On the steps of the Jackson County Courthouse this morning, Sheriff Mike Ezell announced that he would be running in the Republican Primary for the 4th Congressional District seat currently held by Congressman Steven Palazzo.
Ezell, flanked by his family and members of local law enforcement, said he believes former President Donald Trump’s policies had the nation moving in the right direction. He said he was alarmed at the policies President Joe Biden has changed since taking office.
“As a husband, father and grandfather, I’m very concerned about the future of our country and the direction that Washington is trying to take us. I believe it’s time we all ask ourselves – what type of country is America today, and what will it be in the future,” Ezell said. “I believe President Trump’s policies had us moving in the right direction, and I am alarmed that President Biden and his allies are trying to undo every success of the last four years.”
The Sheriff said the country must have law and order with strong borders. He also mentioned the need to strengthen election integrity laws and to push back against socialism creeping into the America’s public policies.
“I’m running for Congress because I believe in the American way of life, and my experience in law enforcement and as Jackson County Sheriff has prepared me to go to Washington and fight back against those who seek to radically change this great country,” Ezell stated. “I look forward to meeting as many of my fellow citizens as possible in the Fourth Congressional District in the course of this campaign and hope to earn your vote.
Ezell is likely one of many who will be throwing their name in the hat for the 4th District in 2022’s midterm election. Incumbent Republican Congressman Palazzo is facing an ethics inquiry over campaign spending, leaving many to consider a run against him. The matter is pending before the U.S. House Ethics Committee and could be heard later this year.
<<READ MORE: Mississippi’s 4th Congressional District: Who’s In, Who’s Out for 2022 Midterms.>>
Watch Ezell’s full announcement below.
Ezell has served as Jackson County Sheriff since 2014 when he was first elected in a special election and re-elected to the position in 2015 and 2019. He has 40 years of service in law enforcement including working in the Pascagoula Police Department, Chief of Police of Ocean Springs, and Sheriff of Jackson County.
While serving, Ezell graduated from the Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy and obtained a degree in criminal justice from the University of Southern Mississippi. He was also selected to attend the FBI National Academy and later worked with the FBI on their Safe Streets Task Force.
He is an active member of the Jackson County Republican Club and the Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association. Ezell and his wife, Suzette, live in Pascagoula and are active members of First Baptist Church of Pascagoula. They have one daughter and a granddaughter.
Frank Corder
