Mike Hill (American politician)

Walter Bryan "Mike" Hill (born June 2, 1958) Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 1st District, which includes northern Escambia County.

Mike Hill
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 1st district
Assumed office
November 6, 2018
Preceded byClay Ingram
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 2nd district
In office
March 4, 2014 – November 8, 2016
Preceded byClay Ford
Succeeded byFrank White
Personal details
Born
Walter Bryan Hill

(1958-06-02) June 2, 1958
Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Greta Hill
ChildrenJoshua, Jessica, Jonathan
Alma materUnited States Air Force Academy (BS)
University of West Florida (MBA)
ProfessionInsurance agent
AwardsAir Force Achievement Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Air Force
Years of service1980-1990

History

Hill was born at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, and attended the United States Air Force Academy, from which he graduated in 1980. Following graduation, he joined the United States Air Force, serving from 1980 to 1990. While serving, Hill received the Air Force Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, and was named the Armament Division Company Grade Officer of the Year in 1988. He moved to Florida in 1985 and attended the University of West Florida, graduating with his MBA in 1988. He then worked as an insurance agent for State Farm Insurance, while serving as a board member for Okaloosa Walton Community College from 1991 to 1996 and West Florida Hospital from 2003 to 2009. Hill also served as the president of the Northwest Florida Tea Party movement from 2010 to 2013.

Florida House of Representatives

Following the death of Republican state representative Clay Ford, who had represented the 2nd District since 2007, on March 18, 2013, Hill ran in the special election and defeated Scott Miller, Ed Gray, Mark Taylor, Jack Nobles and David Radcliffe in the Republican primary with 42 percent of the vote. He was endorsed in his primary campaign by the Pensacola News Journal, which declared that his "military experience, passion for open government, and business experience" made him the best candidate.[1] In the general election, he faced Jeremy Lau, the Democratic nominee and a labor union official. Lau received the support of Ed Gray, whom Hill had defeated in the primary, and attacked Hill for not living in the district.[2] However, owing to the district's strong partisan lean, Hill defeated Lau comfortably, having won 58 percent of the vote, which enabled him to become the legislature's only African-American Republican member.[3]

In his campaign for re-election in 2014, Hill faced Lau once again. Hill campaigned for re-election with the full support of the Republican Party of Florida, which declared, "Mike Hill knows what his constituents want. They want someone who will fight for increased spending in education, for reduced taxes, and regulations and that is what Mike Hill represents."[4] He ended up defeating Lau in a landslide once again, winning 65% of the vote to Lau's 35%.

Hill did not seek re-election to the House in 2016, instead facing Doug Broxson in the Republican primary for the District 1 seat in the Florida Senate. Hill was defeated, winning 43.5% of the vote to Broxson's 56.5%.

In 2018, Hill successfully sought election to the Florida House once again, this time representing House District 1. Hill defeated Rebekah Bydlak and Lisa Doss in the Republican primary before defeating Democrat Vikki Garrett in the general election.[5][6]

After taking office, Hill faced controversy when at a public forum, he laughed in response to a question from an audience member who falsely claimed that New Testament penalties for homosexuality included the death penalty. After saying, "the Old Testament says that too," Hill said "imagine how that would go over" if he introduced such legislation.[7]

Hill initially refused to apologize, claiming he was a victim of a "social media lynching."[8] He later issued an apology, citing how the "tone of his response was received,"[9] after public outcry, including from House Speaker Jose Oliva and Rules Committee Chairman Chris Sprowls.[10] Hill was also condemned publicly by openly gay fellow state representative Carlos Smith, who called for him to "apologize" or "resign."[11] Pensacola News Journal columnist Andy Marlette called Hill "unfit for office."[12] He was later removed from the House Public Integrity and Ethics Committee for his comments.[13]

In April 2020, Hill received "significant backlash"[14] for telling a woman who had recently lost her job due to coronavirus that she "shouldn't ask for government permission"[15] to go back to work when the woman asked Hill for assistance with applying for unemployment insurance.[16] Hill’s response was called "callous" in local media.[17] Hill had previously been criticized for appearing to make light of the coronavirus crisis by dining in close quarters.[18]

Hill has made many controversial statements on Twitter and in public. In 2019, it was reported by Newsweek that Hill told an audience that God told him to introduce an abortion bill with no exceptions.[19] Hill was quoted in the Pensacola News Journal telling listeners that "As plain as day, God spoke to me … He said that wasn't my bill, talking about the heartbeat detection bill that I filed. He said that wasn't my bill. I knew immediately what he was talking about. He said, you remove those exceptions and you file it again. And I said yes Lord, I will."[20]

In 2018, he referred to Islam as a "cancer"[21] and a "demonic Muslim horde."[22] Hill also falsely claimed on Twitter in 2018 to have earned the endorsement of President Trump, citing a reference to Michael Jordan.[23] Questions were raised whether this violated Florida campaign law, though formal charges were not filed.[24] In that same campaign, Hill claimed to have brought Donald Trump’s star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame to Pensacola, a claim that later proved false.[25]

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References
  1. "RECOMMENDATION: Mike Hill in Dist. 2". Pensacola News Journal. May 3, 2013. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  2. Cooper, Louis (June 1, 2013). "Hill vs. Lau for Florida House District 2 seat". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  3. Giunta, Eric (June 11, 2013). "Mike Hill Wins Florida HD 2 Race, Becoming Legislature's Only Black Republican". Sunshine State News. Retrieved December 5, 2013.
  4. Schorsch, Peter (June 21, 2014). "With qualifying over, Jeremy Lau eyes rematch versus Mike Hill in HD 2". SaintPetersblog. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  5. Wilson, Drew (August 28, 2018). "Mike Hill wins House comeback bid by a narrow margin". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  6. Newby, John (November 6, 2018). "Mike Hill wins Florida State House District 1 in midterm election". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  7. Powers, Scott (June 1, 2019). "GOP lawmaker Mike Hill slammed for joking about killing gays". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  8. Little, Jim (February 20, 2020). "Rep. Mike Hill won't apologize; says he's victim of 'social media lynching'". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  9. Little, Jim (June 5, 2019). "Rep. Mike Hill apologizes for how 'tone of his response was received'". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  10. Little, Jim (February 20, 2020). "Rep. Mike Hill laughed at suggestion that gay Floridians be executed". Pensacola New Journal. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  11. Carlos Guillermo Smith [@CarlosGSmith] (May 31, 2019). "I'm shocked & disgusted to discover a colleague who I've worked closely with would joke about punishing me by death for being gay. As a survivor of anti-gay hate violence, I know the consequences of homophobia are real. @MikeHillfl should apologize to LGBTQ Floridians or RESIGN" (Tweet). Retrieved May 19, 2020 – via Twitter.
  12. Marlette, Andy (February 21, 2020). "Marlette: In musing about executing gay Floridians, Mike Hill proves himself unfit for office". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  13. Russo, Amy (September 2, 2020). "Representative Mike Hill removed from House Public Integrity and Ethics Committee". WEAR TV. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  14. Castor, Rebekah (April 19, 2020). "Rep. Hill: 'When Americans are tired of being afraid and instead want to work, they will'". WEAR TV. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  15. Reports, Staff (April 19, 2020). "'Don't ask for government permission': Mike Hill mocks unemployed constituent". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  16. I emailed Mike Hill trying to get help with this unemployment nightmare. Look at this reply. I'm boiling angry right now. on Facebook
  17. Robinson, Kevin (April 20, 2020). "Rep. Mike Hill draws flack for response to Pensacola woman's COVID-19 unemployment woes". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  18. Henderson, Joe (March 22, 2020). "Winner and Loser of the week in Florida politics — Week of March 16". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  19. Phifer, Donica (May 24, 2019). "Florida State Rep. Says God Has Told Him To Introduce Abortion Bill Which Allows No Exceptions". Newsweek. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  20. Little, Jim (May 23, 2019). "Rep. Mike Hill says he will propose Florida abortion ban modeled after Alabama's new law". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  21. Wilson, Drew (September 10, 2018). "Mike Hill's comeback bid needed every trick in the book". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  22. Iannelli, Jerry (June 9, 2019). "A Timeline of Florida Rep. Mike Hill's Most Insane Statements". Miami New Times. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  23. Wilson, Drew (September 10, 2018). "Mike Hill's comeback bid needed every trick in the book". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  24. Wilson, Drew (September 10, 2018). "Mike Hill's comeback bid needed every trick in the book". Florida Politics. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  25. Little, Jim (August 23, 2018). "Florida House candidate Mike Hill wants Trump Hollywood star moved to Pensacola". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
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