent did all he promised and more. This success resulted in the St Petersburg Times endorsing Nugent for a second term as Sheriff in 2004. The Times noted that he has, "Proved to be a fair and well-tempered public servant who works well with other government agencies and elected officials, and whose priorities are in synch with the residents his agency is sworn to protect."
Nugent's initial term as Sheriff came at a time of rapid growth in Hernando County and the Sheriff's Department posted the first decrease in the overall crime rate in that county in five years.
As Sheriff Nugent oversaw a smooth transition of his office's rank-and-file employees to form a collective bargaining unit. He also demonstrated strong abilities in managing a multi-million dollar operating budget and overseeing 350 full-time employees.
Election results
He was elected Sheriff in 2000. He was re-elected in 2004 and 2008.In 2000, Nugent was endorsed by incumbent Sheriff Tom Mylander. In 2004, he was endorsed by the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
2010 election
Republican Congresswoman Ginny Brown-WaiteGinny Brown-Waite
Virginia "Ginny" Brown-Waite is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2003 until 2011. She is a member of the Republican Party....
made the decision not to run for re-election in the 5th Congressional District of Florida, due to health concerns. She quietly asked Nugent to run for her seat and he agreed. Rich Nugent easily won the Republican primary. He was endorsed during his campaign by former Governor of Arkansas Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee
Michael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
, as well as several Florida newspapers, including the Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
, Tampa Bay Times and the Tampa Tribune.
Rich Nugent beat Tea Party
Tea party
A tea party is a formal, ritualized gathering for afternoon tea.Formal tea parties are often characterized by the use of prestige utensils, such as bone china or silver. The table is made to look its prettiest, with cloth napkins and matching cups and plates. In addition to tea, larger parties may...
favorite Jason Sager in the primary and bested Jim Piccillo (D) in the general election. The New York Times had rated this race as solidly Republican. The Ocala online newspaper reported that In the 5th Congressional District, Nugent swept past Democrat Jim Piccillo, a political newcomer from Lutz, receiving 67 percent of the vote to 33 percent. The online newspaper reported Nugent as saying "“I want to thank all my supporters for their hard work and the hours they spent volunteering, but more importantly for their unflinching commitment to restoring America." Nugent went onto say “I am honored and humbled that the voters of the 5th Congressional District have chosen me to be their voice in Washington and I look forward to the weeks and months ahead.”
Tenure
Richard B. Nugent was sworn into Congress on January 3, 2011 to represent the 5th Congressional District of Florida. He succeeded Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite, who chose not to run because of health concerns.Congressman Nugent, in just two months as a member of Congress has co-sponsored 29 pieces of legislation, including H.R. 2 - Repeal of the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act, H.R.25 - The Fair Tax Act of 2011, H.R. 49 - American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act, H.R. 121 - Congressional Budget Accountability Act, H.R. 127 - to deauthorize appropriation of funds to carry out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, H.R. 144 - Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011, H.R. 154 - Defund the Individual Mandate Act, Hr. 177 - Death Tax Repeal Act, H.R. 178 - Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, H.R. 333 - Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act and H.R. 42` - To eliminate automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress.
Nugent has also co-sponsored several important House Resolutions, including H.J. Res.1 - Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Spending cuts
Congressman Nugent claims to be committed to fighting against what he terms out of control spending presently happening in Washington. He opposed the $700 billion bailout by President Bush, a temporaty fix for de-regulation of the banking and finance industries, two unfunded Bush era wars, and a decades-long wage decrease. He also opposed the Obama Administration's $862 billion stimulus package, which was an attempt by President Obama to bolster a damaged economy.
Nugent has pledged to fight to reduce spending in Washington because he views it as wasteful and because there is a lack of transparency, however, he is a member of the Tea Party Caucus with a list of right wing PACs 11 pages long, and continues to accept large donations from PACs, that fail to claim who the donors are. He also believes that parts of government spending (including the Health Care Law) are unconstitutional. He claims that his main reason for opposing continued deficit spending is simply that American families just cannot afford it anymore, though he never objects to war spending at $2 billion every 2 weeks. Nugent claims to believe that each American family's share of the national debt already stands at $118,000 and asks the question "what happens to these families when the federal government's bill comes due? though never addresses the problem of ever-rising costs, and continues to accept huge donations from Health Insurance Companies. He has signed on as a co-sponsor to both balanced budget amendments offered by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA).
Social Security
Representative Nugent pledged during his Congressional campaign to do everything within his power to protect Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
for our seniors. The Congressman stated repeatedly during his campaign that he believes in honor and integrity, because without it we are lost as a people. He believes that its most basic level Social Security is a promise pure and simple. Nugent stated that the American people have spent their whole working lives paying into a system with the explicit guarantee that they would be made whole in the end.
Tax Reform
Congressman Nugent believes that taxes need to be low, predictable, and fair if America is going to thrive. During the campaign Nugent stated that he did not believe that any country can tax itself into prosperity. For that reason Nugent signed on as a co-sponsor of H.R. 25, better known as "The Fair Tax". This legislation introduced by Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA) would abolish the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), repeal the federal income tax, and replace it with a clear and transparent tax on consumption.
Veterans
The 5th Congressional District is home to more veterans than just about any other congressional district in the country. Nugent, who has three sons currently serving in uniform, has said that the issues affecting Veterans are never far from his mind.
Nugent believes that veterans have risked everything for this country, and we owe it to the brave men and women in uniform to make sure they get the benefits they have earned. Whether it means improving wait times at V.A. facilities, or making sure the kids coming back from overseas get access to the care and education that they need, He has pledged to ensure that we make good on our promise to America’s veterans and their families.
Health Care Act
Congressman Nugent vigorously opposed the passage of President Obama's health care legislation and has vowed to work diligently for its repeal. Nugent believes it will add hundreds of billions of dollars to the federal deficit and do nothing to reduce costs. He is opposed to any cuts to Medicare and has vowed to fight to ensure that Americans can keep the coverage they already have. He supports common sense solutions that actually reduce the cost of healthcare for everyone.
Committee assignments
Nugent currently serves on the Committee on House Administration and the House Committee on Rules.Members of the Committee on House Administration are charged with the oversight of federal elections and the day-to-day operations of the House. With the 112th Congress, two subcommittees were added to the Committee's jurisdiction, the Subcommittee on Elections and the Subcommittee on Oversight.
The Committee on Rules was first constituted in 1789. It is commonly known as "The Speaker's Committee" because it is the mechanism that the Speaker uses to maintain control of the House Floor.
Congressman Nugent belongs to several House caucus groups, including the Congressional Sportsman's Caucus, The Constitution Caucus, The Military Family Caucus, and the Tea Party Caucus.
Personal life
In 1975, Rich married the love of his life, Wendy. Together they have three boys. Their oldest son, Ryan, graduated from United States Military Academy in 2004. Since his graduation he has served one year in South Korea, a 15 month combat tour in Afghanistan and is currently Captain and Company Commander of the US Army’s 82nd Airborne division. Rich and Wendy’s second son, Kyle, is an Army ROTC member at the University of TampaUniversity of Tampa
The University of Tampa , is a private, co-educational university in Downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2006, the University celebrated its 75th anniversary...
. Upon his graduation in August 2010, he will be commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army Reserve. On May 22, 2010, Rich and Wendy returned to West Point to attend the commencement and commissioning of their youngest son, Casey. He is now a 2nd Lieutenant and will serve in the US Army’s 1st Infantry Division. The Nugent family have been members of the First United Methodist Church of Spring Hill since 1985.
External links
- Congressman Rich Nugent official U.S. House site
- Rich Nugent for Congress official campaign website