| Tom Rooney | |
|---|---|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 16th district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Tim Mahoney |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 21, 1970 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Tara Rooney |
| Residence | Tequesta, Florida |
| Alma mater | Washington & Jefferson College University of Florida University of Miami |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | United States Army United States Army Reserve |
| Years of service | 2000–2004 (active) 2004–present (reserve) |
| Unit | Judge Advocate General's Corps |
| Awards | Army Commendation Medal (2) |
Thomas J. "Tom" Rooney (born November 21, 1970) is the U.S. Representative for Florida's 16th congressional district, serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party.
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Tom Rooney was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and raised in [[Palm Beach Gardens, Florida]. He graduated from the Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, Florida in 1989. In college, Rooney played football for Syracuse University and Washington & Jefferson College outside of Pittsburgh where he earned his B.A. in English Literature. He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
Rooney attended the University of Florida where he received his M.A. in Political Science. After that he went to the University of Miami School of Law where he received his J.D. and met his wife Tara Lombardi. They became a members of The Florida Bar Association in 1999.
Rooney spent over four years on Active Duty in the United States Army JAG Corps. Most notably, he served as Special Assistant U.S Attorney at Fort Hood, Texas, prosecuting all civilian crimes on post. Rooney also served in the famed 1st Cavalry Division.
In 2002, Rooney began teaching Constitutional and Criminal Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He received two Army Commendation Medals for his service.
During his active duty time in the JAG Corps, he served with fellow future Congressman Patrick J. Murphy, a Democrat from Pennsylvania who was the first Iraq War veteran elected to the U.S. Congress.
Before Rooney attained his Master's Degree, he worked for U.S. Senator Connie Mack III. After getting his Master's, he returned to Florida, where he went to work as an Assistant Attorney General. While working as a criminal prosecutor for the Office of the Attorney General, he joined the Board of Directors with “The Children’s Place at Home Safe,” a Palm Beach County shelter that helps abused, neglected, and abandoned children. In 2005, Tom was named CEO of Home Safe and because of his work there, Governor Jeb Bush appointed Rooney to the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County Board of Directors in January 2006. After his second year as director, Rooney returned to the Board of Directors of Children’s Place and resumed his practice of law in Stuart, Florida with the law firm of Kramer, Sopko & Levenstein, P.A. He is a graduate of Leadership Palm Beach County.
Rooney challenged Democratic incumbent Tim Mahoney. Mahoney had narrowly won the Republican-leaning district in 2006, after former Congressman Mark Foley abruptly resigned under a cloud of scandal. Florida election law required Foley's name to remain on the general election ballot, with votes for him being transferred to his replacement, State Representative Joe Negron. It was widely believed that this significantly undermined Negron's chances, as many voters would be reluctant to cast a ballot in Foley's name. Given Mahoney's narrow margin of victory, coupled with the unusual circumstances surrounding the election, the 16th District was viewed as one of Republicans' best opportunities to take a congressional seat from the Democrats in 2008. In the Republican Party primary, Rooney was endorsed by Florida's popular Governor, Charlie Crist and defeated State Representative Gayle Harrell and investment banker Hal Valeche. Mahoney, aided by the power of incumbency and having burnished his image as a moderate Blue Dog Democrat, consistently led Rooney in polls throughout the 2008 election cycle until mid-October 2008, when it was revealed that Mahoney, who had promoted a family values image and campaigned against corruption in contrast to the disgraced Foley, had engaged in multiple extramarital affairs and secretly paid off his mistresses to conceal them. This revelation shifted the race decisively in Rooney's favor, even causing the Palm Beach Post to take the rare step of rescinding its previous endorsement of Mahoney and endorsing Rooney instead.[1]
Rooney ran unopposed in the Republican primary. In the general election, he defeated Democratic nominee Jim Horn and write-in candidate William Dean.
Tom Rooney is a grandson of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney, Sr. [2] and cousin of actresses Kate Mara and Rooney Mara.
Rooney is also related to Pittsburgh Steelers owner and ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney. His younger brother, Brian J. Rooney, is a constitutional attorney and Iraq War Veteran and was a candidate for Congress in Michigan's 7th congressional district. His older brother, Patrick Rooney, Jr., serves in the Florida House of Representatives in District 83.[3]
Tom and Tara split their time between Tequesta, Florida and Washington D.C. with their three sons: Tommy Jr., Sean Patrick, and Seamus.
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Tim Mahoney |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida's 16th congressional district 2009–present |
Incumbent |
| United States order of precedence | ||
| Preceded by Phil Roe R-Tennessee |
United States Representatives by seniority 326th |
Succeeded by Aaron Schock R-Illinois |