Jacob Ogles
House District 3 hasn’t enjoyed representation in the House all year. But that changes Tuesday once voters choose between Republican Nathan Boyles and Democrat Dondre Wise in a Special Election.
Boyles, a former Okaloosa County Commissioner, heads into the race a heavy favorite. But Wise hopes to capitalize on an appetite for change in the Panhandle. The winner will succeed former Rep. Joel Rudman, a Navarre Republican who resigned for an ultimately unsuccessful run for Congress.
In November, Rudman won re-election with more than 78% support over Democrat Keith Ellis Gillum, showing the deep red lean of the district. More than 68% of voters in the district also favored Republican Donald Trump for President over Democrat Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket.
Boyles also enjoys a financial advantage in the race. Through Friday, Boyles had raised around $208,000 for the seat and was still sitting on almost $25,000 for the final days of campaigning. Granted, the majority of spending by Boyles occurred ahead of an April 1 GOP Primary, where he came out on top with 36% of the vote in an eight-candidate field.
Wise, a business owner, raised just under $7,000 over the course of the campaign. He has been able to stockpile most of it, outside a qualification fee with the state, for the final moments on the trail.
Boyles said he isn’t taking anything for granted and will campaign until the last votes are in.
“We are spending every minute encouraging all our Republican voters to get out and vote and make their voices heard so we can continue to have Republican leadership in Tallahassee that focuses on the issues they care about,” he said. “We’re going to run through the tape and not stop communicating to them until Tuesday at 7 p.m.”
Wise hopes voters will see reasons to be discontent with the Republican leadership in Tallahassee and send a message that things must change.
“This campaign wasn’t just about me; it was about all of us,” Wise said. “Building a future we can be proud of. We can build a bridge that leads to better housing, lower insurance, proper treatment for veterans and a fully functional fully funded education system. Let’s finish this strong and let’s change this Panhandle.”
Polls close at 7 p.m. Central time.
