Walter Michael Ezell (born April 6, 1959) is an American law enforcement officer and politician serving as the
U.S. representative for since 2023.
Early life and education
Ezell was born in
Pascagoula, Mississippi. His father, S.H. "Buck" Ezell, was a police officer.
He attended the
University of Southern Mississippi, where he earned a
Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice. He also graduated from the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy in 1981 and
FBI National Academy in 1990.
Career
Law enforcement officer
Ezell served in the Pascagoula Police Department, first as a patrolman in 1980, then as captain of the detective division in 1992, and then as chief of police for
Ocean Springs, Mississippi, from 1998 to 2000.
Following a stint as police chief in Ocean Springs, Ezell returned to Pascagoula, where he received an assignment to the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. He later served as chief of law enforcement for the Pascagoula School District and the Singing River Health System.
Ezell was elected sheriff of
Jackson County, Mississippi
Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 139,668, making it the fifth-most populous county in Mississippi. Its county seat is Pascagoula. The county was named for Andrew Jac ...
, in a 2014
special election after Mike Byrd resigned.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections
2022
In 2021, Ezell announced that he would challenge Republican incumbent
Steven Palazzo in
Mississippi's 4th congressional district
Mississippi's 4th congressional district covers the southeastern region of the state. It includes all of Mississippi's Gulf Coast, stretching ninety miles between the Alabama border to the east and the Louisiana border to the west, and extends n ...
in the
2022 elections
The following elections are scheduled to occur in 2022. The National Democratic Institute also maintains a calendar of elections around the world.
* 2022 United Nations Security Council election
* 2022 national electoral calendar
* 2022 local e ...
. In the seven-way June 7 primary election, Palazzo received the most votes, 31.5%, and Ezell finished second with 25%. Because no candidate received 50% of the vote, Palazzo and Ezell faced each other in a runoff election. All the other candidates in the race endorsed Ezell after they were eliminated.
Ezell won the June 28 primary runoff election and defeated Democratic nominee
Johnny DuPree
Johnny DuPree (born November 18, 1953) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the mayor of Hattiesburg, Mississippi from 2001 to 2017. He was the Democratic Party nominee for Governor of Mississippi in 2011, th ...
in the November general election.
Personal life
Ezell is married to Suzette Ezell. They have one daughter and one granddaughter.
References
External links
Congressman Mike Ezellofficial U.S. House website
Mike Ezell for Congresscampaign website
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ezell, Mike
1959 births
21st-century American politicians
Living people
Mississippi Republicans
Mississippi sheriffs
People from Pascagoula, Mississippi
University of Southern Mississippi alumni
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Mississippi