Hillsborough County Commissioner Donna Cameron Cepeda was trailing badly last night as early primary returns rolled in, with challenger Stacy Hahn holding nearly 58% of the vote to the incumbent's 42% once all early votes and a portion of mail-in ballots had been tallied. The countywide District 5 seat, one of the Republican Party's most closely watched local primaries this cycle, appeared to be slipping away from the commissioner who won it just four years ago.
The results, reported last night and detailed by the Tampa Bay Times, capture a race between two familiar names in Hillsborough politics. Cepeda joined the Hillsborough County Commission board in 2022, while Hahn currently serves as a Hillsborough County School Board member representing District 2, a seat she has held since 2018.
An At-Large Seat Covering the Whole County
District 5 is not a neighborhood contest — it is one of three at-large, countywide seats on the seven-member Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners, meaning every voter in the county, not just those in a specific district, helped decide Tuesday's outcome, according to Florida Politics. Cepeda first won the seat in November 2022, unseating Democratic incumbent Mariella Smith as part of a countywide Republican sweep that flipped the commission to a 4-3 GOP majority, the outlet reported.
Before entering local government, Cepeda served in the U.S. Army, worked in finance, and taught as an associate professor at Life Christian University, where she earned her master's and doctoral degrees, according to background reported by Neighborhood News. Hahn, meanwhile, holds a Ph.D. in Early Childhood and Special Education from the University of Florida and has worked as a public school teacher and university professor, the same outlet noted, adding that she opted not to seek reelection to the school board this year in order to run for county commission.
Money and Endorsements Favored the Challenger
The financial gap between the two candidates was stark heading into Tuesday. Campaign finance filings with the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections show Cepeda raised $28,176 for the 2026 cycle, far behind Hahn's $100,675 and Democratic nominee Neil Manimala's $170,399. That fundraising disparity came alongside a high-profile media snub: the Tampa Bay Times editorial board endorsed Hahn over Cepeda ahead of the primary.
Development and land use also loomed over the campaign, particularly in the county's fast-growing suburban and rural fringes. Grassroots group Preserve Rural Lithia used social media to highlight campaign contributions from real estate developers flowing into candidate political committees, framing the race as a referendum on who suburban growth in areas like Lithia actually serves.
A Canceled Town Hall Appearance
Cepeda also faced local criticism last month after her campaign canceled her scheduled appearance at a Town 'N' Country Civic Association candidate forum, notifying organizers by text message just hours before the event, according to the Town 'N' Country Beacon. Civic association forums like that one typically give candidates a chance to address hyperlocal concerns such as flooding and property taxes directly with residents.
November Matchup Already Set
Whichever Republican emerges from Tuesday's primary will face Dr. Neil Manimala, a board-certified urologist and member of the Hillsborough County Health Care Advisory Board, in the November 3 general election. Manimala ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, according to Ballotpedia, and Democrats see the District 5 seat as a genuine opportunity to chip away at the Republican majority the party built on the commission back in 2022.
