🚦 Traffic, taxes, and transparency headline Calkins’ campaign platform.
⚖️ Past controversies over partisanship and ethics resurface as the race begins.
🌴 Calkins eyes a comeback with promises to “restore fairness” in Walton County government.
SANTA ROSA BEACH — Can a firebrand Panhandle conservative with a controversial past win over Walton County voters in 2026?
James Calkins, a former Santa Rosa County Commissioner, has officially filed to run for Walton County Commissioner in District 4, which is currently held by Commissioner Donna Johns, for the 2026 election.
Calkins, a self-described constitutional conservative, said his campaign is built around three pillars: God, family, and country. He pledged to prioritize traffic, storm resilience, public safety, and lower taxes, while restoring transparency and fairness to county government.
“‘God, Family, Country’ isn’t a slogan, it’s my compass,” Calkins said in a prepared statement. “We’ll prioritize what matters most to families while protecting taxpayers from wasteful spending.”
Calkins cited his record in Santa Rosa County, where he said he championed land conservation, expanded parks, and supported first responders. His Walton County platform emphasizes fiscal responsibility, infrastructure improvements, conservative social values, and economic growth.
Calkins’ campaigns in Santa Rosa County drew scrutiny for partisan rhetoric, campaign funding, and political tactics.
In 2024, 20 residents filed complaints with the Florida Commission on Ethics after Calkins publicly said he would not vote for a qualified candidate for a county board position solely because she was a Democrat.
Critics also cited other actions, including allegedly cheering on the Jan. 6 insurrection and using his commission seat to promote partisan causes. The Ethics Commission dismissed all complaints, saying they did not constitute legally sufficient claims.
Calkins has also faced questions about campaign funding. During his recent Santa Rosa campaigns, he raised more than $167,000, including loans from himself, contributions from out-of-town donors, and direct donations from development interests.
He also has access to the America First Alliance PAC, reportedly chaired by his grandmother, Judith Sorensen, which received tens of thousands of dollars from developers. The PAC had been used to fund political ads targeting Calkins’ opponents and other Santa Rosa County officials.
Calkins’ Republican opponents in Santa Rosa County, Rhett Rowell and Jerry Couey, have both criticized him for focusing on partisan national issues rather than local governance, and for divisive rhetoric that they say alienates Democrats and Independents.
“Walton County families deserve a commissioner who treats every tax dollar like it came from their kitchen table,” he said in a prepared statement. “My focus is simple: safe communities, honest budgets, and roads that work, without the backroom deals.”
Calkins is expected to face competition in the 2026 race for District 4, which covers parts of Miramar Beach and surrounding communities.
Pro Communi Bono
St. Francis De Sales, Ora Pro Nobis!
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