Neil Manimala clears six figures in race to unseat Donna Cepeda

Democrat Neil Manimala has collected more than $100,000 for his bid for Hillsborough County Commission, District 5, where he is challenging incumbent Republican Donna Cepeda.

Manimala, a local physician, self-reported raising nearly $103,000, though that includes $15,000 he loaned his campaign. Still, Manimala said his fundraising activity includes 433 donations from 376 unique donors, with an average contribution of just over $207.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who has stepped up to support this campaign,” Manimala said. “As a doctor, I’ve seen how broken systems around housing, transportation, and healthcare weigh on families every day. This strong start shows that our neighbors are ready for change, and together, we can build a Hillsborough County that’s more affordable, healthier, and easier to get around.”

Cepeda has reported raising just $6,000, according to the most recent data available from the Hillsborough County Supervisor of Elections.

“With the momentum we’re building, I’m confident that together we can heal Hillsborough and make sure no family gets left behind,” Manimala added.

Cepeda won the seat in 2022, unseating Democrat Mariella Smith in what turned out to be the political equivalent to the infamous Game of Thrones “Red Wedding.” Red was everywhere, with Republicans claiming control not just of the Hillsborough County Commission, but also of the neighboring Pinellas County Commission and making huge gains in the Legislature.

Manimala announced his campaign to challenge Cepeda in July, as Democrats hope frustration over economic uncertainty stemming from President Donald Trump’s tariffs and “Big Beautiful Bill” that critics say hurts lower income Americans to the benefit of the wealthy will swing the pendulum back in their direction.

Manimala is a board-certified urologist and lifelong Hillsborough resident. He’s running on a platform to increase housing affordability and access to affordable health care, establish reliable public transportation, implement smart growth and improve overall quality of life. He is also running to improve government transparency and responsiveness.

Cepeda is an army veteran and author with experience in finance. In her 2022 campaign, she described herself as a “constitutional conservative.” Her platforms included bolstering border security, banning abortion access and stopping the “transgenderism agenda,” which Cepeda says is “indoctrination of our children in our schools.”

District 5 is elected countywide where Republicans have a narrow voter registration advantage, with more than 287,000 voters compared to just over 270,000 Democrats. There are another more than 212,000 voters not registered with a party, a demographic critical for winning the district.