- December 15, 2025
County Commissioner Milissa Holland has decided to run for Florida House of Representatives District 24, the newly drawn seat that includes all of Flagler County.
Her decision comes days after Donald O’Brien, a two-time former president of the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce & Affiliates and co-owner of Hayward Brown Insurance, decided to end his candidacy for the seat.
O’Brien cited personal and business commitments as the reason for withdrawing. He added, in a prepared statement: “I firmly believe that this new district made up primarily of Flagler County voters deserves a Flagler County citizen serving in the Florida House — something we haven’t had since 1967.”
Holland hopes to be that citizen. A Democrat, Holland will be up against fellow Flagler resident Doug Courtney in the Aug. 14 primary. Travis Hutson, a St. Johns County Republican who had planned to run against O’Brien in the primary, is now unopposed and would face the winner of Holland and Courtney in November.
Holland will make the official announcement 1:30 p.m. Monday, at James Holland Park, which is named for her father.
Holland has already written her letter of resignation, so her six-year tenure on the County Commission will end Nov. 6 regardless of the outcome of the election. Gov. Rick Scott will appoint a replacement or call for a special election.
In those six years, Holland has been an advocate for Flagler County by visiting Tallahassee and making relationships with state officials, she said. She has pled Flagler’s case in issues like Medicaid payments, online booking companies and state infrastructure projects.
If elected, Holland said, she’ll be able to be in close contact with Flagler leaders to understand the county’s needs.
“I will have the ability, as representative, to have those conversations with our local leaders, and they’ll be able to see me in the grocery store when I come back home and tell me what’s needed in the community,” she said.
