Infrastructure, Navarre incorporation: Calkins and Rudman face off in House District 3 race

Two Republicans and a write-in candidate are vying for the District 3 seat in the Florida House after current state Rep. Jayer Williamson announced in January that he would not run for reelection this year.

By the end of that week, Mariya Calkins, who was a state legislative aide to former Rep. Mike Hill, became the first candidate to file and earned an endorsement from U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. Joel Rudman joined soon after, and later, Sandra Maddox filed for the race, qualifying as a write-in candidate.

District 3 in the Florida House covers most of Santa Rosa County and northern parts of Okaloosa County.

Williamson, R-Pace, was elected to the House in 2016. Prior to that, he was appointed to a vacant seat on the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners in 2014 by then-Gov. Rick Scott.

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Maddox declined to speak to the News Journal about her campaign, but both Rudman and Calkins highlighted points they found important for voters in District 3, sharing common ground on issues like infrastructure improvements and the desire to get money through the legislature for local projects.

In terms of immediate priorities, Calkins — who is originally from what was the U.S.S.R. but now lives in Milton — highlighted the need to address rising costs for people on fixed incomes, particularly older Floridians. Calkins is the wife of Santa Rosa County District 3 Commissioner James Calkins.

"You meet seniors that are struggling right now and they limit their driving, because they can't afford to fill their tank," Calkins said.

Rudman, who is a Navarre-based physician, said he wanted to use his medical expertise as a way to approach redefining medical emergencies as they relate to the use of emergency powers like the ones people saw during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I would make it virtually impossible for any bureaucrat elected or (not in an elected position) to ever threaten you with a lockdown again," Rudman said.

Rudman has earned an endorsement from former U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller.

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Mariya Calkins did not complete a candidate Q&A.

Sandra Maddox did not complete a candidate Q&A.

He also remained steadfast in opposing critical race theory in Florida classrooms, telling the News Journal, "if you teach (students) to hate our state, if you teach him to hate our country, that's going to be the philosophies that they teach going forward." He added he supported the idea of making school board races partisan.

Both candidates also voiced support on issues more personal to them. Regarding abortion, Calkins said she feels it is the "time to end abortions in Florida." She added she is keen on supporting constitutional carry — or publicly carrying a firearm without a license or permit — legislation in Florida.

For Rudman, he mentioned one large project in particular he personally wants to see in the district.

"It would be a dream of mine to bring a traumatic brain injury center home to my district to help serve our veterans who have suffered combat injuries, closed head injuries," Rudman said.

Both candidates also weighed in on Navarre incorporation, which has seen a rejuvenated push in the last few years through the group Preserve Navarre.

Under Williamson, incorporation efforts need to reach 60% voter approval in a local non-binding referendum for him to bring the incorporation bill forward in the state Legislature.

Williamson filed a bill — House Bill 1035 — this past legislative session that would have codified that personal requirement statewide, but it was among the slew of bills withdrawn from consideration after sitting stagnant in committee. His successor could potentially take up an incorporation bill without any step at the county level.

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"As I see it today, incorporation is dead in the water for my community. It does not have the support it needs," Rudman said. "And it's up to the people to decide what's in Navarre's best interest. I would pursue the same policies that my predecessor Jayer Williamson pursued."

"I read through (Preserve Navarre's five-year) plan, and that honestly concerned me as a future legislator. I think that I have to be protective of our taxpayers," Calkins said, adding she feels the incorporation would add more taxation and regulation to citizens in Navarre.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Florida House District 3 seat: Mariya Calkins, Joel Rudman face off