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In an election night marked by close races across the state, one of the biggest surprises in Polk County was the defeat of Republican incumbent Hilary Holley by Democrat Octavio Hernandez.
Hernandez won despite a substantial fundraising gap. Campaign finance reports show Hernandez raised $4,922.45, compared with $135,500 raised by Holley.
Holley was elected to the Florida House in a March special election called after Josie Tomkow resigned the seat to run for Florida Senate District 14. Holley defeated Democrat Edwin Pérez, 54.2% to 45.8%. She was sworn in April 28 and served in the House during a brief special legislative session. She was not in office during the 2026 regular legislative session, which ended March 13.
Who Is Octavio Hernandez
This was not Hernandez’s first campaign. He challenged Tomkow for the seat in 2024, garnering 43.1% of the vote. Hernandez, a 46-year-old teacher from Davenport, identified traffic, the cost of living and public school funding as the top concerns among his constituents in LkldNow’s candidate questionnaire.
He also expressed support for home rule, saying he would vote to protect local governments’ authority and serve as their voice in Tallahassee. On development, Hernandez said he supports smart-growth policies that require developers to help pay for the infrastructure needed to support new communities while protecting natural resources.
House District 51 covers much of northern Polk County, including Auburndale, Haines City, Davenport, Lake Alfred, Polk City and the Four Corners area, as well as portions of unincorporated north Lakeland. The district includes a mix of established communities, rural areas and rapidly growing suburbs along the county’s northern and eastern edges.
Lakeland’s State House Representatives
Republican incumbents retained both of Lakeland’s other state House seats. In House District 50, Jennifer Canady won re-election with 54.6% of the vote against Democrat Ricky Santiago and no-party-affiliation candidate Jarvis Washington. In House District 49, Jennifer Kincart Jonsson won another term with 58.7% of the vote.
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