'I didn't go into politics; politics went into medicine': Navarre doctor enters House race

A third candidate for the Florida House District 3 race has stepped up in the form of Navarre physician Joel Rudman.

"I'm in this not because, all of a sudden, (doctors) became political. But all of a sudden, the politicians got involved in my field," Rudman told the News Journal. "I didn't go into politics; politics went into medicine."

Rudman is originally from Mississippi and has been living in the Florida Panhandle since 1999, except for an 18-month stint when he pursued a job with NASCAR.

He runs Holley Navarre Medical Clinic, a local medical practice, and said the largest staple of his campaign comes down to one thing: freedom.

"As a physician, we're in the business of telling people what they should do. We have never been in the business of following those people home to be sure they do exactly what we say," Rudman said. "I tell people every day to quit drinking. I tell people every day who smell of smoke to quit smoking. I have the right to advise them of that. But I do not have the right to follow them home and empty their liquor cabinets. I do not have the right to knock the cigarettes out of their front shirt pocket."

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Rudman joins another Navarre business owner, Skip Orth, and Mariya Calkins, wife of Santa Rosa County District 3 Commissioner James Calkins, in the race.

District 3 in the Florida House covers most of Santa Rosa County and northern parts of Okaloosa County. In early January, state Rep. Jayer Williamson announced he would not run for re-election in 2022, and by the end of that week, Mariya Calkins became the first candidate to file and earned an endorsement from U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz.

Rudman called himself a "vaccine advocate," but even though he has chosen to get vaccinated against COVID-19, he has continued to view the topic as an issue of personal choice. He opposes requirements to get a COVID-19 vaccine, adding that he also fought against requirements to wear masks in Santa Rosa County schools.

"At that time, people actually had an option and we encouraged people to get vaccinated," Rudman said. "However, at that time, we were also up against mandates. The government went a little heavy-handed, even though things were abating and things were calming down (last year)."

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Rudman recounted the fact that in his medical career, he has remained apolitical. He said a testimonial he gave in February to state legislators about a free speech bill meant to protect medical practitioners from losing their licensing was what truly spawned his desire to run for office.

"It was my testimony. It was my introduction to Tallahassee. And that's when I realized, 'Wow, I can either depend on strangers to protect my freedom and protect my liberties. Or, I could go there.' And I'm probably my own best advocate," Rudman said.

The bill had iterations in both the state House and Senate but has been withdrawn for consideration as of Monday.

While Rudman said personal freedom is the core ideal in his campaign, he made a point that its protection will help a large swath of his would-be constituents.

"Also, as a small business owner, I want all the businesses in our district to feel free to run their business without the fear that their government's going to come down and lock them down," Rudman said. "So, I think when you talk about my reason for entering the race, the reason may have started off quite narrow, but it actually exposed a much wider concern to me."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Navarre doctor Joel Rudman enters race for Florida House District 3