Neal Dunn
 | This article may lend undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies. (April 2021) |
Neal Dunn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 2nd district | |
Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2017 | |
| Preceded by | Gwen Graham |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 16, 1953 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Leah Dunn (m. 1987) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Washington and Lee University (BS) George Washington University (MD) |
| Website | House website |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Rank | Major |
Neal Patrick Dunn (born February 16, 1953) is an American surgeon and politician of the Republican Party serving as the U.S. Representative for Florida's 2nd congressional district since 2017.
Early life and career[]
Dunn was born in Boston, Massachusetts on February 16, 1953.[1][2] He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in interdisciplinary sciences from Washington and Lee University and a Doctor of Medicine from the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. He completed his medical internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He served in the United States Army for eleven years of active duty service, reaching the rank of major.[3] He then settled in Panama City, Florida, where he helped found the Panama City Urological Center, the Panama City Surgery Center, and was the founding chairman of Summit Bank.[4]
U.S. House of Representatives[]
Elections[]
In August 2015, Dunn announced his candidacy for the United States House of Representatives for Florida's 2nd congressional district in the 2016 elections. The district's one-term incumbent, Democrat Gwen Graham, opted to retire after a court-ordered redistricting made the district heavily Republican.[4][5][6] He won the Republican Party nomination, narrowly defeating attorneys Mary Thomas and Ken Sukhia.[7] He defeated Walter Dartland in the general election.[8] He was sworn into the House of Representatives on January 3, 2017.[9]
Brian Schubert, Neal Dunn's chief of staff resigned in February 2018 following the House Ethics Committee having launched an investigation into alleged sexual harassment by Schubert and Pat Meehan.[10]
Dunn has held multiple virtual town hall meetings since the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020. The congressman has told media outlets in the past that he doesn't believe town halls are a productive format for engaging constituents.[11] Constituents have voiced frustration with Dunn for his refusal to host town halls.[12]
In 2018, Dunn won reelection against challenger Bob Rackleff by a vote of 67.5% to 32.5%, respectively.[13]
Committee assignments[]
Caucus memberships[]
- Republican Study Committee[14]
Political positions[]
Gun policy[]
Dunn received an "AQ" rating from the NRA during his 2016 run for office — the highest rating possible for a non-incumbent.[15] Dunn does not support a ban of semi-automatic weapons.[16] From 2015 to 2016, Dunn accepted US$1,000 from the NRA's Political Victory Fund.[17]
Net neutrality[]
Dunn, along with 107 Republican members of Congress, sent Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai a letter on December 13, 2017 supporting his plan to repeal net neutrality protections ahead of the commission's vote.[18] Dunn also accepted $18,500 from the telecom industry before voting to repeal the rule.[19]
Tax reform[]
Dunn voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.[20] He describes the bill as "good medicine for America".[21] Dunn believes that the bill will benefit many generations of Americans with a "great economy in which there will be jobs, there will be opportunity, there's possibilities for literally a whole new generation or two of Americans". Dunn says he has received support from "mostly small businessmen" from his district on his support of the bill.[22]
Education[]
Dunn wants to defund the Department of Education.[23]
Healthcare[]
Dunn supports repealing the Affordable Care Act, which he says is "failing," saying "no one can afford" the premiums and deductibles.[24]
2020 presidential election certification[]
In December 2020, Dunn was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden prevailed[25] over incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of the election held by another state.[26][27][28]
Following the 2021 storming of the Capitol, Dunn condemned the rioters, but still voted to object to the certification of the Electoral College result in several states.[29][30]
Personal life[]
Dunn and his wife, Leah, have three sons and three grandsons.[6] On April 9, 2020, Dunn's office announced that he tested positive for COVID-19.[31]
References[]
- ^ DUNN, Neal Patrick, (1953 - )
- ^ "Guide to the New Congress" (PDF). Roll Call. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 24, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
- ^ McMullian, Bo (January 14, 2016). "Jackson County Times - "Conservative for Congress" Neal Dunn visits Marianna". Jackson County Times. Archived from the original on November 4, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Burlew, Jeff (August 10, 2015). "Panama City surgeon Dunn announces run for Congress". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ^ Garman, Valerie (August 7, 2015). "Neal Dunn announces candidacy for Congress". Panama City News Herald. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Bennett, Lanetra. "Neal Dunn Announces Candidacy for Florida Congressional District 2". WCTV-TV. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ^ "Dunn wins GOP CD2, Democratic race too close to call". Tallahassee Democrat. August 30, 2016. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ^ "Lawson and Dunn head to Washington". Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- ^ LAKANA (January 3, 2017). "Rep. Neal Dunn sworn in to 115th Congress". Retrieved March 19, 2017.
- ^ Bade, Rachael. "Rep. Dunn's chief of staff resigns after alleged sexual harassment". Politico. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
- ^ "Dunn shuns citizens calling for town hall". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ Mueller, Sarah. "Rep. Dunn Frustrates Constituents By Not Holding Town Hall". Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ^ "Florida Election Results 2018: Midterm Results & Polls".
- ^ "Member List". Retrieved November 6, 2017.
- ^ "Republican Candidate Neal Dunn Endorsed by NRA Political Victory Fund". Neal Dunn Conservative for Congress. Friends of Neal Dunn. October 12, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ Henderson, John (February 22, 2018). "Bay residents, leaders split on gun 'common sense'". Panama City News Herald. Panama City, Florida. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ Grinberg, Emanuella (February 21, 2018). "These Florida lawmakers accepted money from the National Rifle Association". CNN. Atlanta. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
- ^ https://energycommerce.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/121317-FCC-Net-Neutrality.pdf
- ^ "Here's a List of the Members of Congress Who Just Told Ajit Pai to Repeal Net Neutrality". Motherboard. December 14, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
- ^ Almukhtar, Sarah (December 19, 2017). "How Each House Member Voted on the Tax Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Milbank, Dana. "Dana Milbank: Republicans have their own Obamacare now". stltoday.com. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Holton, Jennifer. "Rep. Dunn on GOP tax reform victory: Win for "generations"". WJHG. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Call, James. "GOP 2nd District candidates tout conservative credentials". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ "Florida Voices React to Senate Proposal to Repeal and Replace Obamacare". Sunshine State News | Florida Political News. June 22, 2017. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Blood, Michael R.; Riccardi, Nicholas (December 5, 2020). "Biden officially secures enough electors to become president". AP News. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ Liptak, Adam (December 11, 2020). "Supreme Court Rejects Texas Suit Seeking to Subvert Election". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2020.
- ^ "Order in Pending Case" (PDF). Supreme Court of the United States. December 11, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ^ Diaz, Daniella. "Brief from 126 Republicans supporting Texas lawsuit in Supreme Court". CNN. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
- ^ Call, James. "Congressman and Trump loyalist Neal Dunn will back Electoral College challenge". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Cobb, Nathan. "Congressman Neal Dunn condemns Capitol violence, still contests Electoral College results". News Herald. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ Florida, News Service of (April 10, 2020). "North Florida Congressman Positive For COVID-19". news.wgcu.org. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
External links[]
- Congressman Neal Dunn official U.S. House website
- Campaign website
- Neal Dunn at Curlie
- Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Profile at Vote Smart
- Financial information (federal office) at the Federal Election Commission
- Legislation sponsored at the Library of Congress
- Appearances on C-SPAN
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- 1953 births
- 20th-century American physicians
- 21st-century American physicians
- 21st-century American politicians
- American surgeons
- Florida Republicans
- George Washington University Medical School alumni
- Living people
- Members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida
- People from Panama City, Florida
- Physicians from Florida
- Physicians from New Haven, Connecticut
- Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives
- United States Army Medical Corps officers
- United States Army officers
- Washington and Lee University alumni