Republican Representatives in the Panhandle are coming together to back one of their own for re-election. Reps. Shane Abbott, Alex Andrade, Patt Maney and Michelle Salzman are all endorsing Rep. Joel Rudman, the House District 3 incumbent.
Rudman, a family doctor from Navarre, is so far unopposed in his first re-election bid after securing his seat in the House in 2022 against a self-described "MAGA' conservative, Mariya Calkins.
Qualifying for state House races does not begin until June 10, and would-be challengers have until June 14 to jump into the race, meaning the endorsements could still be handy if Rudman ends up drawing a challenger.
But with more than $99,000 raised this cycle, and more than $78,000 of it still on hand, Rudman might have successfully scared off any potential opponents.
Still, he's grateful for his colleague's support.
"A large part of Florida's success is our ability to fight for our conservative causes as a united team and because of that teamwork, we've been able to deliver major victories for the people we represent in Tallahassee," Rudman said.
"In that spirit, I look forward to continuing to work with these dedicated public servants in keeping Florida the most free and prosperous state in the union for decades to come and helping protect the rights that are enshrined in our Constitution."
The HD 3 seat covers all but the coastal stretch of Santa Rosa County. It's bordered by State Road 98 to the south and reaches into rural Okaloosa County near the Alabama border. Navarre is one of three cities that anchor the district.
It's unlikely that a Democrat would jump into the race. The district is ruby red, with Republicans comprising nearly 61% of the electorate compared to just 15% Democrats, according to the most recent L2 data.
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