Failed Congressional candidate Joel Rudman, who quit the Florida House District 3 job in an unsuccessful bid for Florida’s 1st Congressional District seat, has now also resigned from the Pensacola State College Board of Trustees position ahead of today’s Florida Senate Ethics Committee confirmation hearing.
Last week the Florida Senate’s Committee on Higher Education Appropriations unanimously rejected confirming Rudman to the position, citing bigoted behavior and threats Rudman made regarding his confirmation.
According to Politico reporter Gary Fineout, Senator Don Gaetz said Rudman indicated he had a list of legislators who were violating drug laws. “It turns out Dr. Rudman is the one who is not revealed” & declined to come to committee & has left country. Gaetz said he planned to ask him to reveal his evidence. Additionally, Fine reported that Gaetz had invited officers from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to today’s confirmation hearing and they were prepared to take down names and evidence if Rudman had showed up.
Rudman is the third of Governor Ron DeSantis’ appointments to Pensacola-based colleges to resign this year. DeSantis is currently at odds with local and state Trump Republican leaders, including but not limited to elected officials.
BELOVED MAMA BEA DENIED ENTRY INTO DESANTIS/RUDMAN EVENT AT PSC
Last week Beatrice Thomas, an award-winning Republican, was denied entry into an event DeSantis hosted at Pensacola State College. Rudman was a featured speaker at that event.
“Mama Bea,” as she’s affectionately known throughout the Panhandle, has earned multiple awards for her hard work promoting the Republican Party, including her efforts within the black community, helping get thousands of voters registered. The Republican National Committee presented Thomas with a 2021 Rising Star award and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office presented her with a 2024 Engagement award for her community outreach efforts.
Thomas said she worked hard for DeSantis, knocking on doors, distributing 79,000 flyers and door hangers, and getting thousands of black voters registered throughout the Panhandle. She pointed out the latter wasn’t easy due to anger and hate toward the GOP, noting she kept a positive attitude even when doors were slammed in her face.
But she never expected to have the door slammed in her face at DeSantis’ April 15 event.
“I couldn’t believe it. I just went out, sat in my car and cried for an hour,” Thomas told South Santa Rosa News, noting that she saw many others allowed entrace and claiming her name was scratched off a list. “My team worked day and night walked miles to get (DeSantis) in office. Drove back and forward with boots on the ground from Pensacola to Perry, getting people to get out to vote. I’ve been doing this with every Republican, including our President. Why (DeSantis) did this, I don’t know. It’s degrading,” she said.
Rudman, who had supported DeSantis over Trump in the 2024 Presidential race, in January 2025 only received around 9% of Florida’s 1st Congressional District vote, losing to Trump’s hand-picked candidate for the job, Jimmy Patronis. DeSantis then in February 2025 nominated Rudman to the PSC Board of Trustees.
DeSantis and his wife, Casey, reportedly hosted the April 15 PSC event to announce the addition of 28 liaisons at state colleges for Hope Florida, an organization she founded. However, their event was scheduled at the same time Florida House District 2 Representative Alex Andrade, who represents parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, was leading a House Health Care Budget Subcommittee meeting, questioning Hope Florida Chairman Joshua Hay about a potentially illegal $10 million donation to the organization. Hay admitted “mistakes” had been made.
Hope Florida Executive Director Erik Dellenback resigned the next day.
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