Drew Wilson
A second Republican has filed to run for the House District 3 seat currently held GOP Rep. Doug Broxson, who announced earlier this month he would leave the seat to run in Senate District 1.
Huston Walters of Navarre filed for the seat Tuesday and joins Santa Rosa County Commissioner Jayer Williamson in the Republican Primary for the heavily GOP district. Williamson announced his candidacy last week.
Walters currently works at his family’s business, Johnny Huston’s Grille and Bar, but his resume also includes internships with U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, and the District of Columbia Republican Party. Walters has also worked as a field representative for the College Republican National Committee.
The 25-year-old University of Alabama alumnus faces a tough challenge in Williamson, who had been raising money for a 2018 run before Broxson’s announcement opened up the seat in the 2016 cycle.
According to Florida Division of Elections records, the commissioner entered the 2016 contest with about $26,000 cash on hand in his campaign account. Williamson also ran for the seat in 2012, but lost out to Broxson in the Republican Primary with about 42 percent of the vote.
The open race for HD3 is part of a domino effect in panhandle politics caused by the retirement of Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller.
Miller’s announcement earlier this month led to Baker Republican state Rep. Greg Evers announcing a congressional bid, setting up a primary battle between Broxson and fellow Republican state Rep. Mike Hill in SD 1.
