Republican U.S. Rep. John H. Rutherford is seeking a sixth term representing Florida's 5th Congressional District, which includes Mandarin. Rutherford faces Democratic candidate Rachel Grage in the general election.

Rutherford has represented the district since 2017, according to his congressional biography. Before entering Congress, he spent 40 years in law enforcement, including three terms as Duval County sheriff.

Candidate information

  • Party: Republican
  • Office sought: U.S. House of Representatives, Florida 5th Congressional District
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
  • Ballot status: Certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data
  • Residence: Jacksonville, where he has lived since 1958, according to his congressional biography
  • Family: Married to his wife, Pat, for 53 years, with two children, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, according to his congressional biography. They are members of Assumption Catholic Church in Jacksonville.
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in criminology, Florida State University, 1974; associate's degree in criminology, Florida State College at Jacksonville, 1972, according to BallotReady

Experience and public service

Rutherford began his law enforcement career as a patrolman at the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in 1974, according to his congressional biography. He also served as director of corrections at the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, according to BallotReady.

He was elected Duval County sheriff in 2003, 2007 and 2011. He served three terms. As sheriff, he ran a 3,200-employee office and brought homicide and overall violent crime in Jacksonville to a 40-year low, according to his congressional biography. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy's 171st session and the National Executive Institute, and chaired the legislative committee of the Florida Sheriff's Association.

In Congress, Rutherford serves on the House Appropriations Committee, including its subcommittees on Homeland Security; Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, according to his committees page. He co-chairs the Congressional Law Enforcement Caucus, the Congressional Coastal Communities Caucus and the Second Chance Task Force, among other caucuses.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Rutherford's campaign website and BallotReady. All claims are attributed to the candidate.

Public safety: Rutherford said he authored the STOP School Violence Act, which was signed into law.

Economy and taxes: Rutherford said he voted to support tax cuts for families and small businesses. He said he supports cutting grocery, gas and electric costs and removing government regulations to help small businesses.

Healthcare: Rutherford said he supports lowering prescription drug costs, protecting pre-existing condition coverage and keeping dependents on parents' insurance until age 26.

Veterans: Rutherford said he led efforts to provide grant money for programs helping veterans transition to civilian life and to make it easier for veterans to get service animals. He said he supported increased funding for mental health initiatives to combat PTSD among veterans.

Infrastructure: Rutherford said he supported hundreds of millions of dollars returning to Northeast Florida for transportation and logistics projects. He also said he supported banning oil drilling off the coast of Florida.

Endorsements

Rutherford lists the following endorsement on his campaign website:

  • Donald Trump, president of the United States