Former Okaloosa County Commissioner Nathan Boyles enters race to replace Joel Rudman

Former Okaloosa County Commissioner Nathan Boyles is throwing his hat in the ring to succeed outgoing state Rep. Joel Rudman.

Rudman resigned his House seat to run in Florida’s 1st Congressional District. Now, Boyles is running as a Republican to take over for Rudman in House District 3.

“As a businessman, I understand just how important it is we have leaders in Tallahassee who build on the legacy of leadership that has made Florida a conservative model of the nation. Under the leadership of President Trump and Governor DeSantis, Florida is a nationwide leader in economic prosperity, public safety, and education,” Boyles said in a prepared statement announcing his run.

“Now, we need leaders in Tallahassee who will be unapologetic in their defense of our America First principles. Leaders who are unafraid to take on interest groups to bring insurance rates down, make Florida more affordable, and keep our communities safe.”

Boyles is the founder of The Main Street Land Title Company, a real estate closing business. He departed that company in 2019 and now runs Adams Sanitation, serving almost 30,000 families and businesses in Northwest Florida, per a release sent out by his team.

Boyles just finished serving 12 years on the Okaloosa County Commission. He has also served as Chair of the Okaloosa Library Cooperative, the Okaloosa Walton Transportation Planning Organization and the Chair of the Crestview Community Redevelopment Agency.

Boyles said he’ll fight for conservative values in the Legislature if elected to succeed Rudman.

“I look forward to taking our conservative, America First agenda to the doorsteps of every voter in District 3. A vision that values individual freedom and an adherence to our constitutional principles,” Boyles said. “The work begins today and I’m excited for the opportunity ahead.”

Rudman is one of 10 Republicans looking to battle in a Special Election for the CD 1 seat to replace former U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz. Though President-elect Donald Trump has already endorsed Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis in that contest, Rudman nevertheless committed to his bid and resigned from the Florida House just weeks after winning his second term.

That opened the path for a Special Election to replace Rudman as well. But so far, no date has been set for the HD 3 contest.

One other Republican, lawyer Hayden Burkhard Hudson, has filed to run for the HD 3 seat in the 2026 cycle and could reclassify to run in the Special Election in the GOP Primary.