Joel Rudman
Member of the Florida House of Representatives
from the 3rd district
Assumed office
November 8, 2022
Preceded byJayer Williamson
Personal details
Born (1970-03-05) March 5, 1970 (age 54)
Brookhaven, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseSophie Rudman
Children2
EducationUniversity of Southern Mississippi (BA)
University of Mississippi (MD)

Dr. Joel Rudman is an American politician and physician who currently serves as a state representative for the 3rd district in the Florida House of Representatives.[1] Rudman resides in Navarre, his legislative district's largest community, and is a member of the Republican Party.[2][3]

Career

In addition to being a state representative, Rudman is also a Board Certified family physician. He operates a local medical clinic called Holley Navarre Medical Clinic. He also worked for 13 years as a NASCAR staff physician at Daytona International Speedway.[4]

Florida House of Representatives

Rudman was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2022. He ran for office after being accused by the American Board of Family Medicine of “denigrating (their) vaccine efforts”.

Committees

Political positions

Healthcare and COVID-19

Rudman has been transparent about being vaccinated against COVID while arguing against vaccine mandates and against masking mandates.[6] Rudman has also criticized the closing of businesses and lockdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. His campaign website attests that closing of religious spaces for public health purposes is an infraction against the "freedom to worship as you choose."[7]

In a series of Tweets, Rudman has described COVID-19 as a biological weapon.[8]

Rudman sponsored the Protections of Medical Conscience Act (SB 1580/HB 1403), which was passed in the Florida Senate and House of Representatives in early 2023, later signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.[9][10] The legislation, which allows healthcare providers and insurers the right to opt out of procedures that go against their conscience, has been criticized by local Democrats as being discriminatory toward the LGBTQ+ community. Rudman has said, "There's nothing in this bill that legalizes discrimination", and explained that the bill is his "entire reason for being here in the Florida Legislature."[9][11][12]

In 2023, Representative Rudman publicly supported the idea of Medicaid expansion in Florida.[13]

Gun rights

Rudman supports "unfettered Second Amendment rights" on his campaign website.[7] In 2023, he sponsored a bill repealing the statute that allowed unlimited time for background checks in Florida; the bill failed to pass.[14]

Navarre incorporation

Rudman is supportive of incorporating the unincorporated community of Navarre in Santa Rosa County.[15]

Public safety

Rudman believes that swifter use of the death penalty and funding of asylums would improve public safety.[16]

Electoral history

On August 23, 2022, Rudman won the Republican primary election against Mariya Calkins with 64% of the vote.[17] Rudman faced a write-in candidate in the 2022 general election and won.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Joel Rudman - 2022 - 2024". www.myfloridahouse.gov. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
  2. ^ "Joel Rudman - Candidate Tracking system". Florida Division of Elections. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  3. ^ Miller, Alex. "'I didn't go into politics; politics went into medicine': Navarre doctor enters House race". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  4. ^ Miller, Alex. "'I didn't go into politics; politics went into medicine': Navarre doctor enters House race". Pensacola News Journal. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  5. ^ "Dr. Joel Rudman - 2022 - 2024 ( Speaker Renner )". www.myfloridahouse.gov. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  6. ^ "Vax versus Masks". South Santa Rosa News. 2021-04-15. Retrieved 2023-12-31.
  7. ^ a b "Vote Doc Rudman | Doc Rudman for State Representative | Florida". Vote Doc Rudman. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  8. ^ Rudman, Joel [@doc_rudman] (December 29, 2022). "It's bad enough COVID was a biological weapon. The radicals use COVID policies as a political weapon" (Tweet). Retrieved January 16, 2023 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ a b "DeSantis signs controversial medical conscience bill, touts Florida as 'Prescribe Freedom' state". Yahoo News.
  10. ^ Sexton, Christine Jordan (May 2, 2023). "Legislature passes physician 'freedom' bill backed by Gov. DeSantis".
  11. ^ Hudson, David (May 3, 2023). "Florida approves bill that allows doctors the right to refuse to treat LGBTQ+ people". Queerty. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  12. ^ "Florida bill protecting 'conscience' allows doctors to deny treatment". Tampa Bay Times.
  13. ^ Girard, Owen (2023-12-06). "Rep. Rudman argues why Republicans should expand Medicaid as Passidomo, others disagree". Florida’s Voice. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
  14. ^ "CS/HB 17 (2024) - Expiration of the Mandatory Waiting Period for Firearm Purchases | Florida House of Representatives". myfloridahouse.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-23.
  15. ^ "Candidates Spout Off on The Proposed Incorporation of Navarre". South Santa Rosa News. 2022-04-27. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  16. ^ Rudman, Joel [@doc_rudman] (October 15, 2022). "Three things that would make my family and yours safer: 1.Allow citizens 18 years and up to fully exercise their Second Amendment rights to defend themselves. 2.Prioritize inpatient mental health and fund our asylums. 3.Swift and proper use of the death penalty" (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2023 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ "Republicans Calkins and Rudman square off for Florida House District 3". WUWF. 2022-08-09. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  18. ^ "2022 Summary Results - Election Night Reporting". Santa Rosa County Supervisor of Elections. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
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