Mark Heggestad hopes to rise in Democratic field to take on John Rutherford

In the Democratic Primary for Florida’s 5th Congressional District, Mark Heggestad is competing against Rachel Grage and Alex Hazen for the chance to take on U.S. Rep. John Rutherford in November.

The district includes St. Johns County and half of Duval County. Rutherford, who previously spent 12 years as Jacksonville Sheriff, coasted to a fifth term in 2024 with 63.1% of the vote.

This year, Rutherford will first have to defeat a Primary challenge from conservative podcaster and radio host Mark Kaye, who has reported little fundraising but has been a fixture of Jacksonville talk radio for nearly two decades. Write-in candidate William Upham has also qualified.

Heggestad has raised $19,500 to date, while Grage reports $247,000 in contributions. Rutherford has more than $696,000 at his disposal, more than double every other candidate combined.

Florida Politics asked candidates to answer a few questions. We are publishing their responses unedited so voters can hear directly from candidates. Here’s what Heggestad told us:

— Profession: PMP-certified project manager and former healthcare technology leader whose 40 years as a football official reinforced the values of fairness, integrity, and accountability that have guided my professional career.

— Education: A graduate of public high school and state college, I earned degrees in Management Information Systems and Business Management, building a career focused on practical problem-solving, accountability, and service. Mankato State University – BS.

— Years in the district: 10 years, since moving from Minnesota. 

— Community involvement: We are members of Christ’s Church in Mandarin and I have worked as a football official for 40 years, including the past decade with the North Florida Football Officials Association (High School), while also supporting local athletics through work with the Jacksonville Sharks, the Sun Conference (NAIA), and our local professional football team as a practice official. I have also worked with other pro teams in Kansas City and Minnesota.

— Why are you running? What are your top priorities? I am running to restore trust in government, enforce accountability, and fight for policies that make it easier for families to afford the American Dream. After hiking the length of Florida’s Congressional District 5, I now want to run it — at least figuratively — with the same commitment to meeting people where they are. Like former Democratic Gov. “Walkin’ Lawton” Chiles, I believe in listening directly to voters, understanding their concerns, and focusing on practical solutions rather than the status quo.

My Top Priorities:

A Practical Affordability Agenda means raising wages responsibly so full-time work can better support the cost of living, protecting purchasing power by indexing wages to inflation, lowering housing costs by expanding supply, encouraging smart zoning, and supporting affordable homeownership, reducing healthcare costs by lowering medical and prescription drug expenses for families, making childcare affordable so families can work and build financial security, eliminating junk fees by promoting transparent pricing, easy cancellation, and stronger competition, and expanding energy and transportation choices to lower costs through greater efficiency and consumer options.

A Swiss Model, Modernized for America — Universal Health Care — also known as “the American Healthcare Freedom and Affordability Act” is my proposal to make coverage follow people, not jobs, because health insurance should not depend on employment. It shows universal healthcare can be achieved while fitting American values and economic realities. The plan preserves choice and private plans, maintaining competition while strengthening affordability, privacy, and cost controls. Employers would help fund the system instead of controlling coverage, giving workers freedom to choose a plan while employers make predictable contributions. Core insurance would provide nonprofit basic coverage focused on care, with optional supplemental plans available. Costs would be controlled by capping prices and negotiating transparently for drugs, devices, and care. The proposal would also reward prevention by incentivizing healthy behaviors and community health participation, advance research by encouraging voluntary, privacy-protected participation in research and trials, protect privacy through anonymous health data, and lead in precision medicine by combining universal coverage with AI, genomics, biotech, and preventive care. “Medicare for All” is estimated to cost the U.S. government $30 trillion over 10 years; this proposal is estimated at $3.5 trillion, so this is achievable. 

Restoring Trust in Government starts with recognizing that both parties have failed the American people, and that anyone currently in office holds some measure of responsibility; I am not interested in maintaining the status quo. Trust must be earned, and government should operate with accountability, fairness, honesty, and transparency. That also means stopping blatant corruption wherever it appears and making clear that public office exists to serve the people, not personal power or special interests. Public service should not be career politics, and term limits can encourage fresh leadership and new ideas. Restoring checks and balances requires each branch to respect its constitutional role, while ethics rules must be enforced and violations should carry meaningful consequences. Transparency must increase because voters deserve to know who is influencing elections and policy, and democracy depends on a commitment to truth, honest debate, and good-faith public discourse.

— What are the biggest issues facing residents of this district? What’s one bill you’d like to introduce in Congress? Families across CD-5 are being squeezed by rising costs, healthcare expenses, and a growing lack of trust in government. At the same time, St. Johns County’s rapid growth requires smart planning to keep infrastructure, housing, and public services from falling behind. I would like to introduce a moratorium on AI data centers, until we can know that local residents will not only be protected from the use of water and electricity etc. But that a data center will actually lower prices and not hurt our environment. I would also introduce the “American Healthcare Freedom and Affordability Act” to make healthcare portable, affordable, and independent of employment while preserving patient choice and protecting privacy. My full proposal is called A “Swiss Model but Better”: Affordable Universal Healthcare for America.

In fact, according to a NY Times article, hospitals nationwide are seeing a sharp rise in uninsured patients as enhanced ACA subsidies expire, premiums climb, and millions lose both marketplace and Medicaid coverage. Families are delaying care, skipping diagnostics, and showing up sicker, while hospitals — especially rural and safety-net facilities — absorb hundreds of millions in losses and warn they may raise prices for privately insured patients. With enrollment dropping and affordability worsening, the system is becoming increasingly unstable and financially strained for both patients and providers.

My legislation could prevent a future government bailout of our Healthcare systems.

— Democrats blame Donald Trump for inflation, Republicans blame the lingering effects of the Joe Biden administration, while Americans just want their prices to go down. What can Congress do to ease the cost of living for working families? Americans do not care which party gets the blame for inflation. They want their cost of living to come down. There is no single solution, and it will take multiple approaches working together to make life affordable again, but it can be done. Congress can start by reducing or removing tariffs that increase costs for consumers and businesses, because those costs are often passed on through higher prices. United States has to think strategically rather than react impulsively. Congress should also provide stronger oversight of executive branch policies, regulations, and executive orders that contribute to inflationary pressures by increasing energy, transportation, housing, healthcare, and compliance costs for families and small businesses. Beyond that, we need to lower healthcare and prescription drug costs, expand housing supply, eliminate junk fees, encourage competition, and protect workers’ purchasing power through policies that keep wages from falling behind inflation. The goal should be simple: make it easier for Floridians to afford groceries, housing, healthcare, energy, childcare, and a secure future by stopping Trump’s agenda of rising costs and gas prices, instead of rubber-stamping it the way Congressman Rutherford has.

— Do you believe AI will ultimately create more jobs than it eliminates, or should government slow its adoption to protect existing workers? What AI regulations or guardrails, if any, do you support? AI has the potential to create more jobs, industries, and opportunities than it eliminates, just as past technological revolutions did. The goal should not be to slow innovation, but to ensure it is developed and deployed responsibly. I support common-sense guardrails that require transparency, so users know how an AI model was trained, who trained it, how it was tested, how it is maintained, and what its limitations are. These protections are especially important when AI is used in high-impact decisions such as insurance claim denials, medical diagnoses, lending, hiring, or other areas that directly affect people’s lives. Individuals should have the right to understand when AI is being used, challenge decisions made by AI, and seek human review when necessary. America should lead the world in AI innovation, but innovation without accountability will undermine public trust.

— Americans frequently complain about the cost and complexity of our healthcare system. What realistic solutions do you propose? My realistic solution is the “American Healthcare Freedom and Affordability Act,” a practical plan designed to make coverage portable, affordable, and independent of employment while preserving private choice, protecting privacy, and controlling costs. I believe this approach can win broad support — potentially from a large majority of the country — because it is built around stability, affordability, transparency, and the freedom for people to choose their own plan. What separates me from my opponents is that I am not just talking about healthcare in general terms; I have spent my career working at the intersection of healthcare, technology, project management, and accountability, so I understand both the complexity of the system and how to build a workable solution. My opponents may criticize the current system, but I am offering a specific, realistic legislative framework that lowers costs, keeps choice, reduces dependence on employers, and helps prevent future instability in our healthcare system.

— How should we counter China’s growing influence and power, and what can we do to ensure America retains its technological, military and economic advantages? China’s growing influence should be met with American strength, innovation, and competitiveness, not fear. To maintain our technological, military, and economic advantages, we must invest in research, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and a world-class education system while reducing our dependence on foreign supply chains for critical technologies, medicines, and strategic materials. Just as importantly, we need to keep the world’s best and brightest minds working in America. Throughout our history, immigrants have helped make the United States the global leader in technology, medicine, science, and entrepreneurship. President Reagan noted in his farewell address that immigration keeps America young, dynamic, and at the forefront of progress. We should continue attracting talented people who want to contribute to our economy, strengthen our national security, and build the next generation of American innovation. The best way to compete with China is not to close ourselves off from talent, but to ensure America remains the most attractive place in the world to live, work, innovate, and invest.

— With regard to ending the ongoing conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, what should America’s goals and approach be? America’s goals in both Iran and Ukraine should be peace, stability, and the protection of our national interests, while avoiding unnecessary escalation and long-term military entanglements. We should pursue strong diplomacy backed by credible deterrence, support our allies, and focus on outcomes that reduce the risk of wider regional conflict. In Ukraine, the United States should continue working with our allies to put meaningful pressure on Russia to end its aggression and pursue a just and lasting peace. Unprovoked aggression against a peaceful sovereign nation should always be condemned, because allowing it to succeed only encourages future aggression elsewhere.

Just as important, policymakers must understand the economic consequences of global events and their public statements. I was concerned when Iran threatened the Strait of Hormuz and the response suggested that higher oil prices could somehow benefit America. While higher prices may increase profits for oil producers, they also mean higher gasoline, transportation, and consumer costs that are paid by everyday Americans. Families do not get richer when they pay more at the pump. Our foreign policy should be guided not only by strategic objectives, but also by the impact those decisions have on the cost of living for working families here at home.

— Would you vote to continue funding Israel’s defense? Are there any conditions you want to impose on that funding? I believe U.S. assistance should always reflect American values, including protecting civilians and pushing for a long‑term political solution. Supporting Israel’s security and insisting on humanitarian standards aren’t mutually exclusive. Taxpayers deserve transparency about how those funds will be used, and our partners should be held accountable for that commitment. If U.S.-provided assistance is used in ways that violate international law or contribute to war crimes, Congress should have the right and responsibility to review and reconsider that support. This is a complex issue with significant security, humanitarian, and diplomatic consequences, and any changes to funding must be made carefully with an understanding of their long-term effects on regional stability, our alliances, and American interests. Our goal should be to support security, encourage accountability, and pursue a path toward lasting peace.

— The House recently voted to adopt year-round daylight saving time. How would you have voted? I would support ending the twice-yearly clock changes. I grew up in a farming community, where people worked by the needs of the day and the season rather than by changing the clock twice a year. I’ve also asked many friends and neighbors what they think, and the overwhelming response is that people are tired of switching their clocks and don’t see much value in continuing the practice. Several states and U.S. territories already remain on a single time standard year-round, demonstrating that people and businesses can adapt successfully without changing their clocks every spring and fall. Consistency is easier for families, schools, and businesses. That said, moving to permanent daylight saving time would have practical effects that should be considered. Some employers and industries may benefit from longer evening daylight and may choose to adjust working hours to take advantage of it. On balance, I believe the benefits of ending the clock changes outweigh the drawbacks, and it’s time to provide Americans with a stable, predictable system year-round.

— Has the Democratic Party moved too far left in recent years, or is this the direction Democratic voters want? I think the better question is not whether the Democratic Party has moved too far left, but whether government is focused on solving the problems people face every day. When I knock on doors across the district, the overwhelming message I hear is that people are exhausted by the constant fighting and partisan battles. They want leaders who will focus on results, not political theater. I consider myself a constitutionalist. The Constitution is our nation’s rulebook, and when we follow the rules, respect checks and balances, and hold everyone accountable under the same standards, government works better for everyone. I believe every action government takes should be measured by a simple test: does it improve the lives of everyday Americans? Too often, people feel the system works best for special interests, large corporations, and the wealthiest few. My focus is on policies that lower costs, expand opportunity, strengthen trust in government, and make life better for working families throughout Florida’s 5th Congressional District.

— Why are you the best nominee to win this seat in November? This is a winnable race, and we need to “Meet the Moment” and vote in the primary to elect the most electable candidate.

I am the strongest nominee because I am best positioned to offer voters a clear alternative to Congressman John Rutherford. My campaign is focused on delivering practical solutions for the people of Florida’s 5th Congressional District, while Congressman Rutherford has largely focused on supporting the President’s agenda. Voters are telling me they want someone focused on lowering costs, improving healthcare, managing growth, and restoring trust in government.

Jacksonville is home to a diverse population and a wide range of industries, but it has also become a major healthcare destination, with approximately 25,000 healthcare workers and staff serving our community. My professional background leading healthcare and technology initiatives gives me firsthand experience with one of the region’s most important economic sectors. I have proposed a modernized universal healthcare model that not only expands access and lowers costs, but positions Jacksonville to attract new healthcare, biotechnology, AI, precision medicine, and medical research jobs. By building on the region’s healthcare strengths, we can create high-wage careers, attract investment, and make Northeast Florida a national leader in medical innovation.

I also bring a perspective shaped by 40 years as a football official, including the last decade serving with the North Florida Football Officials Association. In a community where football is deeply woven into our culture, officiating taught me the importance of fairness, preparation, accountability, and remaining calm under pressure. Whether on the field or in public office, the responsibility is the same: know the rules, enforce them fairly, listen to all sides, and make decisions based on integrity rather than politics.

That combination of healthcare expertise, private-sector leadership, project management experience, and a commitment to fairness and constitutional principles allows me to build coalitions, solve problems, and deliver results for the people of CD-5, not for political parties, special interests, or the wealthiest few.