Steve Holland (politician)

Daniel Stephen Holland (born November 5, 1955, in Tupelo, Mississippi) is a Democratic member of the Mississippi House of Representatives, representing the 16th district since 1985. He was also a contender for the Democratic nomination in Mississippi's 1st congressional district special election, 2008 but he lost the primary runoff to Travis Childers. He is of Dutch, Italian, and Native American descent.

Holland is the son of Judge Sadie Holland, who was allegedly targeted in the 2013 ricin letters incident. James Everett Dutschke, a suspect in the case, unsuccessfully ran against Holland in 2007.[2]

In 2012, Holland submitted a Bill to the Mississippi Legislature to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico – for all official uses within the state – to the "Gulf of America".[3] This bill is a reflection of Holland's sense of humor, and is his way of criticizing the priorities of the Republicans in the House. Similarly, he co-sponsored a bill in 2017 to donate $1 million to President Donald Trump's proposed border wall, the same year when Mississippi's operating budget was $300 million short. [4]

On March 24, 2017 Holland announced that his doctors had diagnosed him with dementia, and that he would not seek re-election at the end of his term in 2019.[5]

In 2019, Holland announced that he would seek his 10th term for the State House as an Independent. [6]