A photograph by Dave Decker showing Hillsborough County Commissioner Gwen Myers on the left and Aileen Rodriguez in the center seated at a panel table at the C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library in Tampa, Florida, on July 9, 2026. Captured in a wide shot, Myers speaks into a microphone while wearing a turquoise cardigan with black trim and dark-rimmed glasses. Seated next to her, Rodriguez wears a bright magenta pink blazer and cat-eye glasses, listening intently alongside a third panelist seated on the right in a dark jacket.Gwen Myers (L) and Aileen Rodriguez (center) at C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library in Tampa, Florida on July 9, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

Voters face a huge decision about Hillsborough County’s future this fall, and we now know the politicians that’ll be trying to get their point across.

Aileen Rodriguez and incumbent Hillsborough County Commissioner Gwen Myers won their Democratic primaries on Tuesday night by earning 62% and 69% of the vote, respectively.

Rodriguez, a Republican-turned-Democrat will face right-wing incumbent Commissioner Joshua Wostal in District 7; Meyers, currently serving her second term on the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), will face Republican Luiz Garcia in the general.

In a statement, Rodriguez thanked voters for their trust and mentioned the “a sun up to sundown work ethic” she learned growing up on a farm.

“I brought that same tireless energy to this primary campaign, and in November, I will bring it to the County Commission,” she added. “I will fight relentlessly to ensure our infrastructure keeps pace with growth, our natural beauty is preserved, and our county services have the resources they need to keep every zip code safe and prosperous.”

A photograph by Dave Decker showing Aileen Rodriguez speaking at the C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library in Tampa, Florida, on July 9, 2026. Captured in a medium shot, Rodriguez stands smiling behind a microphone held with both hands, wearing a bright magenta pink blazer over a black-and-white floral print top, cat-eye eyeglasses, and a name tag reading "AILEEN RODRIGUEZ" pinned to her lapel against a light, plain backdrop.Aileen Rodriguez at C. Blythe Andrews Jr. Public Library in Tampa, Florida on July 9, 2026. Credit: Dave Decker / Creative Loafing Tampa Bay

In the BOCC’s District 7 race, Republican Stacy Hanh defeated incumbent Donna Cameron Cepeda, who once proposed eliminating Sunshine law for Hillsborough County commissioners. Hanh will face Dr. Neil Manimala in the general election, which wraps on Election Day, Tuesday Nov. 3.

Every Hillsborough BOCC candidate who qualified for the November ballot has been invited to a Tampa Tiger Bay Candidate Forum happening on Friday, Aug. 21 in Ybor City.

In Pinellas, incumbent county commissioner Dave Eggers was re-elected to his District 4 seat by earning roughly 80% of the vote.

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This article appears in August 13 – 19, 2026.

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