Aaron Bean

Aaron Bean
Born	Aaron Paul Bean 25 1, 1967
Birthplace	Fernandina Beach, Florida, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Known for	U.S. Representative for Florida's 4th congressional district
Education	Jacksonville University (BS)
Spouse(s)	Abby Bean
Children	3
Website	[[bean.house.gov bean.house.gov] Official site]

Aaron Paul Bean (born January 25, 1967) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Florida's 4th congressional district since January 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Bean has spent more than two decades in elected office in Florida, beginning with his tenure in the Florida House of Representatives from 2000 to 2008, followed by a decade in the Florida Senate from 2012 to 2022. Born and raised in Fernandina Beach, a small coastal city in Nassau County, Bean has built his political career in Northeast Florida, representing communities in Nassau, Clay, and parts of Duval County. During his time in the Florida Senate, he served as President pro tempore from 2020 to 2022. In Congress, Bean has focused on health care policy, voter integrity legislation, and combating government fraud. He won his congressional seat in November 2022 in a decisive victory in the newly redrawn 4th district.

Early Life

Aaron Paul Bean was born on January 25, 1967, in Fernandina Beach, Florida, a city located on Amelia Island in Nassau County in the northeastern corner of the state. Fernandina Beach, the county seat of Nassau County, is situated just north of Jacksonville and has historically been a community tied to the shipping, tourism, and paper industries. Bean grew up in this area and maintained deep ties to the community throughout his life and political career.

Bean's roots in Fernandina Beach would later become a defining feature of his political identity, as he consistently represented the Nassau County area in various levels of state and federal government. His familiarity with the region's issues — including coastal development, military-related concerns given the proximity to Naval Station Mayport, and health care access in rural and suburban communities — informed much of his legislative work in subsequent decades.

Education

Bean attended Jacksonville University, a private university located in Jacksonville, Florida, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree. Jacksonville University, founded in 1934, is situated along the St. Johns River and is one of the prominent private institutions of higher education in Northeast Florida. Bean's education at the university provided the foundation for his subsequent career in public service and Florida politics.

Career

Florida House of Representatives (2000–2008)

Bean began his career in elected office in 2000 when he won a seat representing the 12th district in the Florida House of Representatives, succeeding George Crady. He served four terms in the House, representing the district from November 7, 2000, through November 4, 2008. During his time in the state House, Bean developed a legislative record focused on issues relevant to Northeast Florida, including economic development, education, and health care. He was succeeded in the Florida House by Janet H. Adkins following the conclusion of his tenure, which ended due to Florida's term-limits law that restricts state legislators to eight consecutive years in each chamber.

Florida Senate (2012–2022)

After a period out of the legislature following his term-limited departure from the Florida House, Bean ran for the Florida Senate in 2012, seeking the newly redrawn 4th district seat. In the Republican primary on August 14, 2012, Bean defeated Mike Weinstein in a lopsided contest, establishing himself as the dominant candidate in the race.

In the general election, Bean faced Nancy Soderberg, a Democrat who had previously served on the National Security Council during the Clinton administration. The race attracted attention as one of the more competitive state Senate contests in Northeast Florida. Bean and Soderberg engaged in a radio debate in October 2012 in which the two candidates exchanged sharp criticisms of each other's positions and records. Bean prevailed in the November 2012 general election, winning the seat representing a district that encompassed all of Nassau County, Clay County, and portions of Duval County.

During his decade in the Florida Senate, Bean engaged in legislative activity on a range of policy issues. In 2013, he introduced a health care proposal that received coverage in Northeast Florida media, though the plan was reported as unlikely to advance through the legislative process at the time. Health care policy would remain a recurring theme throughout Bean's legislative career at both the state and federal levels.

Bean was also involved in education policy during his Senate tenure. In 2014, the Florida Senate took up legislation related to in-state college tuition, a topic in which Bean participated as part of broader legislative debates about higher education affordability.

President Pro Tempore (2020–2022)

On November 17, 2020, Bean was elevated to the position of President pro tempore of the Florida Senate, succeeding David H. Simmons in the role. He held this leadership position until November 8, 2022, serving as one of the senior officials in the chamber during the final two years of his state legislative career. The President pro tempore position is one of the most senior roles in the Florida Senate, typically reserved for experienced legislators. Bean was succeeded as President pro tempore by Dennis Baxley. His Senate seat for the 4th district was subsequently filled by Clay Yarborough.

U.S. House of Representatives (2023–present)

2022 Campaign

In 2022, following congressional redistricting in Florida, Bean announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in the redrawn 4th congressional district. The redistricting process resulted in significant changes to district boundaries across Florida, and the new 4th district was configured as a seat favorable to Republican candidates in Northeast Florida. The previous incumbent of the area, John Rutherford, was redistricted into a different configuration.

Bean launched his congressional campaign with the backing of his extensive network built over two decades in Florida politics. His campaign filings were registered with the Federal Election Commission under the designation H2FL04211.

In the November 2022 general election, Bean defeated Democratic nominee LaShonda "L.J." Holloway in a decisive victory, carrying the district by a wide margin consistent with the area's Republican-leaning electorate. Florida Politics described the outcome as an "easy CD 4 victory" for Bean, who left the Florida Senate to begin his service in the U.S. House.

Tenure in Congress

Bean took office as the U.S. representative for Florida's 4th congressional district on January 3, 2023. In Congress, he has focused on several key policy areas, including health care, government spending, and election integrity.

Health Care Policy

Health care has been a central focus of Bean's congressional work, continuing a theme from his years in the Florida legislature. In late 2025, Bean worked on issues related to health care tax credits, seeking to find broad consensus as Congress debated the future of health care subsidies. He was reported to be striving for a solution on health care credits that could garner support from a wide range of Americans.

In February 2026, Bean hosted a health care summit in Washington, D.C., focused on prescription drug policy, drawing attention to the cost and availability of prescription medications as a priority issue for his constituents and the nation. This was the second such health care event Bean had organized in Washington, indicating his sustained engagement with health policy issues.

Also in February 2026, Bean introduced the Punishing Health Care Fraudsters Act, a bill designed to enhance criminal penalties for health care fraud. The legislation was framed as a measure to protect taxpayers from the costs associated with fraudulent billing and abuse within the health care system. The bill proposed strengthening criminal penalties as a deterrent against fraudulent activity in the health care sector.

Bean was also involved in discussions regarding Florida's Medicaid program, as Florida officials and the Trump administration were reported to be at odds over a multibillion-dollar application for a Medicaid program in the state. The dispute involved a stalled application that drew scrutiny from Florida lawmakers.

Government Spending and Shutdowns

Bean has been an active voice on matters related to federal government spending. During a partial government shutdown in early 2026, Bean called on the U.S. Senate to act on the FY26 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, blaming the Senate's inaction for the disruption in government services. He subsequently voted in the House to end the partial government shutdown and restore federal operations.

Election Integrity

Bean supported H.R. 7296, known as the SAVE America Act, which requires proof of citizenship for federal voting. The bill passed the House with Bean's support, and he characterized it as a voter integrity measure designed to safeguard the electoral process.

Personal Life

Bean resides in Fernandina Beach, Florida, the same community where he was born. He is married to Abby Bean, and the couple has three children. Bean has maintained his residence in Northeast Florida throughout his political career, and his long-standing ties to Fernandina Beach and Nassau County have been a consistent feature of his public identity. His official congressional website is hosted at bean.house.gov.

Political Positions

Bean is a member of the Republican Party and has aligned with conservative positions on fiscal policy, health care, and election law throughout his career. In the Florida Senate, he voted on legislation including Senate Bill 86 during the 2021 legislative session.

At the federal level, Bean has positioned himself as an advocate for stronger penalties against fraud in government programs, reduced government spending, and election integrity measures requiring proof of citizenship for voting. His health care policy work has centered on addressing costs, fraud, and access issues, including hosting policy summits in Washington to bring stakeholders together on these issues.

Bean has also received endorsement from the Main Street Republican PAC, which listed him among its supported candidates.