9th District
Pronounced: bil-uh-RACK-iss
Residence: Palm Harbor
Born: February 8, 1963; Gainesville, Fla.
Religion: Greek Orthodox
Family: Wife, Eva Bilirakis; four children
Education: St. Petersburg Junior College, attended 1981-83; U. of Florida, B.A. 1986 (political science); Stetson U., J.D. 1989
Military Service: None
Career: Lawyer; college instructor
Political Highlights: Fla. House, 1998-present

Gus Bilirakis won his House seat almost as a legacy from his father, Michael Bilirakis, who has represented the Tampa-area district for 24 years. As a lawyer, the younger Bilirakis has specialized in estate planning, and he is expected to continue his father's emphasis on health care and other issues important to seniors, who make up about a quarter of the district's population.

Bilirakis' roots run deep in the district; his family settled there from Greece a century ago. His first taste of politics came at the age of seven, when he volunteered in a gubernatorial campaign.

When he joins the House, Bilirakis hopes to make a name for himself by advancing issues he has championed as a member of the Florida legislature, most notably making catastrophic homeowners' insurance and health insurance for low-income people more widely available.

In the Florida House, he has chaired several panels, including the Crime Prevention, Public Safety Appropriations, and Economic Development Trade & Banking committees.

Bilirakis says he has been a consensus-builder in his home state, willing to work across party lines to achieve common goals — a spirit of bipartisanship that he is optimistic he can bring to Washington.

"The people are different, but the issues are similar," he said.