Sheriff Mike Ezell Announces Campaign for U.S. Congress
April 7, 2021
“I’m compelled to do everything I can to ensure that our families live in a country that still believes in public safety, law and order, individual rights and liberties, ethics and integrity, and a free market economy that rewards hard work. If we’re going to tackle the problems facing America, we need someone in Congress with the unique background and firsthand experience of dealing with the most pressing issues facing our country.”
(Pascagoula, MS) – On Wednesday, April 7, Jackson County Republican Sheriff Mike Ezell announced his campaign for U.S. Congress in Mississippi’s Fourth District.
Sheriff Mike Ezell is a Republican who 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. Sheriff Ezell 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.
Sheriff Ezell officially kicked off his campaign Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. with an announcement speech at the Jackson County Courthouse followed by additional announcement events in Gulfport, Hattiesburg, and Laurel. During his remarks, Ezell discussed why he’s running for Congress, his experience and qualifications to tackle the issues facing America, and also encouraging voters to join his campaign.
“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.”
“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."
By auditing the equipment and spending of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, Sheriff
Ezell led the effort to recover 65 cars in his first year, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in
just gas expenses, and returned over one million dollars to the county in his first and second
years.
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. Sheriff 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.
Below is a transcript of Sheriff Ezell’s campaign announcement speech:
Thank you for being here today. I’m honored that you’ve joined my wife, Suzette, and me as I
make an announcement that’s important to all of our future.
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?
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.
America must always be a country of law and order. But we can’t have law and order if we
don’t support the men and women of law enforcement who are trying to do their jobs to
protect us.
America must also be a country of strong borders. But we can’t have strong borders if
politicians in Washington refuse to enforce our immigration laws.
America must be a country where our citizens are confident that our elections are secure, every
legal vote counts, and no illegal votes are counted. But we cannot have free and fair elections if
Washington outlaws common-sense ideas like voter ID.
America must be a country where ethics and integrity still matter or else we will see corruption
grow out of control. But we can’t be a country of ethics and integrity if we turn a blind eye to
political favors and politics as usual.
America must always be a country where individual rights and Constitutional liberties are
respected and protected. And the right to life is guaranteed to all of our people, including the
unborn. But we can’t be a country of rights, liberties, and freedom if we allow politicians to
constantly erode and trample on these rights.
America also must always be a country where success is only limited by imagination, determination, and hard work. But we can’t be a country of opportunity and prosperity if our federal government raises our taxes and puts us on a path to socialism.
America is more than just an area of land. And it’s more than just an economy. At its foundation, our country is different from others because America is an idea – based on freedom, faith, and a government of laws.
It’s not enough for me to sit back and watch the decline of our country without trying to do something about it. I’ve always been willing to step forward to make a difference because I’ve always believed in the concept of service.
That’s why I’ve spent my adult life serving in law enforcement with a record of over 40 years of working my way up through the ranks in Pascagoula, Ocean Springs, and serving as Sheriff of Jackson County for the past six years.
I’m very honored to serve as Sheriff of Jackson County, and I appreciate the confidence the people have placed in me to hold that position of responsibility. I have not taken it for granted, and I have always worked to make you proud.
As part of my service as Sheriff, I’ve focused on law and order, and also fiscal responsibility—because that’s what taxpayers deserve. My record as Sheriff includes cleaning up corruption, focusing on high standards of ethics, integrity, and personal accountability. By auditing our equipment and spending, we returned over one million dollars to the county in each of my first two years as Sheriff.
I’m compelled to do everything I can to ensure that our families live in a country that still believes in law and order, individual rights, ethics and integrity, and an economy that rewards hard work.
It’s for all of these reasons that today, I’m announcing that I’m a Republican candidate for the United States Congress in Mississippi’s Fourth Congressional District.
If we’re going to tackle the problems I mentioned earlier—we need someone in Congress with the unique background and firsthand experience of dealing with the most pressing issues facing our country.
When politicians talk about defunding the police and stripping our law enforcement officers of the constitutional protections they need to do our job - We need a Congressman who has a record of standing up and speaking up for the men and women of law enforcement and the people we serve.
When politicians talk about amnesty and open borders, we need a Congressman who has seen the harmful impact illegal immigration has on our communities and understands the urgent need for strong border security.
When politicians talk about gun control and weakening our rights and freedoms, we need a Congressman who understands that criminals ignore gun laws, so law-abiding citizens must have their 2nd Amendment rights protected.
There are certainly many other issues facing our country that need to be addressed.
America also faces challenges in an ever-changing world – so we must always make sure our military is prepared and equipped to handle any threats of terrorism at home or abroad. We can’t let down our guard in our fight against terrorism and our way of life.
And we can’t ever forget our veterans and the sacrifice they’ve made to protect our freedom. Our military and veterans deserve our support and gratitude.
And America faces the current and future challenges of the pandemic with an economy that must be jump-started by free enterprise, not overburdensome regulations. Our country can’t tax its way into prosperity, so the tax raisers in Washington must be met head-on.
Despite our challenges, I am confident in our future. America remains the leader of the free world. We have the strongest military, the wealthiest economy, and a Constitution that has guaranteed our freedoms for over 230 years.
But our freedom and strength did not happen by accident. It has been fought for and protected by generations who came before us. I am 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.
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.
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(Washington Examiner) - President Donald Trump has moved early to shape the GOP field as Republicans head into the 2026 elections , issuing over 200 endorsements across the U.S. Senate, House, and state legislative races. Republicans hold a narrow majority in the House , and the party risks losing control of the chamber if Democrats net just a handful of seats. Trump’s endorsements are largely aimed at protecting incumbents and clearing primary fields while also backing Republicans running in Democrat-held districts and states. Mississippi Trump has endorsed Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith for reelection in Mississippi . Trump has endorsed Reps. Trent Kelly, Michael Guest, and Mike Ezell for reelection to the House of Representatives. Click here to view the full article.
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) — U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell joined WLOX’s Bill Snyder and Hugh Keeton to discuss recent congressional issues ahead of the Republican primary for the 4th Congressional District. Supreme Court blocks tariffs Over the weekend, it was revealed that the Supreme Court blocked President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The vote was 6-3, with Justices Thomas, Alito and Kavanaugh dissenting. While he does not necessarily agree with the decision, as someone from a law enforcement background, Ezell said the Supreme Court’s decision is final and should be respected. “Sometimes we don’t always agree with the court, but it’s still the law of the land,” he said. “And that’s what we’re going to abide by, you know, may not like it, but that’s the law of the land. And the Supreme Court is the final answer.” President Trump wants to impose 15% tariff, up from 10% he announced after Supreme Court decision Flood insurance remains a major concern amid government shutdown Flood insurance reform is a major concern for Ezell. Ezell said it has been difficult trying to work with FEMA to implement new floodplain maps. “I have, since day one, I’ve been in Congress, I have been struggling and fighting with FEMA and these floodplain maps. We have the maps. We need to get them implemented. That’s been an ongoing issue. But again, FEMA has dragged their feet.” But with the current government shutdown, that fight has become even more difficult. “Now that FEMA is not being funded right now, that’s even more of a feet-dragging deal or a boat anchor,” he said. “It’ll make such a big difference for our people and our home builders and our businesses. I’m not going to let up on this flood insurance until we get it done.” Ezell said the work FEMA does is vital, but it should be reorganized. “Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean, FEMA is very vital to the country and we all know that. But I’ll tell you, it needs to be reorganized. The president has talked about that continually and I’m part of the solution. I’m going to keep working with that so that we can get that done, so we can be more efficient about what we’re doing.” Trump says he plans to phase out FEMA after 2025 hurricane season Coast community still affected by Bonnet Carré Spillway opening Ezell has been very vocal against the Corps of Engineers opening the Bonnet Carré Spillway. Since the spillway was opened in 2019, the Mississippi Sound Coalition has been formed to advocate for the Mississippi Gulf Coast when it comes to concerns about the Bonnet Carré. Mississippi Sound Coalition calls for reform to spillway openings as river levels rise “We still work with the Army Corps. We still work with the Coalition. You know, there’s so many things. We have been getting some good response lately from the Corps, and I feel like we’re going to continue to move forward,” he said. “But again, it’s like the old saying, the squeaky wheel gets the oil, and I’ve been the squeaky wheel dealing with the Army Corps, flood insurance, and so many other issues dealing with the government, EPA being one of them as well.” Ezell said he has had bipartisan support for the work he has done on both flood and environmental protection. “You know, and I’ll tell you this, we work real well with Troy Carter over in New Orleans, one of our people that we work with on the other side of the aisle. They have just as many problems over there with flooding. New Orleans, we all know that. So I’ve got help with him, and I’m going to continue to fight for us so we can get this done.” Beyond the spillway, Ezell said transportation infrastructure is another concern. After nearly four years, the Highway 90 bridge from Pearlington to Louisiana is still out. While the Coast did not experience any major tropical systems during the 2025 hurricane season, had there been a hurricane, the closure means the people of Hancock County would have had one less evacuation route. Pearl River Bridge on U.S. 90 could be closed until 2028 Hurricane season ends with quiet year for Mississippi Gulf Coast “I had some conversation with the Louisiana governor. He was in Washington a while back, and we talked about it. I’m serving on transportation and infrastructure, and that’s certainly something we’re trying to start working on and try to get some sort of agreement and understanding, and we could get that done,” Ezell said. “I mean, there’s so many things that we need to get done for South Mississippi that are so important. Flood insurance, bridges redone, Bonnet Carré Spillway, all the things that matter to South Mississippi.” Louisiana lieutenant governor discusses Bonnet Carré Spillway impact on Mississippi Sound Coast Guard Station Pascagoula to return to full response operations In December, the U.S. Coast Guard said Station Pascagoula on Singing River Island will return to full response operations in 2026. Coast Guard to restore Station Pascagoula to full operations in 2026 Ezell said he’s proud to have been a part of bringing full operations back to the station. “I’ve always said this, I compare the Coast Guard kind of like to law enforcement. You know, when somebody calls or in an emergency, they don’t want to hear, well, we don’t have resources. We can’t answer that call. Now we’ll be able to answer all those calls and I’m very proud to be the lead vocal guy on that and getting that done.” Full response operations will mean more people in the area. Ezell said that will be important for the local economy. “Well, that’s going to mean more people here. That’s going to be help for the economy. That’s going to be another ship. There’s going to be other assets that are going to be brought to Pascagoula,” he said. “When they repair these ships, the money that’s spent from the locals where they buy parts, add to the repair work that will be done on them. You know, so it’s going to be a big impact for the Mississippi Gulf Coast and for the people coming here to work.” Primary elections nearing Primary elections are Tuesday, March 10. After more than 42 years in law enforcement, Ezell said he chose to run for office because of a love for Mississippi and a desire to make the state better. “Well, I want to get some things done for my home, which is Mississippi. I love our state. This is my home. I have children, granddaughter, and I want to get things done for our state so that we’ll have a better place to live and raise our families.” With a record as long as his own, Ezell said he feels good about the primary. “I’ve been in office. I’ve been a public servant since I was 19 years old and police officer, chief of police, sheriff. I’ve got a record. I got a proven record of serving the public, getting the job done for the people that I work for.” WLOX News contacted all candidates and invited them to participate in interviews throughout February to discuss their positions and priorities.
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