Political newcomer Nate Robertson, who said his campaign is based around “faith, family & freedom” with a focus on increasing school choice and economic development, is running unopposed in the Aug. 23 GOP primary for the open seat in state House District 40 that includes Ocoee, Pine Hills, Clarcona and College Park.

“You know, when you think about the area of Pine Hills, there aren’t a whole lot of options besides the public school system. So I’m wanting to make sure that we’re focusing on what are the best options,” Robertson told Florida Politics when he announced. On his campaign website, Robertson said that, if elected, he would immediately introduce a bill that would set aside $50 million in the state budget “for educational options like, like, new charter, faith-centered, private and magnet schools, which would give you a better menu of options."

Robertson of Ocoee also emphasized “personal freedom” and business development in communities, focusing particularly on helping minority, women and veteran-owned businesses succeed.

A self-described “Frederick Douglass Republican,” Robertson, a licensed Christian minister, explained in a video that he embodies 11 principles that Douglass espoused. Those principles include “respect for the U.S. Constitution, respect for life, a belief in limited power of government — that government can’t tell us all what to do all the time — personal responsibility, economic prosperity, the right … to keep and bear … firearms, free speech, religious liberty, women’s rights, education school choice, legal immigration. “All of these principles of Frederick Douglass, of somebody who [is] maybe one of the most famous former slaves, are things that most people in our community embody.”

Robertson is a strategic account manager for a medical distribution company “that seeks to provide access to free medicines for people who cannot afford prescriptions,” according to Florida Politics.

Florida Politics described the newly formed House District 40 as having one of the largest African-American populations in the county. It is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Kamia Brown, who is running for the state Senate. Robertson will ultimately face either LaVon Bracy Davis of Ocoee or Melissa Myers of Clarcona, both African-American women vying for the Democratic nod. Robertson initially was running in House District 45 before switching to District 40 after the new redistricting was adopted.

Robertson said that Democratic lawmakers such as state Sen. Randolph Bracy and Brown, who have represented the area, don’t have as much power in a Republican-led legislature as a Republican would.

A more recent Florida Politics story said Robertson is almost entirely focused on local issues including infrastructure, social services, criminal justice reform, affordable housing along with school choice.

“The system is set up so that whichever party has the majority gets a lot of the power and a lot of the funding. I’m not saying we should like the system. I’m not saying I like the system. But if that is the way it’s set up, I have an opportunity that is unique to this area, to be able to work with the Legislature to get funding back to this area. That has been really hard for others to do,” he said.