Rich Nugent

Nugent serves on the Committee on House Administration. Nugent formerly served on the House Committee on Rules . In January 2015, Nugent was removed from that committee, in an apparent retribution for voting against John Boehner as House Speaker.

On November 2, 2015, Nugent announced that he would leave Congress at the end of his term on January 3, 2017. Among the reasons given for leaving office, Nugent cited a desire to spend more time with family: "After five years of living out of a suitcase, saying goodbye almost weekly to my beloved wife, and seeing pictures of the grandkids instead of spending more of that quality time with them, the tug of being apart from family has just become too great."

In his first two months in Congress he co-sponsored 29 pieces of legislation, including H.R. 2 – Repeal of the Health Care Law Act, H.R.25 – The Fair Tax Act of 2011, H.R. 49 – American Energy Independence and Price Reduction Act, H.R. 121 – Congressional Budget Accountability Act, H.R. 127 – to deauthorize appropriation of funds to carry out the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, H.R. 144 – Small Business Paperwork Mandate Elimination Act of 2011, H.R. 154 – Defund the Individual Mandate Act, Hr. 177 – Death Tax Repeal Act, H.R. 178 – Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act, H.R. 333 – Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act and H.R. 42` – To eliminate automatic pay adjustments for Members of Congress. Nugent has also co-sponsored H.J. Res.1 – Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

In 2010 Nugent signed a pledge sponsored by Americans for Prosperity promising to vote against any Global Warming legislation that would raise taxes.

Nugent was elected Sheriff of Hernando County in 2000, defeating James E. "Eddie" McConnell.

Nugent graduated from St. Leo College, located in St. Leo, Pasco County, Florida with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. He went on to earn a Master of Arts Degree from Troy State University. In 1991 Congressman Nugent graduated from the FBI National Academy.

After high school Nugent joined the Illinois Air National Guard for six years. He then continued serving as a police officer in the city of Romeoville, Illinois. After serving as a police officer in Romeoville for 12 years, Nugent and his family moved to Hernando County, Florida in 1984, where he joined the Hernando County Sheriff's office as a deputy.

In 1975, Rich married Wendy Nugent and they have three boys. The Nugent family have been members of the First United Methodist Church of Spring Hill since 1985.

Nugent beat Tea Party favorite Jason Sager in the primary and won against Democrat Jim Piccillo in the general election. The New York Times had rated this race as solidly Republican. The Ocala online newspaper reported that In the 5th Congressional District, Nugent swept past Democrat Jim Piccillo, a political newcomer from Lutz, receiving 67 percent of the vote to 33 percent.

Richard B. "Rich" Nugent (born May 26, 1951) is an American retired law enforcement officer and former United States Congressman. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former Sheriff of Hernando County, Florida. On November 2, 2010 Richard Nugent defeated Democratic nominee James Piccillo, to replace retiring Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite. Nugent is a member of the Tea Party Caucus. On November 2, 2015, Nugent announced he would not seek reelection.

Nugent was born on May 26, 1951. He is a native of Evergreen Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. His father was a steel worker and his mother was a homemaker.