Former Florida Rep. Bill Posey (R) died on Sunday at the age of 78 surrounded by his wife and two daughters after years of service representing Florida’s 15th and 8th congressional districts.
“Congressman Posey represented Florida in the United States House of Representatives from 2009 to 2025, following distinguished service in both the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate,” Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-Fla.) wrote in a statement on the social platform X.
“Throughout his career, he earned a reputation as a principled conservative, a steadfast advocate for fiscal responsibility and government transparency, and a tireless supporter of America’s space program and the communities he proudly represented along Florida’s Space Coast,” he added.
Posey’s cause of death was not revealed. He died at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, according to Hardiopolos.
In 2009, Posey served his first term in Congress representing the 15th district after earning more than half of the vote from his constituency to defeat the Democratic nominee.
He unseated former Rep. David Weldon (R-Fla.), who’d held the seat for more than a decade by leveraging his community relationships developed during his time on City Council, Florida state House and the Florida Senate.
Posey was no stranger to Washington, D.C., his birthplace, and spent much of his stint in the lower chamber serving on the Committee on Financial Services in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
He was also a member of the Freedom Caucus, Liberty Caucus, Congressional Arts Caucus and several others.
“Congressman Bill Posey was a true statesman who deeply loved his country and served it with unwavering integrity. Thank you for your dedicated service to the Freedom Caucus, Congress, and the American people,” the House Freedom Caucus wrote in a post on X.
“Your principled leadership and commitment to liberty left a lasting impact on our nation,” the caucus added.
Prior to becoming a lawmaker, Posey worked at the aerospace manufacturer McDonnell Douglas and did Apollo work at Kennedy Space Center before founding his own real estate company.
The longtime Florida Republican received his Associate of Arts degree from Eastern Florida State College, according to his congressional bio.
“Bill was a genuinely good man and a faithful friend, and we are blessed to have served alongside him,” House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) wrote in a post on X.
“Kelly and I join in mourning this great loss, and our prayers are with his wife and high school sweetheart Katie, his family, and loved ones during this difficult time,” he added.
